Thrombogenic plaques associated with @entity583 and @entity1164 are relatively acellular but the mechanisms responsible for cell loss are uncertain. To help elucidate this, we investigated advanced @entity731 taken from 13 carotid arteries. The number of cells detected by the technique for identifying DNA fragmentation (occurring at apoptosis and @entity39 ) known as terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated @entity1977 - @entity1885 nick end-labeling (TUNEL) technique varied in arteries from 9.6% to 40.3% and was 4 times higher in plaque (26.4 +/- 2.9%) than in the adjacent media (6.0 +/- 1.3%). The majority of TUNEL+ cells (75.5 +/- 5.6%) were smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as they also reacted with antibodies to @entity9976 alpha-actin and myosin. TUNEL+ nuclei were found in macrophages ( @entity18901 + cells), T-cells (CD3+ cells) and neovascular endothelial cells ( @entity2880 factor: vWf+ cells) as well. From 13.0% to 34.0% (24.6 +/- 1.7%) of plaque cells stained with antibody to @entity4698 ( @entity4698 ) whereas the number of PNCA+ nuclei in the adjacent media was 6 times lower (4.1 +/- 0.7%). In plaques, the number of @entity4698 + cells correlated with the number of TUNEL+ cells (r = .66; p < .001) but the proportion of @entity4698 + SMCs was relatively low (39.1 +/- 5.2%). Electronmicroscopic examination showed the presence of cells with condensed chromatin and convoluted cell surfaces in all arteries tested and the numbers of cells exhibiting these destructive alterations varied from 15.2% to @entity19 % but no cells with typical expression of apoptotic death were detected. The results obtained indicate that all vascular cell types undergo cell death, with some prevalence in locations close to the plaque core and that intimal cells die through @entity39 rather than apoptosis. We speculate that the imbalance in @entity9976 death and proliferation may lead to acellular plaque formation.

Cell death in atheromatous plaque of the carotid artery occurs through XXXX rather than apoptosis.

@entity1164 :: ('MESH:D016757', 'Disease') :: ['sudden cardiac death'] @entity9976 :: ('MESH:C564589', 'Disease') :: ['SMC'] @entity1885 :: ('MESH:D001710', 'Chemical') :: ['biotin'] @entity39 :: ('MESH:D009336', 'Disease') :: ['necrosis'] @entity731 :: ('MESH:D050197', 'Disease') :: ['atherosclerotic lesions'] @entity18901 :: ('12514(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['CD68'] @entity19 :: ('10090', 'Species') :: ['35.5'] @entity1977 :: ('CHEBI:17625', 'Chemical') :: ['dUTP'] @entity4698 :: ('18538(Tax:10090)', 'Gene') :: ['proliferating cell nuclear antigen', 'PCNA'] @entity583 :: ('MESH:D009203', 'Disease') :: ['acute myocardial infarction'] @entity2880 :: ('MESH:D014842', 'Disease') :: ['von Willebrand']
@entity39 :: (MESH:D009336,Disease) :: ['necrosis']
