title: Localisation of protein Z in vascular lesions of patients with atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The deposition of protein Z was investigated in atherosclerotic vascular lesions of patients with diabetes mellitus or atherosclerotic vascular disease without diabetes in comparison to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protein Z antigen was evidenced by immunohistochemistry in arteries of 5 healthy control patients, 11 diabetic patients with arterio-occlusive disease and 7 patients suffering from arterio-occlusive disease without diabetes. For immunohistochemistry, a commercially available antibody was taken as first antibody, and immunopositivity was evaluated independently by two investigators (J.G.; I.K.) as negative (0), positive (+) and strongly positive (++). The results were assessed by the Whitney-Mann-Wilcoxon test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macrovascular endothelial cells were stained positive for protein Z in all arteries studied. Arteries of controls did not show significant immunopositivity in cells other than macrovascular endothelial cells, while the microvascular endothelial cells of control arteries were largely negative. The proliferating subendothelial space in atherosclerotic vascular lesions showed significant immunopositivity for protein Z. In contrast to control arteries, the microvascular endothelial cells of the proliferating areas stained positive. The staining pattern of the subendothelial space was similar in atherosclerotic vessels independent of the risk factor for atherosclerosis. Plaques were immunopositive for protein Z, too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protein Z is present in atherosclerotic vascular lesions of diabetic and non-diabetic patients, but not in the subendothelial space and microvascular endothelial cells of healthy controls. Since protein Z-positivity was detected in microvascular endothelium as well as in extra-vascular deposits around plaques, it may play a role in the development of these lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greten
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kreis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liliensiek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allenberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amiral
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Nawroth
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; C026080:plasma protein Z