Early atherosclerotic plaques show evidence of infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae

Abstract

Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) could play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Cpn interferes with HIF-1alpha regulation in infected host cells during intracellular replication in hypoxia. We obtained carotid artery specimens with low (n=38), high (n=25) levels of stenosis and 10 control middle cerebral arteries. Fifty eight percent of the carotids with low levels of stenosis showed evidence of the viable Cpn. Ninety one percent of the positive results were derived from preatheromatous lesions. Only 12 percent of plaques removed at endarterectomy showed the presence of Cpn DNA. All control middle cerebral arteries failed to show evidence of live Cpn. Ninety one percent of sera from 22 endarterectomy patients showws the presence of Cpn antibodies. Immunohistology of carotid arteries with low levels of stenosis was used to confirm the presence of HIF-1alpha in infected specimens and showed a correlation between the over-expression of HIF-1alpha and Cpn in the plaque (p less than 0.05). Cpn might play an important role in activation and development of the initial stages of atherosclerotic lesions.