title: Deficiency of mast cells in coronary artery endarterectomy of male patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Type 2 diabetes is an important risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Focal or diffuse inflammation is often present in the vessels of patients with CAD. Mast cells are frequently present in the plaques as well as in the inflammatory infiltrates in the atherosclerotic vessel wall. In the study we wanted to examine whether there are differences in the morphology, number and distribution of mast cells and in their ability to modify the atherosclerotic process in coronary arteries (CA) in the diabetic vs. the hypertensive population of patients with CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coronary artery endarterectomy specimens were obtained from patients with diabetes or hypertension as the only risk factor for CAD. The specimens were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Sulphated Alcian Blue for mast cells and with immunofluorescent methods for fibrinogen-fibrin and IgG deposits in the vessel wall. Both morphological and stereological assessments were conducted for mast cells and mononuclear cell infiltrates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The histological analysis of the vessel wall of diabetic patients in comparison with hypertensive patients showed a damaged endothelial cells layer and deposits of fibrin-fibrinogen and IgG in the tunica intima and media. The stereological count revealed a diminished numerical density of mast cells and a significantly higher volume density of the mononuclear cells. Mast cells displayed cytoplasmic vacuolization, extracellular extrusion of granule and pyknotic nuclei.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study suggests that the impaired mast cells might be the reason for more extensive inflammatory and immunologic atherosclerotic changes in the CA vessel wall of CAD patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre of Ljubljana, Department of Internal Medicine, Zaloška 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Aleš
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pleskovič
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vraspir-Porenta
authors.forename: Ruda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zorc-Pleskovič
authors.forename: Danijel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrovič
authors.forename: Metka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zorc
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milutinović
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004691:Endarterectomy; D005337:Fibrin / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017524:Slovenia; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen