Heterogeneity of atherosclerosis in mesenteric arteries and outgrowth remodeling.
BACKGROUND
In patients with acute mesenteric ischemia by occlusive thrombo-embolism, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is more affected than the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA).


METHODS
This study investigated postmortem mesenteric arteries from aged subjects (n=21). Four atherosclerotic stages were defined by signs of degeneration and inflammation in sections stained with Elastica-van-Gieson and immunohistology, respectively.


RESULTS
In females and males, Stages 3 and 4 were found in 62% of the SMA and 24% of the IMA. Lumenal areas based on diameter measurements remained essentially unchanged between Stages 1 and 4. Compared to a Stage 1 reference, remodeling was associated with thinning of the media below the plaque base and with pronounced thickening below the shoulder in the IMA. In Stages 3 and 4, the adventitia of the IMA had more vasa vasorum and a higher number of CD45-positive leukocytes than the adventitia of the SMA. During atherosclerotic progression, a stable fraction of leukocytes represented mast cells (6%) and CD117-positive cells as potential progenitor cells (1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Outgrowth remodeling occurred in both the SMA and the IMA. Less severe atherosclerosis in the IMA than in the SMA was associated with stronger signs of inflammation.
Schnee
Siegfried
S
Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Sass
Kristina
K
Moellmer
Hubertus
H
Hohenfellner
Rudolf
R
Spanel-Borowski
Katharina
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D017537:Mesenteric Artery, Inferior / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D018836:Inflammation Mediators