PLoS ONE (Jan 2015)

Production of IL-8, VEGF and Elastase by Circulating and Intraplaque Neutrophils in Patients with Carotid Atherosclerosis.

  • Franca Marino,
  • Matteo Tozzi,
  • Laura Schembri,
  • Stefania Ferraro,
  • Antonino Tarallo,
  • Angela Scanzano,
  • Massimiliano Legnaro,
  • Patrizio Castelli,
  • Marco Cosentino

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124565
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 4
p. e0124565

Abstract

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ObjectivesPolymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) in atherosclerotic plaques have been identified only recently, and their contribution to plaque development is not yet fully understood. In this study, production of elastase, interleukin (IL)-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by PMN was investigated in subjects with carotid stenosis undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA).MethodsThe study enrolled 50 patients (Pts) and 10 healthy subjects (HS). Circulating PMN (cPMN) isolated from venous blood (in both Pts and HS) and from plaques (pPMN, in Pts) were cultured, alone or with 0.1 μM fMLP. Elastase, IL-8 and VEGF mRNA were analyzed by real-time PCR. In CEA specimens, PMN were localized by immunohistochemistry.ResultsIn both Pts cPMN and pPMN, IL-8 mRNA was higher at rest but lower after fMLP (PConclusionsIn Pts with carotid plaques, both circulating and intraplaque PMN produce IL-8, VEGF and elastase, which are crucial for plaque development and progression. These findings suggest mechanistic explanations to the reported correlation between PMN count and cardiovascular mortality in carotid ATH.