title: Circulated CD4+CD28- lymphocytes rate and their cytotoxicity and morphological parameters of internal carotid artery atheromatous plaques in patients with atherosclerosis-related ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The question about the role of CD4+CD28- lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis-related ischemic stroke is still open.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included patients, who underwent endarterectomy of internal carotid arteries. The group consisted of patients after stroke and ones without previous stroke. The histopathologic examination of obtained plaques has been performed. The percentage of CD4+CD28- lymphocytes in peripheral blood and their cytotoxicity has been assessed for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The global percentage of CD4+CD28- lymphocytes in blood was higher in the group of patients with plaques where connective tissue fibers consisted significantly of collagen fibers. The cytotoxicity of analysed cells related to less plaques calcification and presence of cholesterol crystals in the plaque. A multifactor regression of dependent variable presented the last relationship above as a only strong.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD4+CD28- cytotoxic lymphocytes seem to be involved in carotid atherosclerotic plaques development. Intraplaque cholesterol deposits may contribute to this process.
authors.affiliation: Marta Masztalewicz, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1 Str., 71-252 Szczecin, Polska, e-mail: nowiczontko@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masztalewicz
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nowacki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajer-Czajkowska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotfis
authors.forename: Jowita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biernawska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Żukowski
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gutowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens