The expression of PGC-1α in carotid atherosclerotic plaque induced by cytomegalovirus / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated-receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in carotid atherosclerosis due to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection.@*Methods@#Thirty-three samples of carotid arterial sclerosis plaques after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) were collected in the experiment group, and 12 pieces of normal intracranial arteries were collected in the control group. The plaques of carotid artery were studied using in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the role of PGC-1α in HCMV related atherosclerosis. HCMV immediate early (IE) gene of two groups was detected using ISH, and the expression of PGC-1α using IHC.@*Results@#HCMV IE gene was positive 72.7% in the atherosclerotic plague group, while 16.6% in the control group, there was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). As to PGC-1α expression, in the atherosclerosis group, 8/33(24.2%) were strongly positive (+ + + ), 9/33(27.2%) were positive (+ + ), 6/33(18.2%) were weakly positive (+ ), and 10/33(30.3%) were negative (-). While in the control group, 1/12(8.3%) was strongly positive (+ + + ), 2/12(16.7%) were positive (+ + ), and 1/12 (8.3%) was weakly positive (+ ), and 8/12 (66.7%) were negative (-). The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05).@*Conclusions@#HCMV immediate early gene and PGC-1α were both related to athersclerotic plaque formation, suggesting that PGC-1α may play an important role in as the plaque formation due to HCMV infection.