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- Edvinsson, Marie, 1976-
(författare)
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Chlamydophila pneumoniae in Cardiovascular Diseases : Clinical and Experimental Studies
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) has been suggested as a stimulator of chronic inflammation in atherosclerosis. C. pneumoniae DNA was demonstrated in aortic biopsies in 50% of patients with stable angina pectoris or acute coronary syndrome undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. C. pneumoniae mRNA, a marker of replicating bacteria, was demonstrated in 18% of the aortic biopsies. Inflammation may have a role in the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection and aortic valve stenosis. C. pneumoniae DNA was demonstrated in aortic biopsies in 26% of thoracic aortic aneurysm patients and in 11% of aortic dissection patients undergoing thoracic surgery and in 22% of stenotic aortic heart valves from patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. No bacterial mRNA was demonstrated in these aortic biopsies, nor in the valves, suggesting that the infection has passed into a persistent state. C. pneumoniae DNA was demonstrated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in only 5% of aortic valve stenosis patients and not in thoracic aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection patients, suggesting that the bacterium disseminated to the cardiovascular tissue long before the patient required surgery. The copper/zinc ratio in serum, a marker of infection/inflammation, was significantly elevated in thoracic aortic aneurysm patients, supporting an inflammatory pathogenesis. Patients positive for C. pneumoniae in the aortic valve had more advanced coronary atherosclerosis, further supporting a possible role for C. pneumoniae in atherosclerosis. Mice were infected with C. pneumoniae that disseminated to all organs investigated (i.e. lungs, heart, aorta, liver and spleen). Trace element concentrations were altered in infected animals with an increased copper/zinc ratio in serum, a progressively increased iron concentration in the liver and a progressively decreased iron concentration in serum. Iron is important for C. pneumoniae metabolism, and a changed iron homeostasis was noted in infected mice by alterations in iron-regulating proteins, such as DMT1 and hepcidin.
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| 3. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Interactions between Chlamydia pneumoniae and trace elements : a possible link to aortic valve sclerosis
- 2003
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Ingår i: Biological Trace Element Research. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 91:2, s. 97-110
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases has been suggested. However, other factors may interact in the pathogenesis of valve sclerosis. Therefore, trace elements important for C. pneumoniae growth and host defense and markers of C. pneumoniae infection were studied in sclerotic valves and serum. Forty-six patients undergoing surgical valve replacement due to advanced aortic sclerosis were prospectively studied. Valves from 15 forensic cases with no heart valve disease and plasma from 46 healthy volunteers served as controls. C. pneumoniae was detected in 16/46 (34.8 %) sclerotic valves and in 0/15 forensic controls. IgG and IgA antibodies to C. pneumoniae were present in 54.3% and 26.1 % patients, respectively. In the patients' valves, iron, magnesium, and zinc each correlated to calcium, a marker of the histopathological severity of disease. Patients showed 10- to 70-fold increases of these trace elements in valves and an increased copper/zinc ratio in serum. In a majority of aortic sclerosis patients, one of several markers of C. pneumoniae infection were detected and all patients had a disturbed trace element balance in valves and serum suggestive of active immune process and infection. The pattern of trace element changes was essentially similar regardless of positive makers of C. pneumoniae, suggesting a similar etiopathogenesis in both subgroups. The 20-fold increase in iron, essential for C. pneumoniae growth, in sclerotic valves suggests a new possible link to this infection in aortic sclerosis.
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| 4. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Thoracic aortic aneurysm patients with Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection showed a shift in trace element levels in serum and diseased aortic tissue
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0946-672X .- 1878-3252. ; 23:2, s. 100-106
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Few studies have been performed on trace elements in tissues and serum in cardiovascular disease and none in aortic aneurysm. In this study the concentrations of 10 trace elements were determined in serum and aneurysmatic aortic tissue from 23 patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Macroscopically, normal thoracic aortic tissue specimens from 10 forensic autopsies and serum from 23 healthy blood donors served as controls. DNA from the intracellular respiratory pathogen Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), which may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, was found in 26% (6/23) of the patients but in none of the controls. The serum copper/zinc ratio, a well-known marker of ongoing infection and/or inflammation, was higher (26%, p<0.001) in aneurysm patients. C. pneumoniae requires iron for its growth. In our aneurysm patients iron was higher in serum (by 54%, p<0.001) and aneurysmal tissue (by 60%, p<0.001). Although calcium was lower in patient sera (by 8%, p<0.001), it tended to be higher (by 20%, ns) in aneurysmatic tissue. In addition, mercury concentrations in serum and aneurysmatic tissue were positively correlated (r=0.51, p<0.05). Moreover, C. pneumoniae-positive aneurysmatic tissues had lower concentrations of manganese (46%, p<0.05) and zinc (26%, ns) but a higher concentration of mercury (50%, p<0.05) than C. pneumoniae-negative aneurysmatic tissues. In conclusion, aneurysm patients showed a shift in trace element levels in serum and in the diseased part of the aorta, the pattern being partly different in C. pneumoniae-positive compared with C. pneumoniae-negative patients. The results are compatible with active infection and/or inflammation, possibly initiated by C. pneumoniae.
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