BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The presence of five pathogens was assessed, together with a possible correlation of the total pathogen burden on inflammation and (auto)immunity in aortic stenosis (AS) and degenerative aortic valve bioprosthesis (BP). METHODS: Diseased valve specimens from a total of 68 patients (52 with AS, 16 with BP) were studied. The presence and localization was assessed of Chlamydia pneumoniae (cHSP60), Helicobacter pylori (HP), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV), as well as of macrophages (CD68), C-reactive protein (CRP) and human heat shock protein 60 (hHSP60), by using immunohistochemical and morphometric analyses. RESULTS: In the majority of degenerative aortic valves, specific pathogens, inflammation and immunity were localized predominantly in the fibrosa of AS patients, and in superficial regions of the BP. The categorization of valves as having four or more pathogens (n = 37) or fewer pathogens (n = 31) demonstrated an increased signaling of CD68 (p = 0.03) and CRP (p = 0.02). Specifically, cHSP60, HP and hHSP60 levels were increased in valves where one or two bacteria were identified (n = 59) compared to those without bacterial presence (n = 9) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The pathogen burden may contribute to valvular degeneration by promoting further deleterious inflammatory and (auto)immune processes at the level of the valvular fibrosa.
BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The presence of five pathogens was assessed, together with a possible correlation of the total pathogen burden on inflammation and (auto)immunity in aortic stenosis (AS) and degenerative aortic valve bioprosthesis (BP). METHODS: Diseased valve specimens from a total of 68 patients (52 with AS, 16 with BP) were studied. The presence and localization was assessed of Chlamydia pneumoniae (cHSP60), Helicobacter pylori (HP), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV), as well as of macrophages (CD68), C-reactive protein (CRP) and human heat shock protein 60 (hHSP60), by using immunohistochemical and morphometric analyses. RESULTS: In the majority of degenerative aortic valves, specific pathogens, inflammation and immunity were localized predominantly in the fibrosa of AS patients, and in superficial regions of the BP. The categorization of valves as having four or more pathogens (n = 37) or fewer pathogens (n = 31) demonstrated an increased signaling of CD68 (p = 0.03) and CRP (p = 0.02). Specifically, cHSP60, HP and hHSP60 levels were increased in valves where one or two bacteria were identified (n = 59) compared to those without bacterial presence (n = 9) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The pathogen burden may contribute to valvular degeneration by promoting further deleterious inflammatory and (auto)immune processes at the level of the valvular fibrosa.
Authors: Qingchun Zeng; Rui Song; David A Fullerton; Lihua Ao; Yufeng Zhai; Suzhao Li; Dov B Ballak; Joseph C Cleveland; T Brett Reece; Timothy A McKinsey; Dingli Xu; Charles A Dinarello; Xianzhong Meng Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2017-01-30 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Carmen García-Rodríguez; Iván Parra-Izquierdo; Irene Castaños-Mollor; Javier López; J Alberto San Román; Mariano Sánchez Crespo Journal: Front Physiol Date: 2018-03-12 Impact factor: 4.566
Authors: Nubia Caroline Costa Almeida; Maria Alice Freitas Queiroz; Sandra Souza Lima; Igor Brasil Costa; Marco Antonio Ayin Fossa; Antonio Carlos R Vallinoto; Marluísa de Oliveira Guimarães Ishak; Ricardo Ishak Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2019-02-05 Impact factor: 7.561