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Atherogenicity of blood serum from patients with coronary heart disease
Insights
Patient sera with coronary heart disease (CHD) significantly increased intracellular cholesterol in aortic cells. This atherogenic effect correlated with the apolipoprotein-B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio, indicating a key marker for atherosclerosis development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Atherosclerosis Research
- Cellular Lipid Metabolism
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of mortality.
- Understanding the cellular mechanisms driving atherosclerosis is crucial for developing effective treatments.
- Serum factors are implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the atherogenic properties of patient sera on human aortic cells.
- To identify serum biomarkers associated with the development of atherosclerosis.
- To elucidate the cellular targets of atherogenic serum factors.
Main Methods:
- Primary cultures of human aortic subendothelial cells, medial smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells were utilized.
- Sera from patients with CHD and healthy subjects were applied to cell cultures.
- Intracellular cholesterol levels and lipid deposition were quantified.
- Serum apolipoprotein levels and ratios were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Sera from 62/68 CHD patients elevated intracellular cholesterol in subendothelial cells (2-5 fold).
- Sera from 33/42 healthy subjects lacked significant atherogenic properties.
- Atherogenic potential correlated directly with the serum apolipoprotein-B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio.
- CHD sera promoted lipid deposition in medial smooth muscle and mononuclear cells, but not endothelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Serum from CHD patients possesses atherogenic properties, primarily affecting subendothelial and medial cells.
- The serum apolipoprotein-B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio is a key indicator of atherogenic potential.
- These findings highlight specific cellular targets and serum markers relevant to atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
Abstract:
The sera from 62 of 68 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) caused a two to five fold elevation in the intracellular cholesterol in primary cultures of subendothelial cells derived from grossly normal intima of human aorta. The sera from 33 of 42 healthy subjects did not show atherogenic properties in culture. Atherogenic potential correlated directly with the serum apolipoprotein-B-apolipoprotein A1 ratio, but not with the level of total cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, apo-B, or apo-A1. The sera from patients with CHD also facilitated deposition of lipids in the medial smooth muscle cells of human aorta and mononuclear blood cells, though to a lesser degree. They had no such effect on endothelial cells of human aorta and umbilical vein, or human embryo fibroblasts.