Tokunaga O, Satoh T, Yamasaki F, Wu L
Department of Pathology, Saga Medical School, Nabeshima, Japan.
Semin Thromb Hemost. 1998;24(3):279-84. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-995855.
The vascular endothelial cell is generally small and round and has a single small nucleus. It is called a typical endothelial cell (TEC). In human aortas, however, unusually large endothelial cells are often seen. They have multinuclei in a large cytoplasm and are called multinucleated variant endothelial cells (MVECs). MVECs exist individually or in a group, being surrounded by the majority of typical endothelial cells. The number of MVECs is increased with atherosclerosis grade and age. FISH analysis revealed that endothelial cells derived from young subjects had diploid chromosomes. However, aneuploidy was increased with aging in TECs as well as in MVECs, ranging from one to five or even more than five. Expression of LDL receptor on endothelial cells was generally low but greatly elevated in MVECs. Accordingly the uptake of LDL cholesterol was increased when observed in LDL-gold uptake by electron microscopy, whereas those of TECs remained low. These results indicate that human aortic endothelial cells change their characteristics, including shape and even gene, with aging, and that MVECs appear on the human aorta. MVECs actively participate in the development and advancement of atherosclerosis by transporting LDL to the subendothelial intima.
血管内皮细胞通常小而圆，有一个小的单核。它被称为典型内皮细胞（TEC）。然而，在人类主动脉中，经常可以看到异常大的内皮细胞。它们在大的细胞质中有多个细胞核，被称为多核变异内皮细胞（MVECs）。MVECs单独或成群存在，被大多数典型内皮细胞包围。MVECs的数量随着动脉粥样硬化等级和年龄的增加而增加。荧光原位杂交（FISH）分析显示，来自年轻受试者的内皮细胞具有二倍体染色体。然而，TECs和MVECs中的非整倍体随着衰老而增加，范围从一到五个甚至超过五个。内皮细胞上低密度脂蛋白（LDL）受体的表达通常较低，但在MVECs中显著升高。因此，当通过电子显微镜观察LDL-金摄取时，MVECs对LDL胆固醇的摄取增加，而TECs的摄取仍然较低。这些结果表明，人类主动脉内皮细胞随着衰老会改变其特征，包括形状甚至基因，并且MVECs出现在人类主动脉上。MVECs通过将LDL运输到内皮下内膜，积极参与动脉粥样硬化的发展和进展。
