Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 
Volume 2008 (2008), Article ID 813236, 8 pages
doi:10.1155/2008/813236
Research Article

CD36 Is Significantly Correlated with Adipophilin in Human Carotid Lesions and Inversely Correlated with Plasma ApoAI

Sophie Collot-Teixeira,1,2 Calypso Barbatis,3 Florence Bultelle,2 Michael Koutouzis,3 Gerard Pasterkamp,4 Paul Fraser,1 Zenon S. Kyriakides,3 Robin N. Poston,1 Angelique Ristagno,2 Lilian McGregor,5 Chantal M. Boulanger,6 Guy Leseche,7 and John L. McGregor1,2,6

 1Cardiovascular Division, King's College London, University of London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
2Genomics and Atherothrombosis Laboratory, Thrombosis Research Institute, London SW3 6LR, UK
3Department of Pathology, Helenic Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece
4Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Utrecht University Hospital, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
5EA 3470/INSERM IFR63, Faculty of Medicine RTH Laennec, Claude Bernard-Lyon 1 University, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France
6INSERM U689, Centre de Recherche Cardiovasculaire, Hôpital Lariboisière, 75010 Paris, France
7Vascular Surgery Department, Bichat Hospital, 75018 Paris, France
Received 8 April 2008; Revised 18 June 2008; Accepted 29 July 2008

Recommended by Mohamed Boutjdir

Abstract

OxLDL uptake and cholesterol efflux inhibition in macrophages play a key role in atherosclerotic plaque formation, rupture, and thrombotic ischemia. This study investigates genes implicated in OxLDL uptake (CD36, SRA), cholesterol efflux inhibition (adipophilin, ADFP), and inflammatory recruitments of leukocytes (IL-8) in plaque lesion areas (PLAs) compared to nonplaque lesion areas (NPLAs) in human carotid endarterectomy specimens. Gene and protein expressions were assayed using quantitative PCR and quantitative immunohistochemistry. Pearson tests were used to investigate potential correlation between (a) different gene expressions and (b) gene expression and patient's plasma constituents. CD36, SRA, ADFP, and IL-8 were shown to be significantly more expressed in PLA compared to NPLA. In PLA, a significant correlation was observed between CD36, SRA, ADFP, and IL-8 mRNA levels. Moreover, CD36 expression level was significantly inversely correlated to plasma marker ApoAI. The above investigated genes/proteins may play a key role in the maturation of atherosclerotic lesions.