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European Heart Journal 1990 11(Supplement E):29-40; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/11.suppl_E.29
Copyright © 1990 by the European Society of Cardiology.
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© 1990 The European Society of Cardiology

Mapping of proteoglycans in atherosclerotic lesions

W. Völker, A. Schmidt, W. Oortmann, T. Broszey, V. Faber and E. Buddecke

University of Münster Münster, Federal Republic of Germany

Address for correspondence: Dr Wolfgang Völker Institut für Arterioskleroseforschung an der Universität M7uuml;nster, Domagkstraβe 3, D-4400 Münster, F.R.G.

The involvement of sulphated glycosaminoglycans in atherosclerotic changes have been studied in human and rat arteries, and biochemical experiments have revealed that a significant increase in the contents of chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate and cholesterol, but loss of heparan sulphate, occurs in human atherosclerotic arterial tissues. Electron micrographs have revealed that extracellular deposits of lipid are predominantly present in areas rich in chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans but not in areas rich in collagen bundles and dermatan sulphate proteoglycans. The different types of proteoglycans have been distinguished in situ by the cuprolinic blue staining method and enzymatic degradation experiments, and their topohistochemical distribution patterns analysed by morphometry of proteoglycan/cuprolinic blue precipitates.

The ultracytochemical investigations indicate changes in size and pattern of chondroitin sulphate-rich protcoglycan-cuprolinic blue precipitates in human atherosclerosis. In plaque tissue, these precipitates are significantly enlarged. In addition, they accumulate around smooth muscle cells in the medial tissue. An increase in the size of proteoglycan-cuprolinic blue precipitates has also been observed in balloon catheter-induced lesions in rat carotid arteries. The large chondroitin sulphate as well as the small dermatan sulphate proteoglycan-cuprolinic blue precipitates show this alteration 2 weeks after balloon injury.

We suggest that quantitative and qualitative alterations in the arterial proteoglycans occur in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in addition to the cell proliferation and lipid accumulation.

Key Words: Atherosclerosis • proteoglycans • glycosaminoglycans • cholesterol • cuprolinic blue • balloon injury • electron microscopy


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