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Arterial Injury due to Infections in Early Life-A Possible Link in Coronary Heart Disease (Functional and Structural Studies in Animals and Children)

Liuba, Petru LU (2003)
Abstract
Although the clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic CHD occur in adult life, the preclinical phase begins long before, seemingly already in childhood. There is supportive evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal experiments that infections could contribute to the pathogenesis of arterial disease, including atherosclerosis. It has been hypothesised that damage to the vascular endothelium might serve as a pathogenic link, and the magnitude of it might determine the type of disease, i.e., acute or chronic. The objectives of the studies were to asses the impact of chronic and acute infections on the arterial structure and function in young experimental animals and children. Arterial relaxation responses and changes in coronary... (More)
Although the clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic CHD occur in adult life, the preclinical phase begins long before, seemingly already in childhood. There is supportive evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal experiments that infections could contribute to the pathogenesis of arterial disease, including atherosclerosis. It has been hypothesised that damage to the vascular endothelium might serve as a pathogenic link, and the magnitude of it might determine the type of disease, i.e., acute or chronic. The objectives of the studies were to asses the impact of chronic and acute infections on the arterial structure and function in young experimental animals and children. Arterial relaxation responses and changes in coronary flow velocity in response to endothelium-dependent agonists, such as methacholine and bradykinin, were used as markers of functional changes in two animal models: young apoE-KO mice and piglets. C. pneumoniae and H. pylori were used as infectious stimuli in these models. Ultrasound-detected carotid artery intima-media thickness served as a marker of structural changes in children during their acute infectious illness, and three months after. Our studies showed that chronic infection with C. pneumoniae alters the muscarinic-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilator function of aortas in apoE-KO mice, whereas acute infection with the same pathogen results in widespread coronary endothelial dysfunction and a pro-coagulant status in piglets. The responses to bradykinin were preserved or even augmented in chronically infected apoEKO mice, suggesting active kinin-induced compensatory mechanisms that could involve NO and prostacyclin. C. pneumoniae and H. pylori appeared to have additive effects in the development of endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerotic changes. Finally, children with acute systemic infections had pro-atherogenic lipid changes during their acute illness, and were followed by carotid artery thickening, whilst antibiotic treatment was associated with less thickening. The findings support the infectious hypothesis of CHD, and the mechanistic link of endothelial dysfunction. It is tempting to believe that endothelial function interventions initiated early in life particularly in pediatric population with serological evidence of two or more chronic infections might lower the CHD risk in adult life. Likewise more effective preventive and curative measures for combating infections in childhood appear necessary. (Less)
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author
supervisor
opponent
  • Assoc. Professor Halcox, Julian, Dpt. of Cardiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, Great Britain
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Pediatri, Pediatrics, Kardiovaskulära systemet, Cardiovascular system, cardiovascular risk factors, thickening, infection, endothelial dysfunction
pages
125 pages
publisher
Petru Liuba, MD, Div. of Paediatric Cardiology, Dpt. of Paediatrics, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden,
defense location
Segerfalksalen, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Sölvegatan 17, Lund
defense date
2002-12-16 13:00:00
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Article: I. Liuba P, Karnani P, Pesonen E, Paakkari I, Forslid A, Johansson L, Persson K, Wadström T, Laurini R. Endothelial dysfunction after repeated Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in Apolipoprotein E–knockout mice. Circulation. 2000;102:1039-1044. Article: II. Liuba P, Karnani P, Pesonen E, Paakkari I, Forslid A, Persson K. Effects of bradykinin on arterial endothelial function in ApoE-knockout mice with chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. Submitted. Article: III. Liuba P, Pesonen E, Paakkari I, Batra S, Andersen L, Forslid A, Ylä-Herttuala S, Persson K, Wadström T, Wang X, Laurini R. Coinfection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori could result in vascular endothelial dysfunction and enhanced VCAM-1 expression. Journal of Vascular Research (In Press). Article: IV. Liuba P, Pesonen E, Paakkari I, Batra S, Forslid A, Kovanen P, Pentikäinen M, Persson K, Sandström S. Acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection causes coronary endothelial dysfunction in pigs. Atherosclerosis (In Press). Article: V. Liuba P, Persson J, Luoma J, Ylä-Herttuala S, Pesonen E. Acute infections in children are accompanied by oxidative modification of LDL and decrease of HDL cholesterol, and are followed by thickening of carotid intima-media. European Heart Journal (In Press).
id
b326922f-abd1-46bd-a129-804e6d3a5f8d (old id 465381)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:28:28
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:58:57
@phdthesis{b326922f-abd1-46bd-a129-804e6d3a5f8d,
  abstract     = {{Although the clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic CHD occur in adult life, the preclinical phase begins long before, seemingly already in childhood. There is supportive evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal experiments that infections could contribute to the pathogenesis of arterial disease, including atherosclerosis. It has been hypothesised that damage to the vascular endothelium might serve as a pathogenic link, and the magnitude of it might determine the type of disease, i.e., acute or chronic. The objectives of the studies were to asses the impact of chronic and acute infections on the arterial structure and function in young experimental animals and children. Arterial relaxation responses and changes in coronary flow velocity in response to endothelium-dependent agonists, such as methacholine and bradykinin, were used as markers of functional changes in two animal models: young apoE-KO mice and piglets. C. pneumoniae and H. pylori were used as infectious stimuli in these models. Ultrasound-detected carotid artery intima-media thickness served as a marker of structural changes in children during their acute infectious illness, and three months after. Our studies showed that chronic infection with C. pneumoniae alters the muscarinic-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilator function of aortas in apoE-KO mice, whereas acute infection with the same pathogen results in widespread coronary endothelial dysfunction and a pro-coagulant status in piglets. The responses to bradykinin were preserved or even augmented in chronically infected apoEKO mice, suggesting active kinin-induced compensatory mechanisms that could involve NO and prostacyclin. C. pneumoniae and H. pylori appeared to have additive effects in the development of endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerotic changes. Finally, children with acute systemic infections had pro-atherogenic lipid changes during their acute illness, and were followed by carotid artery thickening, whilst antibiotic treatment was associated with less thickening. The findings support the infectious hypothesis of CHD, and the mechanistic link of endothelial dysfunction. It is tempting to believe that endothelial function interventions initiated early in life particularly in pediatric population with serological evidence of two or more chronic infections might lower the CHD risk in adult life. Likewise more effective preventive and curative measures for combating infections in childhood appear necessary.}},
  author       = {{Liuba, Petru}},
  keywords     = {{Pediatri; Pediatrics; Kardiovaskulära systemet; Cardiovascular system; cardiovascular risk factors; thickening; infection; endothelial dysfunction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Petru Liuba, MD, Div. of Paediatric Cardiology, Dpt. of Paediatrics, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden,}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Arterial Injury due to Infections in Early Life-A Possible Link in Coronary Heart Disease (Functional and Structural Studies in Animals and Children)}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}