[Activity of inflammatory-destructive changes in the process of formation of unstable atherosclerotic plaque]

We studied parameters of inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor a, antagonist of interleukin-1 receptor, interleukin-6 , interleukin-8, C-reactive protein) and destructive (matrix metalloproteinases type 3 and 9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase type 1) processes in dynamics of sequential stages of development of atherosclerotic foci in coronary arteries: unchanged intimal tissue --> lipid stain/streak --> stable young plaque --> unstable vulnerable plaque with inclination to ulceration of rupture --> stable plaque with fibrosis/calcinosis, and in various types of unstable plaques in men with coronary atherosclerosis. Characteristic for unstable plaques parameters of inflammatory activity were elevated levels of interleukins (IL) 6 and 8, C-reactive protein (CRP), of destructive activity -- elevated level of metalloproteinases-9. In inflammatory erosive type of unstable plaques (lowered level of antagonist of interleukin-1 receptor and elevated level of CRP) and in lipid type (elevated levels of IL-6, IL-8 and CRP) inflammatory activity was dominating compared with necrotic type in which dominated destructive activity (elevated level of tumor necrosis factor a and lowered level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase type 1).