K Ericson1, T G Saldeen, O Lindquist, C Pâhlson, J L Mehta. 1. Unit of Forensic Medicine, Department of Surgery, Unit of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been postulated to play a pathogenic role in atherosclerosis. We examined the role of infection with C pneumoniae in relation to the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Coronary atherosclerosis was graded microscopically on a postmortem basis in a blinded fashion in 60 subjects as mild (n=18) or severe (n=42) atherosclerosis. Serum antibodies to C pneumoniae were measured by microimmunofluorescence test. Paraffin-embedded coronary artery specimens were examined for the presence of chlamydia by use of a genus-specific direct immunofluorescence monoclonal antibody. Frozen coronary artery specimens were examined by immunoperoxidase for the presence of C pneumoniae by use of a specific monoclonal antibody RR-402. Direct immunofluorescence was reactive in 86% of cases with severe atherosclerosis but in only 6% of cases with mild atherosclerosis (P<0.01), whereas immunoperoxidase staining was reactive in 80% and 38% of cases with severe and mild atherosclerosis, respectively (P<0. 01). Elevated IgG and IgA levels against C pneumoniae were not different in cases with severe and mild atherosclerosis (61% and 30% for severe atherosclerosis and 67% and 42% for mild atherosclerosis, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the hypothesis that intracellular infection with C pneumoniae may relate to the severity of atherosclerosis in some subjects. Serum antibody titers against C pneumoniae do not differentiate between severe and mild atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND:Infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been postulated to play a pathogenic role in atherosclerosis. We examined the role of infection with C pneumoniae in relation to the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS:Coronary atherosclerosis was graded microscopically on a postmortem basis in a blinded fashion in 60 subjects as mild (n=18) or severe (n=42) atherosclerosis. Serum antibodies to C pneumoniae were measured by microimmunofluorescence test. Paraffin-embedded coronary artery specimens were examined for the presence of chlamydia by use of a genus-specific direct immunofluorescence monoclonal antibody. Frozen coronary artery specimens were examined by immunoperoxidase for the presence of C pneumoniae by use of a specific monoclonal antibody RR-402. Direct immunofluorescence was reactive in 86% of cases with severe atherosclerosis but in only 6% of cases with mild atherosclerosis (P<0.01), whereas immunoperoxidase staining was reactive in 80% and 38% of cases with severe and mild atherosclerosis, respectively (P<0. 01). Elevated IgG and IgA levels against C pneumoniae were not different in cases with severe and mild atherosclerosis (61% and 30% for severe atherosclerosis and 67% and 42% for mild atherosclerosis, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the hypothesis that intracellular infection with C pneumoniae may relate to the severity of atherosclerosis in some subjects. Serum antibody titers against C pneumoniae do not differentiate between severe and mild atherosclerosis.
Authors: Vicky Y Hoymans; Johan M Bosmans; Dominique Ursi; Wim Martinet; Floris L Wuyts; Eric Van Marck; Martin Altwegg; Christiaan J Vrints; Margareta M Ieven Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2004-07 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: V Y Hoymans; J M Bosmans; L Van Renterghem; R Mak; D Ursi; F Wuyts; C J Vrints; M Ieven Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2003-09 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: Mohammad Hadi Sadeghian; Seyed Abbas Tabatabaee Yazdi; Hossein Ayatollahi; Mohammad Reza Keramati; Kiarash Ghazvini; Ali Reza Rezai; Nasrin Heidari; Maryam Sheikhi; Gohar Shaghayegh Journal: Niger Med J Date: 2013-01