[Toll-like receptor 4 expression in the coronary atherosclerotic plaques of patients died from sudden cardiac death].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression in the coronary atherosclerotic plaques in patients died from sudden cardiac death (SCD) or non SCD.


METHODS
Autopsied coronary artery samples from 75 patients died from SCD (n = 28), non-SCD (n = 28) or non-CHD (n = 19) were examined and the R value (positive cells' areas/scanning areas) and A value (average optical density) of TLR4 expression in the coronary arteries were detected qualitatively by the immunohistochemistry (SABC method) and image analysis technologies.


RESULTS
SCD group: 13 (46.4%) cases showed strong positive expression of TLR4; 11 (39.3%), positive expression; 4 (14.3%), weak positive expression. CHD group: 8 (28.6%) cases showed weak positive expression; 17 (60.7%), very weak positive expression; 3 (10.7%), no positive expression. There was no positive expression of TLR4 in non-CHD samples. A (1.140 +/- 0.101) and R value (0.0269 +/- 0.0027) in SCD group were significantly higher than in non-SCD and control groups (all P < 0.01). A value was siginificantly higher in CHD group (0.719 +/- 0.205) than that in control group (0.481 +/- 0.033, P < 0.05) while R value (0.0085 +/- 0.0007, 0.0046 +/- 0.0004) was similar between the groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The increased positive expressive of TLR4 in the atherosclerotic plaque can be regarded as an important pathological marker of SCD.
Chen
Huang-Feng
HF
Department of Forensic Pathology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Chen
Xin-Shan
XS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000378:metabolism*
C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4