BACKGROUND

Cytotoxic oxidized LDL (oxLDL) has been shown to promote apoptosis in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We investigated the localization of oxLDL and its association with apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Atherosclerotic plaques (n=23) from patients undergoing aortic, carotid, or femoral arterial surgery were studied. In early lesions, oxLDL was located predominantly in the superficial intima and in the media just beneath the internal elastic lamina. Medial VSMCs staining positive for oxLDL showed expression of BAX, a proapoptotic protein of the BCL-2 family. Apoptosis, as detected by DNA in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase end-labeling (TUNEL), was not present in these early lesions. In advanced plaques, areas of the intima positive for oxLDL showed lower alpha-smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity (P<0.01) and higher BAX immunoreactivity (P<0.05). Furthermore, these areas showed an increased number of apoptotic VSMCs (P<0.01). Western blot analysis revealed that oxLDL increases BAX expression in cultured human coronary VSMCs.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that in early atherosclerotic lesions, oxLDL-positive VSMCs express BAX, which increases the susceptibility of these cells to undergo apoptosis. This could be important in our understanding of the transition of early lesions into advanced atherosclerotic plaques, which are characterized by regions of cell death. In advanced plaques, oxLDL-positive areas of the intima show higher BAX immunoreactivity and TUNEL-positive VSMCs, and this may contribute to plaque instability and rupture.