Carotid plaque mast cells associate with atherogenic serum lipids, high grade carotid stenosis and symptomatic carotid artery disease. Results from the helsinki carotid endarterectomy study.
OBJECTIVE
Increased numbers of mast cells (MCs) are present in ruptured coronary plaques, suggesting to play a role in acute coronary syndromes. We evaluated the distribution densities of MCs, macrophages and T cells in carotid plaques and correlated these findings to stroke risk factors as well as history of stroke or TIA.


RESULTS
Seventy-eight carotid samples from 75 patients (16 plaques from asymptomatic patients and 62 from patients with recent ischemic symptoms) undergoing carotid endarterectomy with an internal carotid stenosis >70% that were immunostained and quantified for MCs, macrophages and T cells. The MC distribution density showed positive correlation with the degree of carotid stenosis (p = 0.012), serum levels of total cholesterol (p = 0.021), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.013) and triglycerides (p = 0.005), and an inverse correlation with serum HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.001). The average MC density (p = 0.023), but not the macrophage (p = 0.58) or T cell (p = 0.74) density, was higher in the symptomatic than in the asymptomatic patients. In a comparison of plaques ipsilateral and contralateral to the thromboembolic event, the densities of the three types of inflammatory cells were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased MC distribution density is associated with an atherogenic serum lipid profile, high-grade carotid artery stenosis and symptomatic carotid artery disease. These findings suggest a potential involvement of MCs in the pathophysiology of carotid artery stenosis.
Lehtonen-Smeds
Erno M P
EM
Wihuri Research Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Mayranpaa
Mikko
M
Lindsberg
Perttu J
PJ
Soinne
Lauri
L
Saimanen
Eija
E
Jarvinen
Antero A J
AA
Salonen
Oili
O
Carpén
Olli
O
Lassila
Riitta
R
Sarna
Seppo
S
Kaste
Markku
M
Kovanen
Petri T
PT
D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002452:Cell Count; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol