The isoprostane, 8-epi-PGF2 alpha, is accumulated in coronary arteries isolated from patients with coronary heart disease.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study we wanted to know whether 8-epi-PGF2 alpha, which belongs to the class of isoprostanes formed by free radical-mediated peroxidation of arachidonic acid and arachidonyl-containing phospholipids, is enriched in isolated coronary arteries of patients suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD, n = 23) who received allograft heart transplants as compared to vessels derived from patients with dilative cardiomyopathy (CMP, n = 19) or from healthy heart donors (controls, n = 6).


METHODS
Sections from the isolated coronary arteries were analysed by semiquantitative immunohistochemistry by determining the area and intensity of positive reaction for 8-epi-PGF2 alpha in the vascular intima and media. In addition, the 8-epi-PGF2 alpha content was determined using a specific immunoassay after extraction and purification.


RESULTS
The immunohistochemical results indicated that 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is significantly enriched in arteries from patients suffering from CHD as compared to CMP (P < 0.0001). In controls, significantly less immunostaining was observed. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between semiquantitative immunohistochemistry and radioimmunological determination was observed too.


CONCLUSIONS
From our findings we conclude that 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is especially accumulated in coronary arteries from CHD patients and therefore is likely to be involved in atherogenesis.
Mehrabi
M R
MR
Department of Cardiology, University of Vienna, Austria. mmehrabi@pop3.kard.akh-wien.ac.at
Ekmekcioglu
C
C
Tatzber
F
F
Oguogho
A
A
Ullrich
R
R
Morgan
A
A
Tamaddon
F
F
Grimm
M
M
Glogar
H D
HD
Sinzinger
H
H
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000378:metabolism; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay