Distinctive protein profiles obtained from extracts of normal and atherosclerotic human aorta.

Specific areas of fourteen autopsied abdominal aortas were layer-dissected, histologically graded and solubilzed with SDS, dilute saline or SDS-urea and beta-mercaptoethanol. Comparisons were made between intima, media, lesions of progressive severity and an in-vivo thrombus. Apparent molecular weights were calculated from the Coomassie blue stained gels of these extracts extracts and each band's contribution estimated by integrative densitometry. Four minor high moleucular weight bands and six medium to low molecular weight bands were detected in the arterial extracts. Band intensity stain patterns of normal intima are easily distinguished from normal media. Extracts of minor lesions resemble normal media; higher grade lesions demonstrate increased amounts of characteristic initmal bands. The major medial band is also seen on gels of thrombus extracts. Both of the bands most characteristic of atherosclerotic lesions stain for carbohydrate. Isolation and characterization of these (glyco)proteins will provide material for binding studies. Quantitation of characteristic lesion proteins may provide insights into the proliferative phase of this disease.