title: Increased interleukin-18 expression in nonrheumatic aortic valve stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unknown whether interleukin-18 (IL-18) participates in the pathophysiology of nonrheumatic aortic stenosis (NR-AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined IL-18 expression in human NR-AS valves by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry revealed that NR-AS valves showed increased IL-18 expression compared with controls. IL-18 receptor was also expressed in NR-AS valves. Western blot analysis showed that IL-18 was expressed as an active form in NR-AS valves. Furthermore, increased IL-18 expression was correlated with the advanced clinical severity of NR-AS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-18 was expressed in the aortic valves and up-regulated in NR-AS valves. IL-18 may contribute to the pathophysiology of NR-AS.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsujino
authors.forename: Kana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Mitsumasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohyanagi
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsuno
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Haruki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000737:chemistry; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18