细胞凋亡蛋白bax和下肢动脉粥样硬化的关系

Relation between apoptosis protein bax and lower limb atherosclerosis

目的探讨细胞凋亡蛋白bax和下肢动脉粥样硬化的关系。方法收集正常对照组股动脉标本12例(正常对照组)。糖尿病及非糖尿病尸检病例的股动脉标本各8例分别为糖尿病组及非糖尿病组。将所有动脉标本每隔4 mm连续取材,常规病理学检查,并行免疫组织化学染色。结果正常股动脉内膜未发现bax的表达。动脉粥样硬化病变的脂纹中可见巨噬细胞bax的表达。但平滑肌细胞上未发现bax表达。在斑块中,bax在平滑肌细胞和巨噬细胞均有表达。和非糖尿病组比较,糖尿病组斑块中bax阳性的平滑肌细胞多,bax阳性的巨噬细胞少。结论细胞凋亡蛋白bax参与下肢动脉粥样硬化的形成。糖尿病可能通过影响斑块中bax的表达,使斑块不稳定。

Objective To investigate the relation between apoptosis-associated protein bax and lower limb atherosclerosis. Methods Normal femoral artery specimens were taken from 12 control cases and 8 femoral artery specimens each were taken from diabetes and non-diabetes autopsy cases. Serial sections of femoral arteries were examined microscopically and immunohistochemical staining was performed. Results The expression of bax was not found in intima of normal femoral arteries. It was observed in macrophages but not smooth muscle cells in fatty streak of atherosclerotic lesion. In late atherosclerotic plaques, expression of bax in both smooth muscle cells and macrophages was found. Compared with nondiabetes cases, less bax-positive macrophages and more bax-positive smooth muscle cell were found in atherosclerotic plaques of diabetes cases. Conclusions Bax contributes to the process of lower limb atherosclerosis. Diabetes may promote plaque instability through effect on the expression of bax in plaques.