The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability
Background: this study aims to investigate the possible association among the histopathologic features of carotid plaque instability, the presence of micro- or macrocalcifications, the expression of in situ inflammatory biomarkers, and the occurrence of the major risk factors in this process in a la...
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2021-01-01
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author | Manuela Montanaro Manuel Scimeca Lucia Anemona Francesca Servadei Erica Giacobbi Rita Bonfiglio Elena Bonanno Nicoletta Urbano Arnaldo Ippoliti Giuseppe Santeusanio Orazio Schillaci Alessandro Mauriello |
author_facet | Manuela Montanaro Manuel Scimeca Lucia Anemona Francesca Servadei Erica Giacobbi Rita Bonfiglio Elena Bonanno Nicoletta Urbano Arnaldo Ippoliti Giuseppe Santeusanio Orazio Schillaci Alessandro Mauriello |
author_sort | Manuela Montanaro |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Background: this study aims to investigate the possible association among the histopathologic features of carotid plaque instability, the presence of micro- or macrocalcifications, the expression of in situ inflammatory biomarkers, and the occurrence of the major risk factors in this process in a large series of carotid plaques. Methods: a total of 687 carotid plaques from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were collected. Histological evaluation was performed to classify the calcium deposits in micro or macrocalcifications according to their morphological features (location and size). Immunohistochemistry was performed to study the expression of the main inflammatory biomarkers. Results: results here reported demonstrated that calcifications are very frequent in carotid plaques, with a significant difference between the presence of micro- and macrocalcifications. Specifically, microcalcifications were significantly associated to high inflamed unstable plaques. Paradoxically, macrocalcifications seem to stabilize the plaque and are associated to a M2 macrophage polarization instead. Discussion: the characterization of mechanisms involved in the formation of carotid calcifications can lay the foundation for developing new strategies for the management of patients affected by carotid atherosclerosis. Data of this study could provide key elements for an exhaustive evaluation of carotid plaque calcifications allowing to establish the risk of associated clinical events. |
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issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:33:49Z |
publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
spelling | doaj.art-5a428da1ceea47fc8665003e209d59092023-11-21T07:42:04ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-01-0122139510.3390/ijms22010395The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque InstabilityManuela Montanaro0Manuel Scimeca1Lucia Anemona2Francesca Servadei3Erica Giacobbi4Rita Bonfiglio5Elena Bonanno6Nicoletta Urbano7Arnaldo Ippoliti8Giuseppe Santeusanio9Orazio Schillaci10Alessandro Mauriello11Department of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyNuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Oncohaematology, Policlinico “Tor Vergata”, viale oxford 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyVascular Surgery, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Policlinico “Tor Vergata”, viale oxford 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyBackground: this study aims to investigate the possible association among the histopathologic features of carotid plaque instability, the presence of micro- or macrocalcifications, the expression of in situ inflammatory biomarkers, and the occurrence of the major risk factors in this process in a large series of carotid plaques. Methods: a total of 687 carotid plaques from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were collected. Histological evaluation was performed to classify the calcium deposits in micro or macrocalcifications according to their morphological features (location and size). Immunohistochemistry was performed to study the expression of the main inflammatory biomarkers. Results: results here reported demonstrated that calcifications are very frequent in carotid plaques, with a significant difference between the presence of micro- and macrocalcifications. Specifically, microcalcifications were significantly associated to high inflamed unstable plaques. Paradoxically, macrocalcifications seem to stabilize the plaque and are associated to a M2 macrophage polarization instead. Discussion: the characterization of mechanisms involved in the formation of carotid calcifications can lay the foundation for developing new strategies for the management of patients affected by carotid atherosclerosis. Data of this study could provide key elements for an exhaustive evaluation of carotid plaque calcifications allowing to establish the risk of associated clinical events.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/395atherosclerosisplaque instabilitycarotid plaquemicrocalcificationmacrocalcificationmacrophage polarization |
spellingShingle | Manuela Montanaro Manuel Scimeca Lucia Anemona Francesca Servadei Erica Giacobbi Rita Bonfiglio Elena Bonanno Nicoletta Urbano Arnaldo Ippoliti Giuseppe Santeusanio Orazio Schillaci Alessandro Mauriello The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability International Journal of Molecular Sciences atherosclerosis plaque instability carotid plaque microcalcification macrocalcification macrophage polarization |
title | The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability |
title_full | The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability |
title_fullStr | The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability |
title_full_unstemmed | The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability |
title_short | The Paradox Effect of Calcification in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Microcalcification Is Correlated with Plaque Instability |
title_sort | paradox effect of calcification in carotid atherosclerosis microcalcification is correlated with plaque instability |
topic | atherosclerosis plaque instability carotid plaque microcalcification macrocalcification macrophage polarization |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/395 |
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