[Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae are associated to inflammation and rupture of the atherosclerotic coronary plaques].
In this review we report recent findings of our lab showing that Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae are present in higher amount, associated with adventitial inflammation and positive vessel remodeling, in thrombosed coronary artery segments (CAS) of patients who died due to acute myocardial infarction. CD8T cell was the predominant lymphocytes in the plaque and CD24(B) cell in the adventitia. The mean numbers of lymphocytes were significantly higher in adventitia than in the plaque. Vulnerable plaques were usually associated with focal positive vessel remodeling and large lipidic atheromas. Mycoplasma is the only bacterium that needs cholesterol for proliferation. We hypothesized that the association of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae increases virulence of both bacteria, inducing inflammation and rupture of the plaque. The search of CMV and Helicobacter pylori resulted negative.
Ramires
José Antonio F
JA
Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo, Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. jramires@incor.usp.br
Higuchi
Maria de Lourdes
Mde L
D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous