J Korean Surg Soc.  2006 Jul;71(1):56-60.

Expression of apoC1 and FTL Genes in Human with Carotid Atherosclerosis

• Joh JH
• Eo HS
• Kim DI

Abstract

PURPOSE: The pathogenesis of carotid atherosclerosis (CA) is known to involve several pathologic processes, such as lipid disturbances, thrombosis, oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, the genetic factors contributing to the development of CA, are, poorly understood. Thus, this study was performed to clarify the genes that are related with CA by comparing the expression patterns of mRNA in the arteries of a control group and in the arteries of a CA patients group. MATHODS: The total RNAs in the arteries of both groups were obtained from the abdominal aorta of 5 brain death donors and also the carotid arteries of 10 CA patents, and the DNAs were then reversely transcribed into complementary DNA (cDNA). The annealing control primer (ACP) method was applied to identify the differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs).
RESULTS
The prominently expressed genes in the CA group compared with the control group were those of apolipoprotein C1 (apoC1) and ferritin light chain (FTL). There was a difference in the gene and protein expressions in the development of vascular disease between the coronary and carotid arteries, i.e., the transcriptional pathway for the FTL expression in CA patient arteries, and the posttranscriptional pathway in the coronary artery disease. The ApoC1 gene was another prominently expressed gene in the current study, and it has been reported to promote apoptosis in the cultured smooth muscle cells of human aorta.
CONCLUSION
The increased expression of the apoC1 and FTL genes in the carotid artery might increase the possibility of CA via the apoptosis and oxidation of the increased LDL and VLDL.

Keyword

Carotid atherosclerosis; Apolipoprotein C1; Ferritin light chain

MeSH Terms

Aorta
Aorta, Abdominal
Apoferritins
Apolipoprotein C-I
Apoptosis
Arteries
Brain Death
Carotid Arteries
Carotid Artery Diseases*
Coronary Artery Disease
DNA
DNA, Complementary
Humans*
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle
Oxidative Stress
Pathologic Processes
RNA
RNA, Messenger
Thrombosis
Tissue Donors
Vascular Diseases
Apoferritins
Apolipoprotein C-I
DNA
DNA, Complementary
RNA
RNA, Messenger