Differential distribution of vasa vasorum in different vascular beds in humans.
OBJECTIVE
Vasa vasorum (VV) have been implicated to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This study was designed to describe the distribution of VV density in different vascular beds in humans and to investigate the association between VV density and the known distribution of atherosclerosis in human arteries.


METHODS
Forty-two human arteries, harvested at autopsy or after explantation, were analyzed by three-dimensional microscopic-computed tomography (micro-CT). VV density, endothelial-surface-fraction (Sigma VV endothelial-surface-area/vessel-wall-volume) and vascular-area-fraction (Sigma VV area/vessel-wall-area) were calculated for coronary, renal and femoral arteries. Representatively five coronary, renal and femoral arteries were stained for endothelial cells (von Willebrand-Factor), macrophages (CD68), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and collagen (Sirius Red).


RESULTS
Coronary arteries showed a higher VV density compared to renal and femoral arteries (2.12+/-0.26 n/mm(2) versus 0.61+/-0.06 n/mm(2) and 0.66+/-0.11 n/mm(2); P<0.05 for both) as well as a higher endothelial-surface-fraction and vascular-area-fraction. Histology showed a positive correlation between histologically derived VV density and CD68-positive cells/area (r=0.54, P<0.01), VEGF-immunoreactivity/area (r=0.55, P<0.01) and a negative correlation between VV density and collagen I content (r=0.66, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This micro-CT study highlights a higher VV density in coronary than in peripheral arteries, supporting the relation between VV density and the susceptibility to atherosclerosis in different vascular beds in humans.
Hildebrandt
Heike A
HA
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Gossl
Mario
M
Mannheim
Dallit
D
Versari
Daniele
D
Herrmann
Joerg
J
Spendlove
Danny
D
Bajanowski
Thomas
T
Malyar
Nasser M
NM
Erbel
Raimund
R
Lerman
Lilach O
LO
Lerman
Amir
A
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*
D003094:Collagen