Slight Intimal Thickening Research Articles

Nutrient arteries of the temporomandibular joint: an anatomical and a pathological study.

We have identified an artery which is a sub-branch of the inferior alveolar artery, and propose to call it the temporomandibular branch. Mandibular bones of 36 autopsy cases (ages 23-85; 20 males and 16 females) were examined. Contrast media were injected into the inferior alveolar artery, decalcification was conducted, and photographs were taken using soft X-ray equipment (Softex: Nippon Softex, co. CSM type). Then, an examination was conducted concerning sclerosis of these arteries. Next, H.E., Azan, and Pap silver stains were used for microscopic specimens to examine arteriosclerosis of the temporomandibular joint. The artery that sub-branches toward the temporomandibular branch, branches out immediately after the inferior alveolar artery and enters the mandibular foramen, becoming the artery that supplies the temporomandibular joint. This temporomandibular branch travels slightly downward, forward of the inferior alveolar artery, and turns back toward the mandibular base. It advances to the mandibular joint almost directly. The route taken was classified into three types. Toward the head of the mandible, the temporomandibular branch, after passing over the neck of the mandible, divides into two sub-branches, anterior and posterior. In our pathological study of the temporomandibular branch, there were a small number of cases with slight intimal thickening and mild elastosis. As regards sclerotic changes, particularly in cases more than 50 years old. There were very few cases showing intimal changes. Sclerotic changes of the artery supplying the head of the mandible increase with age. The same can be said of the about the constriction rate. These findings correlated with subject age.

The initiation of intimal thickening in human arteries

To obtain more detailed information about the relationship of intimal thickening to defects in the elastin structure of the arterial wall, the internal elastic lamina and subsequent elastin formation in the intima was studied by very oblique sectioning of paraffin sections of the arterial wall, and by scanning electron microscopy of formic acid digested preparations. Comparison was made in the same subject between the internal thoracic artery (a vessel showing only slight intimal thickening) and the anterior descending coronary (which usually develops advanced intimal thickening). There was no evidence of penetration of the normal fenestrations of the internal elastic lamina by medial smooth muscle cells. This took place through major defects of this lamina and resulted in a change from transverse to longitudinal orientation of these cells and the accompanying elastin fibers of the intima. A further condensation of elastin (greater for the internal thoracic) occurred in the intima subjacent to the endothelial cells.

Role of endothelium in the human uterine arteries during normal menstrual cycle.

1. The present experiments were designed to investigate the role of endothelium in the human uterine arteries during the normal menstrual cycle. 2. Acetylcholine (ACh) produced a concentration-dependent relaxation response during the higher level of plasma 17 beta-oestradiol (E2) (follicular and luteal phases, E2 = 131.9 +/- 15.9 pg ml-1, n = 13; group I). However, the agent did not produce a definite relaxation, but produced a slight contraction during the ovulatory and menstruation phases (E2 = 19.8 +/- 2.9 pg mg-1, n = 5; group II). During the follicular and luteal phases (E2 = 181.1 +/- 9.0 pg ml-1, n = 6), ACh produced a slight contraction, but not relaxation in 6 cases (group III). Relaxation in response to A23187 in group II was not different from that in group I, while it was significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005) reduced in group III. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced relaxation was similar in the three groups. 3. Correlation between the maximum response to ACh and the plasma E2 was highly significant (gamma = 0.8142, P < 0.001) in 18 cases of groups I and II, but not in all 24 cases including group III (gamma = 0.1183, NS). 4. Relaxations in response to ACh in group I or A23187 in all groups were abolished after removal of the endothelium. In group I, ACh- and A23187-induced relaxations were greatly inhibited by methylene blue or NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) and partially inhibited by indomethacin. None of these treatments except for methylene blue modified the SNP-induced relaxation, which was significantly inhibited by methylene blue.5. The A23187-induced relaxation was hardly affected by methylene blue or L-NOARG in group III,but was partially inhibited by these agents in group II. The effect of indomethacin in inhibiting the A23187 induced-relaxation was most potent (58.9%) in group III and least (16.9%) in group I.6. There were no histological changes in 14 cases out of 18 (groups I and II), but very slight intimal thickening was observed in 4 cases in group I. On the other hand, severe intimal thickening was observed in all 6 cases in group III.7. These results indicate that, in human uterine artery strips, ACh and A23187 cause endothelium dependent relaxations, which are mediated mainly through EDRF/NO in group I, mainly prostacyclin(PGI2) in group III, or both in group II. It is suggested that lack of the production/release of EDRF/NO and/or of interaction between EDRF/NO and PGI2 might play a role in the formation of intimal thickening in human uterine arteries.

