Background. Recent research highlighted the role of oxidative stress (OS) and the contribution of the highly proatherogenic hypochlorite anion (OCl) to the early stages of atherosclerotic vascular damage.
Purpose: To assess if OS and OCl contributes to the progression of chronic stable aterosclerosis using a new fluorescent assay capable of selectively detecting OCl. Method. 39 patients (pt) aged 73±10 years, 22(56%) men, with carotid atherosclerosis (CA)and/or peripheral artery disease (PAD) were included. Control group comprised 19 healthy volunteers. Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) non-complicated atherosclerotic plaques and intima-media thickness (IMT) were recorded. OS level was assessed using a dedicated
fluorescent probe-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA). OCl detection required the use of two fluorescent probes: hydroxyphenyl and aminophenyl fluorescein.
Results. From the ASC group, 35 patients (90%) had CA, 15(39%) had PAD and 10(26%) had both. The presence of CA and PAD were strongly associated (chi=7.1, p<0.01). There was no increase in OS or OCl for an IMT >0.9 mm. Oxidative stress increased in patients with atherosclerotic plaques (p=0.03), but not OCl. PAD presence did not influence the total OS or the OCl level.
Conclusions. OS has increased basal levels in patients with atherosclerotic plaques. However, OCl level was not elevated in chronic stable ASC. OS and OCl were not increased in the pre-atherosclerotic intimal hyperplasia phase. The preliminary results results suggest that OCl is not involved in the pre-atherosclerotic phase and may not contribute to the maintenance of the chronic process. Future studies are necessary to determine if OCl is involved in the complicated atheromatous plaque or in the atherotrombosis process.
oxidative stress, hypochlorite anion, atherosclerotic plaque.
Article in " Medicina Internă 2017, volum XIV, număr 2 - www.srmi.ro " - Publlished: March, 2017
Authors: , A.S. Liteanu (Serban), A. Hodorogea, M. Iordache, S. M. Maher, C. Toma,
G. S. Gheorghe, A. Ilieșiu, T. Savopol, I. T. Nanea
Department of cardiology, “Prof. Th. Burghele” University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Department of Biophysics and Biotechnology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol
Davila”, Bucharest, Romania
