Published Online
on August 11, 2005

A more recent version of this article appeared on September 1, 2005

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 36/9/1896    most recent 01.STR.0000177494.43587.9ev1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ameriso, S. F. Articles by Sevlever, G. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ameriso, S. F. Articles by Sevlever, G. E. Related Collections Pathophysiology Risk Factors Arterial thrombosis Carotid Stenosis Mechanism of atherosclerosis/growth factors Related Article

Submitted on March 31, 2005
Accepted on May 4, 2005

Heme Oxygenase-1 Is Expressed in Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques Infected by Helicobacter pylori and Is More Prevalent in Asymptomatic Subjects

Sebastian F. Ameriso MD^*; Agustina Ruiz Villamil MD; Christine Zedda BS; Juan C. Parodi MD; Sergio Garrido MD; María Inés Sarchi PhD; Marcelo Schultz HT; Jorge Boczkowski MD, PhD; and Gustavo E. Sevlever MD, PhD

From the Institute for Neurological Research (S.F.A., A.R.V., J.C.P., M.S., G.E.S.), FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Institut National de la Santé et la Recherche Médicale (C.Z., J.B.), INSERM, Paris, France; and the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry (M.I.S.) and General San Martín Hospital (S.G.), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sameriso{at}fleni.org.ar.

Background and Purpose--It is not well established what are the features, if any, that distinguish symptomatic from asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Inducible heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a component of cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress. We aimed to assess the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and the expression of HO-1 in carotid atherosclerotic plaques of patients with and without prior neurologic symptoms attributable to the operated artery.

Methods--We examined 25 symptomatic and 23 asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques removed during endarterectomy and 7 normal carotid arteries obtained at autopsy. We investigated the presence of H pylori DNA in the vessel wall and performed immunohistochemical detection of HO-1.

Results--H pylori DNA was present in 28 plaques and HO-1 was expressed in 30 plaques. HO-1 was found in 27 H pylori-positive specimens but in only 3 H pylori-negative specimens (P<0.001). All 7 normal carotid arteries were negative for both H pylori and HO-1. Although 82% of asymptomatic specimens were positive for H pylori and 87% for HO-1, only 36% of symptomatic specimens were positive for both H pylori and HO-1 (P<0.01).

Conclusions--This study suggests a strong association between H pylori infection and expression of HO-1 in carotid atherosclerotic plaques. There was a substantial prevalence of these features in specimens obtained from asymptomatic subjects.

Key words: atherosclerosis • carotid arteries • infection • inflammation • stroke

Related Article:

Editorial Comment—Is Heme Oxygenase-1 a Causal Player for Plaque Stability?

Christine Espinola-Klein, Stefan Blankenberg, and Thomas Münzel
Stroke 2005 36: 1901-1903. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Wei, X.-m. Liu, K. J. Peyton, H. Wang, F. K. Johnson, R. A. Johnson, and W. Durante Hypochlorous acid-induced heme oxygenase-1 gene expression promotes human endothelial cell survival Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, October 1, 2009; 297(4): C907 - C915. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. P. Tobin, G. T. Henehan, R. P. Murphy, J. C. Atherton, A. F. Guinan, S. W. Kerrigan, D. Cox, P. A. Cahill, and P. M. Cummins Helicobacter pylori-induced inhibition of vascular endothelial cell functions: a role for VacA-dependent nitric oxide reduction Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, October 1, 2008; 295(4): H1403 - H1413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. G. Abraham and A. Kappas Pharmacological and Clinical Aspects of Heme Oxygenase Pharmacol. Rev., March 1, 2008; 60(1): 79 - 127. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M. Caplice, S. Wang, M. Tracz, A. J. Croatt, J. P. Grande, Z. S. Katusic, and K. A. Nath Neoangiogenesis and the presence of progenitor cells in the venous limb of an arteriovenous fistula in the rat Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, August 1, 2007; 293(2): F470 - F475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Ijas, K. Nuotio, J. Saksi, L. Soinne, E. Saimanen, M.-L. Karjalainen-Lindsberg, O. Salonen, S. Sarna, J. Tuimala, P. T. Kovanen, et al. Microarray Analysis Reveals Overexpression of CD163 and HO-1 in Symptomatic Carotid Plaques Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 2007; 27(1): 154 - 160. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Sato, M. Takeno, K. Honma, H. Yamauchi, Y. Saito, T. Sasaki, H. Morikubo, Y. Nagashima, S. Takagi, K. Yamanaka, et al. Heme Oxygenase-1, a Potential Biomarker of Chronic Silicosis, Attenuates Silica-induced Lung Injury Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 15, 2006; 174(8): 906 - 914. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Espinola-Klein, S. Blankenberg, and T. Munzel Editorial Comment--Is Heme Oxygenase-1 a Causal Player for Plaque Stability? Stroke, September 1, 2005; 36(9): 1901 - 1903. [Full Text] [PDF]