Intermediate filament expression in human vascular smooth muscle and in arteriosclerotic plaques

Different regions of human aorta and of other human arteries obtained at autopsy were analyzed with regard to their topography and to the different stages of arteriosclerosis. Material was studied by immunocytochemical techniques with antibodies specific for either desmin (D) or for vimentin (V), the two types of intermediate filament proteins present in vascular smooth muscle cells. In normal arteries endothelial cells as well as the adjacent intimal cells were D-V+. In the media D+V+ as well as D-V+ cells were present, with the relative numbers of each cell type dependent on the particular blood vessel. When cells in arteriosclerotic plaques at different stages of development were examined an occasional plaque showed cells of the D+V+ type. In the majority of plaques however the cells were V-D+. In plaques where severe ulceration and necrotic material was present D-V+ cells were found at the border of the lesion: foam cells when they could be identified appeared to be D-V+.