Clonal cytogenetic changes in atherosclerotic plaques including trisomy 20

To examine the possible implications of chromosomal changes in the etiology of atherosclerotic plaques, we cytogenetically investigated cultured cells from atheromata at different sites of six patients. Fixed metaphase chromosomes from short-term cultures of cells obtained from atherosclerotic plaques were examined by GTG banding. One case, characterized by the presence of two abnormal related clones, showed numerical and structural karyotypic changes. This observation, confirms the presence of chromosome abnormalities in cells from atherosclerotic plaques, and contributes to the debate on the origin of this cell neoproliferation.