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Prion protein is over‐expressed in intimal neovessels of complicated carotid plaques
Author(s) -
Slevin Mark,
Ethirajan Priya,
Kumar Pat,
Gaffney John,
Elasbali Abdulbaset,
Krupinski Jurek,
Turu Marta Miguel
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a854
Subject(s) - endoglin , carotid endarterectomy , immunohistochemistry , pathology , blot , gene expression , biology , medicine , messenger rna , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , carotid arteries , biochemistry , stem cell , cd34
Normal cellular prion protein (PrP c ) is expressed by a variety of cells of the immune system and is present in endothelial cells (EC). Our aim was to study local and systemic PrPc expression in advanced human carotid lesions and identify its relationship to unstable angiogenic vascular regions. PrP c expression was examined by Enzyme Immunometric Assay in plasma samples from patients with advanced carotid disease (n=22) and controls (n=21). Carotid specimens obtained during endarterectomy (n=22) and control (n=10) arteries from post‐mortem were studied for PrP c and CD105 expression by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. TaqMan arrays were used to study PrP c and CD105 gene expression. In vitro studies examined expression of PrP c in coronary EC. Patients with carotid disease had significantly higher levels of plasma PrP c than the control group (4,35ng/ml vs. 1,95ng/ml, p<0,001 ). CD105‐positive unstable plaques had higher PrP c protein expression, associated with EC and inflammatory infiltrates. There was a strong correlation between PrP c and CD105 mRNA (p <0,001; r =0,7 ). Increased gene and protein expression of PrP c was seen in coronary EC exposed to staurosporin and growth factor stimulation. We show that PrP c is expressed in advanced carotid specimens and may be associated with the pro‐angiogenic switch and therefore a higher risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Supportorted by HEFCE.