Mechanism of ceroid formation in atherosclerotic plaque: in situ studies using a combination of Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Accumulation of the lipid-protein complex ceroid is a characteristic of atherosclerotic plaque. The mechanism of ceroid formation has been extensively studied, because the complex is postulated to contribute to plaque irreversibility. Despite intensive research, ceroid deposits are defined through their fluorescence and histochemical staining properties, while their composition remains unknown. Using Raman and fluorescence spectral microscopy, we examine the composition of ceroid in situ in aorta and coronary artery plaque. The synergy of these two types of spectroscopy allows for identification of ceroid via its fluorescence signature and elucidation of its chemical composition through the acquisition of a Raman spectrum. In accordance with in vitro predictions, low density lipoprotein (LDL) appears within the deposits primarily in its peroxidized form. The main forms of modified LDL detected in both coronary artery and aortic plaques are peroxidation products from the Fenton reaction and myeloperoxidase-hypochlorite pathway. These two peroxidation products occur in similar concentrations within the deposits and represent ∼40 and 30% of the total LDL (native and peroxidized) in the aorta and coronary artery deposits, respectively. To our knowledge, this study is the first to successfully employ Raman spectroscopy to unravel a metabolic pathway involved in disease pathogenesis: the formation of ceroid in atherosclerotic plaque.