BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate @entity5704 inflammasome expression in @entity1 carotid @entity731 plaques and its relationship to plaque vulnerability. METHODS: Carotid @entity731 plaques collected from 30 @entity1 scheduled for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) were subjected to immunohistochemical, mRNA, and protein expression studies. Ten mesenteric arteries from @entity5 @entity1 served as controls for the immunohistochemical studies. Twenty individuals who had no @entity543 or @entity3979 served as controls for analyzing @entity731 risk factors and for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) studies. Serum samples were collected from all @entity1 to determine @entity1356 ( @entity1356 ) and @entity8923 levels. RESULTS: The @entity5704 inflammasome signaling pathway components @entity5704 , @entity938 , @entity9302 , @entity1356 , and @entity8923 were strongly expressed in carotid @entity731 plaques, but not in healthy mesenteric arteries. Immunohistochemical, mRNA, and protein expression studies revealed higher expression levels of @entity5704 , @entity938 , @entity9302 , @entity1356 , and @entity8923 in unstable compared to stable plaques. The @entity5704 inflammasome was localized in the cytoplasm of macrophages and foam cells and was associated with @entity165 crystal clefts inside and outside of cells. ELISA showed that the serum levels of the cytokines @entity1356 and @entity8923 were higher in the CEA group compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated for the first time the close relationship between the expression of @entity5704 signaling pathway and @entity1 carotid @entity731 plaques. @entity5704 , @entity938 , @entity9302 , @entity1356 , and @entity8923 were associated with plaque vulnerability and  atherogenesis. The serum levels of @entity1356 and @entity8923 may be useful predictors of @entity731 .

Expression of the XXXX Inflammasome in Carotid Atherosclerosis.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'human'] @entity5704 :: ('114548', 'Gene') :: ['NLRP3'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['intestinal cancer'] @entity1356 :: ('3553', 'Gene') :: ['IL-1b', 'interleukin-1b'] @entity3979 :: ('MESH:D023921', 'Disease') :: ['coronary artery stenosis'] @entity8923 :: ('3606', 'Gene') :: ['IL-18'] @entity938 :: ('29108', 'Gene') :: ['ASC'] @entity731 :: ('MESH:D050197', 'Disease') :: ['atherosclerotic', 'atherosclerosis'] @entity543 :: ('MESH:D016893', 'Disease') :: ['carotid stenosis'] @entity9302 :: ('834', 'Gene') :: ['caspase-1'] @entity165 :: ('MESH:D002784', 'Chemical') :: ['cholesterol']
@entity5704 :: (114548,Gene) :: ['NLRP3']
