科研之友
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摘要
Objective: A challenge facing clinicians is identifying patients with asymptomatic carotid disease at risk of plaque instability. We hypothesise that locally released angiogenic growth factors contribute to plaque instability. Methods: Carotid endarterectomy specimens from eight symptomatic and eight asymptomatic patients were interrogated for microvessel density and angiogenic growth factor expression histologically using immunofluorescence, and biochemically using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-RT-PCR). BioPlex (TM) suspension array was used to assess circulating biomarkers in venous blood from the same patients and six healthy age-matched controls. Results: Immunofluorescence demonstrated significantly greater neovessel density in symptomatic plaques (P = 0.010) with elevated expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (P = 0.001) and its receptor MET (P = 0.011) than in asymptomatic plaques. The q-RT-PCR demonstrated up-regulation of Endoglin (CD105), HGF (P = 0.001) and MET (P = 0.011) in the plaques of symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients. BioPlex (TM) suspension array demonstrated elevated HGF (P = 0.002) serum levels in symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients and healthy controls, and decreased platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) (P = 0.036) serum levels in symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients. Conclusion: Plaque instability may be mediated by HGF-induced formation of new microvessets, and decreased vessel stability resulting from decreased PDGF. Suspension array technology has the potential to identify circulating biomarkers that correlate with plaque rupture risk.
- 出版日期2010-4