In Vivo Evaluation of the Hydrolyser Hydrodynamic Thrombectomy Catheter

The authors evaluated a 7-F double-lumen thrombectomy catheter (Hydrolyser) in vivo. To evaluate efficacy, thrombectomy was performed 1, 4, or 8 days after local denudation in peripheral arteries (n = 18) and veins (n = 29) of nine goats. To evaluate safety, the reaction of the vessel wall to a functioning and nonfunctioning Hydrolyser catheter was evaluated in the peripheral arteries and veins of three goats 10 days after the procedure. Reopening was achieved in all vessels with residual thrombus in 11% of arteries (two of 18) and 55% of veins (16 of 29). Slight intimal thickening was observed, but no difference was seen between the passage of a functioning versus nonfunctioning catheter. The Hydrolyser device can remove intravascular thrombus up to 8 days after induction. There was no difference in vessel wall reaction after the passage of a functioning and nonfunctioning catheter.

Expression of meta-vinculin in human coronary arteriosclerosis is related to the histological grade of plaque formation

In the present study we demonstrate that the quantitative reduction of meta-vinculin expression parallels histological changes during the course of coronary arteriosclerosis. Immunofluorescence stainings of coronary arteries revealed that vinculin distribution resembled that of other smooth muscle-specific cytoskeletal proteins like α-actin, caldesmon or myosin light chain kinase in labeling smooth muscle cells brightly. Although close to arteriosclerotic plaques, the cellularity as measured by the density of nuclei was often not significantly altered. Cells of this location expressed markedly reduced amounts of vinculin, suggesting that they are smooth muscle cells of a synthetic phenotype. To determine the fractional meta-vinculin content in arteriosclerotic lesions, we performed densitometric scanning of immunoblots incubated with anti-vinculin monoclonal antibodies reacting with both meta-vinculin (150 kDa) and vinculin (130 kDa). In parallel, each tissue sample was evaluated histologically for the degree of arteriosclerotic alterations according to the morphometric atheroma score of Stratford et al. ( n = 13). In type 1 lesions covering slight intimal thickening, meta-vinculin represented 36% (mean, range 35%–39%) of the total vinculin immunoreactivity. In type 2 lesions consisting of fibrous plaques of up to twice the original artery wall thickness, meta-vinculin accounted for 28% (mean, range 22%–35%) of the total vinculin content. Meta-vinculin was substantially reduced in type 3 lesions (mean 13%, range 8%–18%) which are characterized by extensive atheromatous plaques. Thus, the meta-vinculin/vinculin ratio differed significantly between early, intermediate and advanced phases of coronary arteriosclerotic plaque formation.

Isolated Central Nervous System Arteriopathy with Multiple Aneurysms in an Adolescent A Case Report

A 17-year-old male suffered recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhages due to multiple aneurysms in the distal branches of the cerebral arteries. Autopsy revealed arteriopathy as well as the aneurysms. The arteriopathy was widespread, affecting the distal branches of small and medium-sized muscular cerebral arteries, as well as the anterior and posterior spinal arteries, and vasocorona. The arteriopathy was characterized by prominent intimal thickening, discontinuity or absence of the internal elastic lamina, and thinning and/or disappearance of smooth muscle in the tunica media with fibroplasia. Slight intimal thickening was also observed in the arteries of the circle of Willis and its major branches, as well as in the basilar artery. However, the arterioles, venules and veins showed no remarkable features. The arterial lesions were found only in the central nervous system. The multiple aneurysms in the distal branches of the cerebral arteries, which had produced the main symptoms and clinical signs, were due to the arteriopathy.

