Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) associated with unfavorable prognosis is likely to be the consequence of a diffuse active chronic inflammatory process that destabilizes the whole coronary tree and myocardium, suggesting a possible common causal agent underlying both conditions. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection occurred beyond the coronary plaques, namely in the myocardium of individuals who died of AMI. The presence of CP cell wall antigen (OMP-2) and CP-HSP60 was investigated in the myocardium and coronary plaques of 10 AMI and 10 age-matched control patients by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and molecular biology. OMP-2 antigens were found in the unaffected myocardium of 9 of 10 AMI patients. Conversely, only 1 of 10 control patients exhibited a positive staining for CP. Moreover, OMP-2 and CP-HSP60 were detected in the whole coronary tree. CP presence was strongly associated with a T-cell inflammatory infiltrate. Our results suggest that CP may underlie both coronary and myocardial vulnerabilities in patients who died of AMI and corroborate the notion that CP may act by reducing cardiac reserves, thus worsening the ischemic burden of myocardium.

Spagnoli, L.g., Pucci, S., Bonanno, E., Cassone, A., Sesti, F., Ciervo, A., et al. (2007). Persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection of cardiomyocytes is correlated with fatal myocardial infarction. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, 170(1), 33-42 [10.2353/ajpath.2007.051353].

Persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection of cardiomyocytes is correlated with fatal myocardial infarction

SPAGNOLI, LUIGI GIUSTO;PUCCI, SABINA;BONANNO, ELENA;MAURIELLO, ALESSANDRO
2007-01-01

Abstract

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) associated with unfavorable prognosis is likely to be the consequence of a diffuse active chronic inflammatory process that destabilizes the whole coronary tree and myocardium, suggesting a possible common causal agent underlying both conditions. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection occurred beyond the coronary plaques, namely in the myocardium of individuals who died of AMI. The presence of CP cell wall antigen (OMP-2) and CP-HSP60 was investigated in the myocardium and coronary plaques of 10 AMI and 10 age-matched control patients by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and molecular biology. OMP-2 antigens were found in the unaffected myocardium of 9 of 10 AMI patients. Conversely, only 1 of 10 control patients exhibited a positive staining for CP. Moreover, OMP-2 and CP-HSP60 were detected in the whole coronary tree. CP presence was strongly associated with a T-cell inflammatory infiltrate. Our results suggest that CP may underlie both coronary and myocardial vulnerabilities in patients who died of AMI and corroborate the notion that CP may act by reducing cardiac reserves, thus worsening the ischemic burden of myocardium.
gen-2007
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Settore MED/08 - ANATOMIA PATOLOGICA
English
T-Lymphocyte Subsets; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Middle Aged; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Myocytes, Cardiac; Chlamydia Infections; Humans; Prospective Studies; Myocardial Infarction; Acute Disease; Chaperonin 60; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Chlamydophila pneumoniae; Aged
Spagnoli, L.g., Pucci, S., Bonanno, E., Cassone, A., Sesti, F., Ciervo, A., et al. (2007). Persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection of cardiomyocytes is correlated with fatal myocardial infarction. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, 170(1), 33-42 [10.2353/ajpath.2007.051353].
Spagnoli, Lg; Pucci, S; Bonanno, E; Cassone, A; Sesti, F; Ciervo, A; Mauriello, A
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/13468
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