[Subpopulations of lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages at the early stages of human aorta atherosclerosis].

Human aorta was studied at early stages of atherosclerosis: intimal edema, first signs of lipoidosis, lipid spots and lipid plaques. Adhesion of Mn/Mp and lymphocytes to the aortal intima directly correlated with lipid deposits in the vascular wall. The number of mononuclear cells in the intima increased in parallel to progression of lipidosis. T-lymphocyte adhesion passed ahead of that of Mn/Mp. Cytotoxic suppressors dominated among T-lymphocytes adhered to the intima surface. Mn/Mp do not contain enzymes participating in the lipid utilization (acid lipase, acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase) at initial stages of atherosclerosis. The activity of these enzymes starts to appear in parallel to atherosclerosis progression. HLA-DR antigen is found on the surface of T-lymphocytes and Mn/Mp indicating increased immunity of these cells.