elastin and Hyperlipoproteinemia-Type-II

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, with 70% of CVD mortalities the result of sequelae of atherosclerosis. An urgent need for enhanced delineation of vulnerable plaques has catalyzed the development of novel atherosclerosis imaging strategies that use X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance and ultrasound modalities. As suggested by the pathophysiology of plaque development and progression to vulnerability, insight to the focal material, i.e., mechanical, properties of arterial walls and plaques may enhance atherosclerosis characterization. We present acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) ultrasound in application to mechanically characterizing a raised focal atherosclerotic plaque in an iliac artery extracted from a relevant pig model. ARFI results are correlated to matched immunohistochemistry, indicating elastin and collagen composition. In regions of degraded elastin, slower recovery rates from peak ARFI-induced displacements were observed. In regions of collagen deposition, lower ARFI-induced displacements were achieved. This work demonstrates ARFI for characterizing the material nature of an atherosclerotic plaque.

Topics: Animals; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular Diseases; Collagen; Disease Models, Animal; Elasticity; Elastin; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II; Iliac Artery; Swine; Ultrasonography

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that severe atherosclerosis changes aortic compliance. Compliance of a vessel is defined as change in volume per unit change in pressure and is a measure of the stiffness or distensibility of the vascular wall. Part of the energy delivered by the left ventricle in systole is used to propel the blood forward into the aorta and part of it to distend the aorta and major vessels. During diastole, the arterial walls recoil and provide energy for propulsion of blood, thereby making blood flow continuous. It is known that Watanabe hereditary hyperlipidemic rabbits develop severe atherosclerosis beginning at 6 months of age. Compliance of the ascending thoracic aorta was studied angiographically in eight Watanabe hereditary hyperlipidemic rabbits of ages greater than 6 months and six normal lipidemic New Zealand white rabbits of ages greater than 6 months, used as controls. The normal New Zealand white rabbits had an average blood cholesterol of 27.4 mg/dL, SD = 13.8, and a regional compliance in the ascending aorta of 0.004 mL/mm Hg, SD = 0.002, compared to the Watanabe hereditary hyperlipidemic rabbits with a cholesterol of 583.1 mg/dL, SD = 162.7, and a compliance of 0.0022 mL/mm Hg, SD = 0.0015. These are significant differences (p less than .05). In addition, the histopathology of the aorta of the Watanabe hyperlipidemic rabbit compared to that of the controls showed a significant decrease in the number of medial lamellar elastin units, an indicator of the decreased elasticity of the blood vessel wall.

Topics: Angiography, Digital Subtraction; Animals; Aorta, Thoracic; Aortic Diseases; Arteriosclerosis; Cholesterol; Elasticity; Elastin; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II; Rabbits

We adapted a highly sensitive and reproducible ELISA technique for the determination of anti-elastin peptide antibodies of IgG type AEAb-IgG) and IgM type AEAb-IgM) in human sera. The determination was performed in the sera of 265 normal and diseased persons. The pathologies studied included obliterative arteriosclerosis of the legs, ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, type IIb and IV hyperlipoproteinemia and hypertension. No clearcut correlation could be found between AEAb and age. In contrast, in arteriosclerotic patients and especially in obliterative arteriosclerosis of the legs and ischemic heart disease, the concentration of AEAb-IgG was significantly increased. The AEAb-IgM showed no change in the studied diseases. Both types of AEAb were decreased in type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Anti-elastin antibodies may be involved in the pathomechanisms of the above diseases and the determination of antibody concentrations may be of some help in obliterative arteriosclerotic diseases.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibodies; Arteriosclerosis; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Coronary Disease; Diabetes Mellitus; Elastin; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type IV; Male; Middle Aged; Peptides