Detection of Chlamydia Pneumoniae in Atherosclerotic Coronary Arteries

Abstract

Chlamydia pneumoniae has recently been associated with the development of coronary heart diseases by sero-epidemiological studies and by direct detection of the organism in atherosclerotic tissues. The aim of our study was to employ a semi-nested PCR approach to investigate the presence of C. pneumoniae in both normal and atherosclerotic coronary arteries of humans obtained at autopsy. Moreover, we have evaluated the role of infection with C. pneumoniae in relation to the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. One hundred and eighty coronary artery specimens were collected at autopsy from 60 consecutive subjects (three arterial segments from each subject). Atherosclerosis in each arterial segment was graded histologically by the Stary classification. Thirty normal coronary arteries were also taken at autopsy as control. PCR results evidenced the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA in atherosclerotic coronary arteries in 19 (31.7 %) of 60 subjects examined, while none of the 30 subjects with non-atherosclerotic tissues was positive (p=O.OOI). Moreover, of the 180 atherosclerotic specimens examined, C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in 3.4 % (2/59) of mild atherosclerotic lesions, and in 14.0% (17/121) of advanced atherosclerotic lesions (p=0.05). Our results demonstrate that the presence of C. pneumoniae DNA may be associated with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Circulating Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA and advanced coronary artery disease

“…Data summarized from 43 studies showed a high prevalence of C. pneumoniae (46% of 1852 specimens) in atheromatous arteries and a low prevalence (b1% of more than 239 specimens) in healthy arteries [2]. It has also been shown that advanced atherosclerotic lesions harbored C. pneumoniae DNA more frequently than mild atherosclerotic lesions [34][35][36]. Whether the presence of C. pneumoniae in human atheroma is merely an innocent bystander or a pathological process that initiates and accelerates atherosclerosis is still unknown.…”

Could Chlamydia Pneumoniae Be Considered an Infectious Risk Factor for Inflammatory Diseases Such as Atherosclerosis ?

“…As well as in vitro studies, confirmation that C. pneumoniae-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be found in vivo has also been reported (16,(25)(26)(27). The evidence linking C. pneumoniae infection with atherosclerosis has led to several therapeutic intervention trials in patients with established coronary heart disease (28).…”

“…In 1992, Shor et al (14) were the first to identify C. pn eumoniae by EM and ICC in atherosclerotic coronary plaques. So far a large number of studies (7,(15)(16)(17) have been published on the detection of C. pneumoniae in vascular tissue by PCR. However, the frequency of positive results varies considerably (from 0 to 100%) among the studies because no standardized PCR assays are available yet.…”

Chlamydia Pneumoniae in Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis

“…Evidence for the presence of the organism in the atherosclerotic lesions has emerged from more than 40 studies using immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and amplification of chlamydial DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (8,(15)(16)(17). Recently several studies have shown the presence of C.…”