title: VCAM-1 expression and network of VCAM-1 positive vascular dendritic cells in advanced atherosclerotic lesions of carotid arteries and aortas.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine whether vascular dendritic cells (VDCs) display VCAM-1 in atherosclerotic lesions. Specimens of carotid artery and aorta were obtained at operation. All the plaques contained VCAM-1+ cells, but VCAM-1 immunoreactivity was irregularly distributed being mainly associated with the zones of neovascularisation in the base of the atherosclerotic plaques. Vascular dendritic cells were identified with DAKO-CD1 a. Alternative parallel sections were stained with either anti-CD1 a or anti-VCAM-1. By comparison of consecutive parallel sections the CD1a+ vascular dendritic cells were located separate from other intimal cells. In some areas networks formed by VCAM-1+ vascular dendritic cells were observed suggesting that cellular networks may mediate a local immune response in atherosclerotic lesions. We speculate that VCAM-1 is involved in the formation of cell-to-cell contacts of vascular dendritic cells in atherogenesis.
authors: Surgical Professorial Unit, St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.
authors: Y V
authors: YV
authors: Bobryshev
authors: R S
authors: RS
authors: Lord
authors: S P
authors: SP
authors: Rainer
authors: V F
authors: VF
authors: Munro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000032:analysis; D001011:Aorta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D006416:Hematoxylin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D006416:Hematoxylin