Intra-plaque production of platelet-activating factor correlates with neoangiogenesis in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions

  • Authors:
    • Enrico Lupia
    • Angela Pucci
    • Paolo Peasso
    • Maurizio Merlo
    • Paolo Baron
    • Cristina Zanini
    • Lorenzo Del Sorbo
    • Simona Rizea-Savu
    • Luigi Silvestro
    • Marco Forni
    • Giorgio Emanuelli
    • Giovanni Camussi
    • Giuseppe Montrucchio
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 1, 2003     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.12.3.327
  • Pages: 327-334
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Abstract

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a phospholipid mediator synthesized by activated inflammatory and endothelial cells. Recently PAF has been shown to contribute to neoangiogenesis in several experimental models. Here we evaluated the presence of PAF and its potential role in neovascularization within human atherosclerotic plaques. The amount of PAF extracted from 18 carotid plaques (266.65±40.07 pg/100 mg dry tissue; mean ± SE) was significantly higher than that extracted from 18 normal arterial specimens (6 from carotid artery and 12 from aorta) (4.72±2.31 pg/100 mg dry tissue; mean ± SE). The levels of PAF significantly correlated with the infiltration of CD68-positive monocytes and the extent of neovascularization, detected as von Willebrand Factor-positive cells. The amount of PAF also correlated with the area occupied by TNF-α-expressing cells. The absence of enhanced level of PAF in the circulation of atherosclerotic patients suggests a local production of this mediator within the plaque. The lipid extracts of atherosclerotic plaques containing high levels of PAF-bioactivity, but not those of control arteries, were angiogenic in a murine Matrigel model. WEB 2170, a specific PAF receptor antagonist, significantly prevented angiogenesis induced by the lipid extracts of atherosclerotic plaques. Our results indicate a local production of PAF within the atherosclerotic plaques and suggest that it may contribute to intra-plaque neoangiogenesis.

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September 2003
Volume 12 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Lupia E, Pucci A, Peasso P, Merlo M, Baron P, Zanini C, Del Sorbo L, Rizea-Savu S, Silvestro L, Forni M, Forni M, et al: Intra-plaque production of platelet-activating factor correlates with neoangiogenesis in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions. Int J Mol Med 12: 327-334, 2003.
APA
Lupia, E., Pucci, A., Peasso, P., Merlo, M., Baron, P., Zanini, C. ... Montrucchio, G. (2003). Intra-plaque production of platelet-activating factor correlates with neoangiogenesis in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 12, 327-334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.12.3.327
MLA
Lupia, E., Pucci, A., Peasso, P., Merlo, M., Baron, P., Zanini, C., Del Sorbo, L., Rizea-Savu, S., Silvestro, L., Forni, M., Emanuelli, G., Camussi, G., Montrucchio, G."Intra-plaque production of platelet-activating factor correlates with neoangiogenesis in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 12.3 (2003): 327-334.
Chicago
Lupia, E., Pucci, A., Peasso, P., Merlo, M., Baron, P., Zanini, C., Del Sorbo, L., Rizea-Savu, S., Silvestro, L., Forni, M., Emanuelli, G., Camussi, G., Montrucchio, G."Intra-plaque production of platelet-activating factor correlates with neoangiogenesis in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 12, no. 3 (2003): 327-334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.12.3.327