Natural progression of atherosclerosis from pathologic intimal thickening to late fibroatheroma in human coronary arteries: A pathology study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Smooth muscle cells, macrophage infiltration and accumulation of lipids, proteoglycans, collagen matrix and calcification play a central role in atherosclerosis. The early histologic changes of plaque progression from pathologic intimal thickenings (PIT) to late fibroatheroma lesions have not been fully characterized.

Methods

A total of 151 atherosclerotic coronary lesions were collected from 67 sudden death victims. Atherosclerotic plaques were classified as PIT without macrophage infiltration, PIT with macrophages, and early and late fibroatheromas. Presence of macrophages and proteoglycans (versican, decorin and biglycan) were recognized by specific antibodies while hyaluronan was detected by affinity histochemistry. Lipid deposition was identified by oil-red-O,

SUBMITTER: Otsuka F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4510015 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature