Benditt E P, Benditt J M
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Jun;70(6):1753-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.6.1753.
The main cellular elements of atherosclerotic plaques are smooth muscle cells. Because these plaques differ from their precursors in the underlying artery wall in several ways, we have asked the question: Are human atherosclerotic plaques polyclonal or monoclonal in their origin? The X-linked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) in heterozygotic females has been used to obtain an answer. 30 Plaques of different degrees of complexity and 59 samples of normal aorta and iliac artery walls from four females, 25-79 years old, were investigated. The data show that fibrous caps even of relatively large atheromatous plaques, 0.5 cm or greater in diameter, are composed of cells that produce solely or predominantly one enzyme type, whereas samples of artery wall media and intima as small as 0.1 mm(3) are regularly composed of a mixture of cell types. If plaques were a response to injury akin to a healing wound, a reaction to a growth stimulant, or formed due to an organization of a mural thrombus, they would be expected to be polyclonal. Hence, the results imply that atherosclerotic plaques in human beings arise by another mechanism. The mechanism compatible with the monoclonal nature of atherosclerotic plaques is mutation, and the likely causes are chemical mutagens or viruses.
动脉粥样硬化斑块的主要细胞成分是平滑肌细胞。由于这些斑块在几个方面与其在动脉壁下层的前身不同，我们提出了一个问题：人类动脉粥样硬化斑块在起源上是多克隆的还是单克隆的？已利用杂合子女性体内的X连锁葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶（EC 1.1.1.49）来寻找答案。对4名年龄在25至79岁女性的30个不同复杂程度的斑块以及59个正常主动脉和髂动脉壁样本进行了研究。数据表明，即使是直径0.5厘米或更大的相对较大的动脉粥样硬化斑块的纤维帽，也是由仅产生或主要产生一种酶类型的细胞组成，而小至0.1立方毫米的动脉壁中层和内膜样本通常由多种细胞类型混合组成。如果斑块是对类似于愈合伤口的损伤的反应、对生长刺激物的反应或由于壁血栓机化形成的，那么它们预计会是多克隆的。因此，结果表明人类动脉粥样硬化斑块是通过另一种机制形成的。与动脉粥样硬化斑块单克隆性质相符的机制是突变，可能的原因是化学诱变剂或病毒。
