Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in aortic lesions of atherosclerosis by immunocytochemical stain.

Abstract

Recent evidence has shown the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antigens and nucleic acid in coronary artery atheromas from autopsy patients in South Africa. In this study, the immunocytochemical technique was used to demonstrate C pneumoniae antigens in atheromas of the aorta in autopsy patients from retrospective aortic atherosclerosis studies at the University of Washington. Hie patients were 34 to 58 years old. Immunoperoxidase staining using Chlamydia-spetiRc monoclonal antibodies showed one of four fatty streaks and six of 17 fibrous plaques were positive for C pneumoniae antigens; four control aortic tissues were negative. Two of the positive plaques were from the same patient Double-label immunocy* tochemical staining using Chlamydia-and tissue type-specific monoclonal antibodies demonstrated the antigens in the cytoplasm of macrophages and smooth muscle cells in the atheromatous lesion. This study suggested a wider involvement of Cpneumoniae organisms in atherosclerotic lesions of the arterial system than has previously been documented. (Aitenosdtr Thromb. 1993;13:1501-1504 KEY WORDS • atherosclerosis of aorta • Chlamydia pneumoniae • immunocytochemistry

Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection Does Not Induce or Modify Atherosclerosis in Mice

“…[3][4][5] This microbe is a common pathogen in respiratory infections but has also been detected in atherosclerotic lesions. 6 It can survive intracellularly in macrophages, which could be important for transport of CP in the human organism. 7 Experimental studies in rabbits and mice have suggested that CP is an important pathogenetic factor for atherosclerosis.…”

A Microbial TLR2 Agonist Imparts Macrophage-Activating Ability to Apolipoprotein A-1

“…New epidemiological studies have implicated Helicobacter pylori (32), Chlamydia pneumoniae (33,34), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (35,36), and a number of oral bacteria such as Porphymonas gingivalis and Bacteroides forsythus (37,38) as contributors to atherosclerosis. Experimental models using these organisms, such as P. gingivalis (39), show that they can indeed induce atherosclerotic inflammation, although the mechanism(s) by which they might promote this disease is not clear.…”

Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis. Identification of bacterial DNA in the arterial wall

“…In 1993, Kuo et al 7 in South Africa detected Chlamydia pneumoniae for the first time in atherosclerotic lesions originated from autopsies using the PCR technique and found a positivity of 43%. Grayston et al 31 showed, using the same technique, the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in 60% of the fragments of carotid arteries obtained through endarterectomy.…”

“…The association of Chlamydia pneumoniae and coronary, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease has been described in several countries in diverse types of studies as follows: a) serum-epidemiological studies [2][3][4][5][6] ; b) anatomicopathological studies [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] ; and c) experimental studies [18][19][20][21][22] . Reports on cultivation of Chlamydia pneumoniae in fragments of arteries exist, showing the viability of the bacterium and its multiplication capacity in that type of environment 10,12 .…”