Muto A, Kondo Y, Yamamoto Y, Yamada H, Washimi O, Miyauchi Y, Kudo F, Dardik A, Nishibe T
Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
Int Angiol. 2006 Jun;25(2):175-8.
Prostacyclin, which is mainly synthesized by vascular endothelial cells, exerts antiplatelet and smooth-muscle-relaxant effects, thereby maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. Prostacyclin analogues have been clinically proven to improve ischemic symptoms and prevent the occurrence of vascular events in the lower extremities of patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans. We examined the presence of prostacyclin receptor (IP receptor) in an arteriosclerotic human femoral artery.
Specimens of the femoral artery were obtained at the time of limb amputation from an 83-year-old woman. Atherosclerotic lesions and associated changes such as calcification were evident. The specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and processed for immunohistochemistry.
A monolayer of cells was observed on the luminal side of the femoral artery. Single immunohistochemistry showed the presence of the IP receptors on cells of the luminal side of the femoral artery. Triple-immunofluorescence staining revealed colocalization of IP-receptor-positive cells and cells positive for von Willebrand factor, a marker of vascular endothelial cells.
We investigated the presence of the IP receptor in the human femoral artery immunohistochemically, and demonstrated their strong expression in endothelial cells. This finding suggests that prostacyclin or prostacyclin analogues may act on their receptors on endothelial cells in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans.
前列环素主要由血管内皮细胞合成，具有抗血小板和舒张平滑肌的作用，从而维持心血管系统的稳态。前列环素类似物已在临床上被证明可改善缺血症状，并预防动脉硬化闭塞症患者下肢血管事件的发生。我们研究了硬化的人股动脉中前列环素受体（IP受体）的存在情况。
从一名83岁女性截肢时获取股动脉标本。动脉粥样硬化病变及相关变化如钙化明显。标本用苏木精和伊红染色，并进行免疫组织化学处理。
在股动脉腔面观察到单层细胞。单免疫组织化学显示股动脉腔面细胞存在IP受体。三重免疫荧光染色显示IP受体阳性细胞与血管内皮细胞标志物血管性血友病因子阳性细胞共定位。
我们通过免疫组织化学研究了人股动脉中IP受体的存在情况，并证明其在内皮细胞中强烈表达。这一发现表明前列环素或前列环素类似物可能作用于动脉硬化闭塞症患者内皮细胞上的受体。
