Mayerl Christina, Lukasser Melanie, Sedivy Roland, Niederegger Harald, Seiler Ruediger, Wick Georg
Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology, Department Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Fritz-Pregl Str. 3, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Virchows Arch. 2006 Jul;449(1):96-103. doi: 10.1007/s00428-006-0176-7. Epub 2006 Apr 13.
It is now clear that inflammation plays a key role in atherogenesis. As a matter of fact, signs of inflammation of atherosclerotic plaques have been observed for centuries and also constituted the basis for a fierce controversy in the 19th century between the prominent Austrian pathologist Carl von Rokitansky and his German counterpart, Rudolf Virchow. While the former attributed a secondary role to these inflammatory arterial changes, Virchow considered them to be of primary importance. We had the unique opportunity to address this controversy by investigating atherosclerotic specimens from autopsies performed by Carl von Rokitansky up to 178 years ago. Twelve atherosclerotic arteries originally collected between the years 1827 to 1885 were selected from the Collection Rokitansky of the Federal Museum of Pathological Anatomy, Vienna Medical University. Using modern sophisticated immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques, it was shown that various cellular intralesional components, as well as extracellular matrix proteins, were preserved in the historic atherosclerotic specimens. Most importantly, CD3 positive cells were abundant in early lesions, thus, rather supporting Virchows's view, that inflammation is an initiating factor in atherogenesis. Furthermore, we hope to have opened a new and intriguing possibility to study various pathological conditions using valuable historical specimens.
现在已经清楚，炎症在动脉粥样硬化的发生发展中起着关键作用。事实上，动脉粥样硬化斑块的炎症迹象几个世纪以来一直被观察到，并且在19世纪还引发了奥地利著名病理学家卡尔·冯·罗基坦斯基与其德国同行鲁道夫·菲尔绍之间的激烈争论。前者认为这些炎症性动脉变化起次要作用，而菲尔绍则认为它们至关重要。我们有一个独特的机会来解决这一争议，即研究卡尔·冯·罗基坦斯基在178年前进行的尸检所得到的动脉粥样硬化标本。从维也纳医科大学联邦病理解剖博物馆的罗基坦斯基藏品中，挑选出了12条最初在1827年至1885年期间收集的动脉粥样硬化动脉。运用现代精密的免疫组织化学和免疫荧光技术表明，在这些历史悠久的动脉粥样硬化标本中，各种病变内细胞成分以及细胞外基质蛋白都得以保存。最重要的是，CD3阳性细胞在早期病变中大量存在，因此，这更支持了菲尔绍的观点，即炎症是动脉粥样硬化发生的起始因素。此外，我们希望已经开启了一种利用珍贵的历史标本研究各种病理状况的全新且有趣的可能性。
