title: [Urokinase receptor expression in atherosclerotic plaques of human femoral arteries].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the urokinase receptor (uPAR) expression in atherosclerotic plaques of human femoral arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human femoral artery samples were collected from patients underwent femoral endarterectomy. Normal internal mammary artery samples were taken from bypass surgery served as control. uPAR protein distribution at shoulders, lipid pool and rupture sites of a plaque and the association with macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were detected by immunohistochemistry methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no uPAR expression in intima or tunica media of normal internal mammary arteries. In atherosclerotic lesions of femoral artery, the mean optical density (A) of uPAR was 92 +/- 37 in intima and 46 +/- 28 in tunica media (P < 0.05). The intimal uPAR was coexisted with macrophages and SMCs. uPAR expression was observed at plaque shoulders and lipid pool, while the maximal expression was found at rupture sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased expression of uPAR in atherosclerotic lesion and uPAR distribution at shoulders, lipid pool, as well as rupture sites of plaques suggest a role of uPAR in plaque rupture process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lian-feng
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong-chao
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Wen-ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shu-yang
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Chang-wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004691:Endarterectomy; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator