| 1. |
- Edvinsson, Marie, 1976-
(författare)
-
Chlamydophila pneumoniae in Cardiovascular Diseases : Clinical and Experimental Studies
- 2008
-
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.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Edvinsson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
-
Trace Element Changes in Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Biological Trace Element Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 169:2, s. 159-163
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thoracic aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition with an incompletely understood pathogenesis. Trace elements are essential for the functioning of different processes in the body, including the immune system and associated responses to infection/inflammation. Because inflammation may be part of the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic dissection, we investigated whether trace element changes associated with inflammation occur in serum and tissue samples during the disease. The study included 21 patients undergoing surgery for thoracic aortic dissection, 10 forensic autopsy specimens for tissue controls and 23 healthy blood donors for serum controls. Levels of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) were measured in the aortic tissue and serum by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In the serum, Ca, V, Cu and Zn decreased, whereas Fe increased. In the tissue, Cu and Zn decreased and Fe tended to increase. The Cu/Zn ratio in the serum, a marker of infection/inflammation, did not change in the patients. Concerning trace element changes in the serum and tissue, our data do not support the hypothesis that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic dissection.
|
|
| 4. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
Interactions between Chlamydia pneumoniae and trace elements : a possible link to aortic valve sclerosis
- 2003
-
Ingår i: Biological Trace Element Research. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 91:2, s. 97-110
-
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.
|
|
| 5. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
Thoracic aortic aneurysm patients with Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection showed a shift in trace element levels in serum and diseased aortic tissue
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0946-672X .- 1878-3252. ; 23:2, s. 100-106
-
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.
|
|
| 6. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
Trace element changes in sclerotic heart valves from patients are expressed in their blood
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Biometals. - 0966-0844 .- 1572-8773. ; 17:2, s. 121-128
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The pathogenesis of some heart diseases has been associated with changes in the balance of certain trace elements. However, whether blood trace element changes exist that are related to changes in the cardiovascular system are, in most cases, unknown. In this study, blood trace element levels were analysed in 46 patients with non-rheumatic aortic valve sclerosis that were previously shown to have a disturbed trace element balance in their valve tissue, including 11/15 elements. Results showed significant changes of blood levels of 8/15 trace elements in these patients when compared with blood levels in 46 healthy controls. Of these elements, Cd and Mg were the only elements that increased in both blood and valves. Cu and Se were increased in blood but decreased in valves, whereas Co and Zn were decreased in blood but increased in valves. Several elements (As, Ca, Fe, Pb, and V) were unchanged in blood although changed in valves. Although Mn and Hg showed changes in blood, this was not evident in the valves. Al and Ag were the only elements that did not change in both blood and valves. Significant covariation in blood and valve levels was only observed for Al and Pb. The recorded pattern of trace element changes indicates a complex competition/exchange between body compartments in this disease, where the increased blood Cu/Zn ratio suggests an ongoing infectious/inflammatory process.
|
|
| 7. |
- Nyström-Rosander, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
Trace element changes in sclerotic heart valves from patients undergoing aortic valve surgery.
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Biological Trace Element Research. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 88:1, s. 9-24
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Several trace elements are essential nutrients for an optimal functioning of organs and tissues, including the immune system and the heart. The pathogenesis of some heart diseases has been associated with changes in the balance of certain trace elements. The etiology of nonrheumatic aortic valve sclerosis is unknown, however. A prospective study was performed on trace element changes in the sclerotic valves of 46 patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement because of aortic stenosis. Valves from 15 individual forensic cases without known cardiac disease served as controls. The contents of 15 trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Hg, Se, Ag, V, and Zn) were measured by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) of aortic valve tissue from both patients and forensic autopsy controls. Some trace elements showed similar concentrations in sclerotic and control valves (Al, Ag, Hg, Mn), whereas a few were moderately changed in the sclerotic as compared with the control valves, including an increase in Cd by 52% (p < 0.05) and decreases in Se by 14% (p < 0.05), in V by 42% (p < 0,001), and in Cu by 45% (p < 0.001). However, there were pronounced increases (p < 0.001) in the concentrations of As (5-fold), Ca (70-fold), Co(10-fold), Fe (20-fold), Pb (8-fold), Mg (20-fold), and Zn (10-fold) in the sclerotic valves. Thus, sclerotic aortic valve disease is associated with a pronounced imbalance in several trace elements of well-known importance for cardiovascular and immune function as well as in trace elements with hitherto unknown significance.
|
|
