Increased vein wall apoptosis in varicose vein disease is related to venous hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to evaluate a wide range of apoptotic markers in the vein wall of patients with superficial chronic venous disease (SCVD) compared with normal veins.


METHODS
This was an observational study.


METHODS
Vein specimens were obtained from 19 patients suffering from SCVD. From each patient, a specimen of the proximal part of the great saphenous vein (GSV), a specimen of the distal part of the vein and a specimen of a varicose tributary were obtained. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to localise the expression of BAX, p53, Caspase 3, BCL-2, BCL-6, BCL-xs, BCL-xl and Ki-67. Vein specimens from 10 healthy GSVs were used as controls.


RESULTS
Saphenous vein specimens from patients with SCVD showed increased BAX, Caspase 3, BCL-xl and BCL-xs (p < 0.01 for all) and Ki-67 (p = 0.02) compared with healthy GSVs. In the venous disease group, GSV specimens from the distal ankle area showed increased BAX (p < 0.01) and BCL-xs (p = 0.031) compared with varicose tributaries specimens, which subsequently showed increased BAX (p = 0.044), Caspase 3 (p = 0.028) and BCL-xs (p = 0.037) compared with specimens from the proximal GSV. In addition, in the venous disease group, specimens from distal GSV showed increased BAX (p < 0.01), Caspase 3 (p = 0.019) and BCL-xs (p = 0.014) compared with the proximal GSV.


CONCLUSIONS
Varicose veins exhibit increased apoptotic activity, by means of increased BAX, Caspase 3, BCL-xl and BCL-xs, compared with normal veins. Patients with varicose vein disease show increased apoptosis in the distal saphenous trunk compared with the proximal saphenous trunk, suggesting an association between chronic venous hypertension and apoptosis.
Division of Vascular Surgery, First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. kfilis@hotmail.com
K
K
Filis
N
N
Kavantzas
T
T
Isopoulos
P
P
Antonakis
P
P
Sigalas
E
E
Vavouranakis
F
F
Sigala
D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014690:Venous Pressure
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers