Autophagy in Atherosclerosis： A Phenomenon Found in Human Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques

作     者：Huihui Liu Yongjun Gag Tong Tong Jijun Shi Yanlin Zhang Yaping Yang Chunfeng Liu Liu Huihui;Cao Yongjun;Tong Tong;Shi Jijun;Zhang Yanlin;Yang Yaping;Liu Chunfeng

作者机构：Department of Neurology Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou Jiangsu 215004 China Institute of Neuroscience Soochow University Suzhou Jiangsu 215123 China 

出 版 物：《Chinese Medical Journal》 (中华医学杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2015年第128卷第1期

页      面：69-74页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 071010[理学-生物化学与分子生物学] 081704[工学-应用化学] 07[理学] 08[工学] 0817[工学-化学工程与技术] 070104[理学-应用数学] 0701[理学-数学] 

基　　金：江苏高校优势学科建设工程 supported by grants from the National Natural Science Fund of China the Province Natural Science Fund of Jiangsu of China Suzhou Science and Technology Development Program Suzhou Foundation of Science and Technology Development Plan 

主　　题：Atherosclerosis Autophagy Endothelial Cells Macrophages Smooth Muscle Cells 

摘      要：Background：Autophagy has been found to be involved in animal and cell models ofatherosclerosis,but to date,it lacks general observation in human atherosclerotic ***,we investigated autophagy in smooth muscle cells （SMCs）,endothelial cells （ECs）,and macrophages in human atherosclerotic plaques via transmission electron microscopy （TEM）,western blotting,and immunohistochemistry analysis. Methods：The histopathologic morphology of these plaques was observed via hematoxylin and eosin *** ultrastructural morphology of the SMCs,ECs,and macrophages in these plaques was observed via *** localization ofmicrotubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （MAP 1-LC3）,a relatively special maker ofautophagy,in plaques was observed by double fluorescent immunochemistty and western blotting. Results：All of these human atherosclerotic plaques were considered advanced and unstable in histologically *** double fluorescent immunochemistry,the expression of LC3-Ⅱ increased in the SMCs of the fibrous cap,the macrophages,and the microvascular ECs of the plaque *** protein level of LC3-Ⅱ by western blotting significantly increased in plaques compared with normal *** addition,TEM observation of plaques revealed certain features of autophagy in SMCs,ECs,and macrophages including the formation of myelin figures,vacuolization,and the accumulation of inclusions in the *** results indicate that autophagy is activated in SMCs,ECs,and macrophages in human advanced atherosclerotic plaques. Conclusions：Our study is to demonstrate the existence of autophagy in human atherosclerotic plaques by different methods,which may contribute to the development of pharmacological approaches to stabilize vulnerable and rupture-prone lesions.