Related Experiment Videos
Immunohistochemical analysis of platelet-derived growth factor-B expression in myocardial tissues in hypertrophic
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Insights
Platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) is elevated in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, contributing to intramyocardial small vessel disease. This finding advances understanding of HCM pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Molecular Pathology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Intramyocardial small vessel hyperplasia is implicated in myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
- The precise mechanisms driving these vascular lesions in HCM remain unclear.
- Platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) are potential mediators of vascular changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenic role of PDGF-B and b-FGF in HCM-associated intramyocardial vasculopathy.
- To examine the expression of PDGF-B, b-FGF, and their receptors in cardiac tissue from HCM patients and controls.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze cardiac tissue samples.
- Expression levels of PDGF-B, b-FGF, and PDGF receptors were quantified in myocytes, non-myocytes, and vascular regions.
- Six HCM patients and seven control subjects were included in the study.
Main Results:
- PDGF-B expression was significantly higher in the myocyte population of HCM patients compared to controls (52.6% vs. 21.6%).
- PDGF-B was detected in vascular regions of HCM hearts (61.1% of arterioles) but not in controls.
- No significant differences in b-FGF or PDGF receptor expression were observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- PDGF-B protein expression is upregulated in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Elevated PDGF-B suggests its contribution to the development of intramyocardial vasculopathy in HCM.
- This finding highlights PDGF-B as a potential factor in HCM pathogenesis.
Abstract:
Intimal and/or medial hyperplasia of intramyocardial small vessels is thought to be one of the causes of myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, the pathogenesis of such vascular lesions in HCM is not yet known. To evaluate the pathogenic role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-B) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), which have a potential to induce cellular and molecular changes observed in the vessels in HCM, we examined the expression of these molecules and PDGF receptors in cardiac tissues from six patients with HCM and seven controls using immunohistochemistry. The percentage of PDGF-B positive cells in the myocyte population in HCM was significantly higher than that in controls (52.6 +/- 16.2 (mean +/- SD) vs. 21.6 +/- 9.6, p < 0.01). PDGF-B was also observed in vascular regions in HCM (61.1 +/- 25.5% of arterioles) but not in controls. There were no significant differences in the expression of b-FGF and PDGF receptors in the myocyte and non-myocyte populations and the vascular regions between the HCM and control groups. Our study revealed that the expression of PDGF-B protein was up-regulated in HCM, suggesting the contribution of this molecule to the development of intramyocardial vasculopathy.