Endoglin (CD105) is a more appropriate marker than CD31 for detecting microvessels in carotid artery plaques.
BACKGROUND
Microvascular proliferation is a major risk factor for plaque vulnerability in patients with carotid stenosis. There are several vascular endothelial markers such as CD31 and CD105, but it is unclear which marker is most sensitive for microvessels. This study sought to examine the correlations between CD31 and CD105 expression in microvessels on carotid plaques and clinical manifestations.


METHODS
We studied 13 lesions in 12 patients. The patients underwent carotid endarterectomy and samples were stained for CD31 and CD105. The numbers of microvessels positive for these markers within a field of view were counted.


RESULTS
The average numbers of microvessels were 5.8 ± 5.4 for CD31 and 9.2 ± 9.3 for CD105 (P = 0.04). More microvessels were positive for CD105 than there were for CD31 in patients with diabetes mellitus (P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with carotid artery stenosis, CD105 is more appropriate than CD31 for detecting microvessels in carotid plaques. In patients with diabetes mellitus, CD105 is significantly more highly expressed in microvessels than CD31.
Department of Neurosurgery, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Ryu
R
Fukumitsu
Yasushi
Y
Takagi
Kazumichi
K
Yoshida
Susumu
S
Miyamoto
CD31; Carotid stenosis; endoglin; microvessels