Giant multinucleated endothelial cells are associated with local accumulation of LDL and CD45+ lymphocytes in the intima of human aorta

Abstract

Background and Aims : At the early stages of atherogenesis, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles and immune cells penetrate into the intimal layer of the arterial wall through the endothelium. In adult humans, the luminal surface of the arterial wall is a heterogeneous monolayer of cells with varying morphology, including typical endothelial cells (ECs) and multinucleated variant endothelial cells (MVECs). We hypothesized that distribution of MVECs in the endothelial monolayer can explain the distribution pattern of early atherosclerotic lesions.