title: Microarray analysis reveals overexpression of CD163 and HO-1 in symptomatic carotid plaques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied by microarray analysis whether symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid plaques from the same patient differ in gene expression and whether the same changes are present in an independent sample set.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carotid plaques from four patients with bilateral high-grade stenosis, one being symptomatic and the other asymptomatic, were analyzed on Affymetrix U95Av2 arrays. 33 genes showed >1.5-fold change between symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques in an intraindividual comparison with FDR ranging from 0.28 to 0.40. Three genes involved in iron-heme homeostasis, CD163, HO-1, and transferrin receptor, were further analyzed in 40 independent plaques. HO-1 (fold-change 1.93, 95%CI 1.04 to 3.94, P=0.040) and CD163 (1.58, 1.11 to 2.40, P=0.013) mRNAs were again induced, and also HO-1 protein was overexpressed in symptomatic plaques (4.38, 1.54 to 12.20, P=0.024). The expression of HO-1 and CD163 correlated with tissue iron content but iron itself was not associated with the symptom status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptomatic plaques show overexpression of CD163 and HO-1 both in intraindividual and interindividual comparison. Their expression correlates with iron deposits but asymptomatic and symptomatic plaques from isolated patients do not differ in macroscopic hemorrhages or iron deposits. We suggest that symptomatic plaques show a more pronounced induction of CD163 and HO-1 in response to plaque hemorrhages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. petra.ijas@hus.fi
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ijäs
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nuotio
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saksi
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soinne
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saimanen
authors.forename: Marja-Liisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Karjalainen-Lindsberg
authors.forename: Oili
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
authors.forename: Jarno
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuimala
authors.forename: Petri T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Kovanen
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaste
authors.forename: Perttu J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lindsberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006470:Hemorrhage; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D006418:Heme; D004247:DNA; D007501:Iron; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1