Iliac artery stenosis and occlusion: preliminary results of treatment with Gianturco expandable metallic stents.

Ten patients with atherosclerotic stenosis or occlusion of the iliac artery were treated with Gianturco expandable metallic stents. In the five cases of stenosis, only balloon dilation was performed prior to placement of stents. The five patients with occluded arteries were given intraarterial infusions of urokinase before balloon dilation and stent placement. Clinical symptoms improved in all patients, and no technical failures or complications occurred. Doppler ankle-brachial index studies were performed in nine cases, and in all nine cases the indexes improved after stent placement. During follow-up of 2-18 months (mean, 10.3 months), all arteries remained patent. Follow-up angiograms showed slight intimal thickening and no restenosis. Long-term follow-up and more clinical experience will be necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this stent. However, preliminary results suggest that the Gianturco expandable metallic stent is of value in the treatment of arterial occlusive disease.

Superficial intimal injury of the rabbit carotid artery induced by distilled water

The study of mechanical injury to the aortic endothelium in experimental animals is important in understanding the pathologic processes in atherogenesis. In this investigation distilled water was used to produced superficial injury to the rabbit carotid artery. Sterilized distilled water was injected into a temporarily isolated segment of rabbit carotid artery measuring 0.5 cm in length. After 4 min blood flow was reestablished by removal of the isolating ligatures. The carotid arteries were examined at time intervals of 5 min, 24 h, 48 h, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after injury. Five min after injury, the carotid endothelial cells were almost completely removed but no medical injury was present. After 24 and 48 h, a few platelets were adherent to the denuded intimal surface. After 1 month, 3 months and 6 months the injured surface showed a slight intimal thickening consisting of modified smooth muscle cells. Our experimental findings suggested that the extent of the injured area is more important in the repair process than its depth.

Age-induced changes in the aortas of rats

In order to elucidate changes due to age in blood vessels, the aortic walls of Wistar rats ranging in age from 35 to 45 months were examined with an electron microscope. The remarkable changes of the walls were found mainly in the media: smooth muscle cell necrosis, increase of ground substances, as well as collagen fibrils, and calcification in some of the necrotic muscle cells. Branched smooth muscle cells were often found in the media. Elastic networks in the media, however, were hardly ever destroyed. The spider-web fashion in the peripheral cytoplasm of the smooth muscle cells was observed in all animals. Diffuse or localized slight intimal thickening could be seen in the subendothelial spaces, but aortic atherosclerosis was not present in the intima. No remarkable changes were seen in the adventitia.

Morphologic Study of Renal Arteries in Rats Fed High-salt Diet

To evaluate the morphologic changes of the renal arteries in the condition of high-salt diet, we scheduled the control group which fed routine animal diet added 0.06% of Sodium chloride, low-salt group which fed with 2.0% of sodium chloride, and high-Salt group which fed with 8.0% of sodium chloride. The experimental animals were sacrificed every two week until 20 weeks of final experimental week. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Slight intimal thickening of the renal arteries is observed from 16th experimental week and continued the end of the experiment in the rats of control group. 2. In low-salt group slight intimal thickening of the renal arteries is observed from 12th experimental week and continued to the end of the experiment. 3. In high-salt group the intimal thickening began from 6th experimental week and its degree was hasten with week, and provoked moderate to high degree of lesion at the end of the experiment. Medial proliferation and degeneration of the intima and media, though their quality is mild, also associated at the end of the experiment.