Publication:
Distinctive peri-luminal presence of agrin in murine and human carotid atherosclerotic plaques

Thumbnail Image
Files
Rauch-33-717-726-2018.pdf(21.42 MB)
Date
2018
relationships.isAuthorOfPublication
relationships.isSecondaryAuthorOf
relationships.isDirectorOf
Authors
Rauch, Uwe ; Bengtsson, Eva ; Gonçalves, Isabel ; Hultgårdh Nilsson, Anna
item.page.secondaryauthor
item.page.director
Publisher
Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología
publication.page.editor
publication.page.department
DOI
DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-970
item.page.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
The clinical consequences of arterial atherosclerotic lesions depend, apart from their size, on their composition of cellular and extracellular components. While an intact endothelium at the interface of atherosclerotic plaques towards the blood can prevent its erosion, underlying smooth muscle cells within the plaque can reduce the risk of plaque ruptures, due to the deposition of stabilizing extracellular matrix. Basement membranes underlay and support the function of endothelial cells, and embed smooth muscle cells in the media, the source of most smooth muscle cells within atherosclerotic plaques. In the present study mouse atherosclerotic plaques were comparatively analyzed for the basement membrane components laminin, type IV collagen, perlecan, and agrin. Distinct agrin immunofluorescence was found in the peri-luminal area in mouse carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Agrin was also clearly present in the media, with a significant increase in regions directly associated with plaque tissue. In addition, ten human endarterectomy specimens were investigated for this heparan sulfate proteoglycan. No statistically significant differences in agrin immunofluorescence were noticed between five specimens from symptomatic and five from asymptomatic patients. In all these plaques agrin was present in a distinctive manner in a narrow zone partially or almost completely surrounding the lumen. Additionally it was also present around the small lumina of the CD31-positive neovessels. The presence of agrin at locations with particular importance for the growth and stability of atherosclerotic plaques renders this molecule strategically positioned to influence plaque development and vulnerability.
publication.page.subject
Atherosclerotic plaque , Basement membrane molecule , Endarterectomy specimen , Agrin
Citation
Histology and Histopathology, Vol.33, nº7, (2018)
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10201/119690
item.page.embargo
Collections
Histology and histopathology Vol.33, nº7 (2018)
Ir a Estadísticas