title: Association of blood monocyte and platelet markers with carotid artery characteristics: the atherosclerosis risk in communities carotid MRI study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerosis is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells from circulating blood. Blood cell activation could play an important role in plaque formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the relationship between blood cellular markers and quantitative measures of carotid wall components in 1,546 participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Carotid MRI Study. Carotid imaging was performed using a gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI and cellular phenotyping by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monocyte Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 is associated with larger plaques, while CD14, myeloperoxidase, and TLR-4 associate with smaller. Platelet CD40L is associated with smaller plaques and thinner caps, while P-selectin is associated with smaller core size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood cell activation is significantly associated with atherosclerotic changes of the carotid wall.
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Injury Research, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 77030, USA. Nevenka.Matijevic-Aleksic@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matijevic
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wasserman
authors.forename: W Y-W
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Folsom
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sharrett
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers