title: [Expression and significance of inflammatory factors and bone formation mediators in carotid atherosclerotic plaque].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare protein levels of pro-inflammatory factors and bone formation mediators in the fibrous cap and shoulder region of non-calcified and calcified carotid endarterectomy (CEA) plaques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two CEA plaques were classified as non-calcified and calcified groups (n=11 each) in accordance with the American Heart Association (AHA) consensus in 1995. To make frozen sections and H&E staining using plaque, the mean percent of carotid stenosis and calcification area was determined by quantitative histomorphometry. The protein levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chematactic protein-1 (MCP-1), bone formation mediators bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6), and osteocalcin in the fibrous cap and shoulder region of plaques were determined by western blot and were quantified using ImageJ software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MCP-1 and IL-8 protein were 1.3 (P>0.05) and 1.5 (P<0.05) folds greater in the non-calcified plaques than those in the calcified plaques. BMP-6 and osteocalcin protein were 1.3 (P>0.05) and 2.1 (P<0.01) folds greater in the calcified plaques compared with those of the non-calcified plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammation is more likely to occur in non-calcified carotid plaques, and calcification in the plaques may be associated with bone formation, which indicates that decreased inflammation may be the beginning of calcification in carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery II, Peopleos Hospital of Hunan, Changsha 410005, China. weizheng62003@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Mei-lai
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Pei-zhi
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C525816:BMP6 protein, human; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016209:Interleukin-8