Features of inflammatory cell infiltration of the intima of the coronary arteries in early atherosclerotic lesions

Abutalipov R.F.¹, Lomakovsky A.N.², Lutay M.I.³

• ¹State Institution National Scientific Center «Institute of Cardiology named after acad. M.D. Strazheska» National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine
• ²ДУ «Національний науковий центр «Інститут кардіології ім. акад. М.Д. Стражеска» НАМН України», Київ
• ³SI «NSC «Institute of Cardiology M.D. Strazhesko» NAMS of Ukraine», Kyiv

Summary. Purpose — to study the participation of inflammatory cells in atherogenesis, based on estimates of the prevalence and severity of inflammatory cell infiltration in the intima of the coronary arteries in primary atherosclerotic lesions. The study was conducted on 193 autopsy material segments of the coronary arteries of male patients who died from various forms of ischemic heart disease at the age of 35–74 years. It is shown that the structural and metabolic changes in the endothelium appear even at relatively intact coronary arteries. Immune inflammation is present at the earliest manifestations of atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary vessels. The intensity of the inflammatory cell infiltration of the intima is directly rela­ted to the severity of the atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arte­ries. Weak and mild cellular infiltration of lymphocytes/macrophages is observed in 33% of cases of type I atherosclerotic lesion. In the field of lipid spots (II type) — in 71%, and at the III type — in 83% of cases, there is an intense and moderate inflammatory cell infiltration. As part of the cellular infiltration of coronary atherosclerosis initial mani­festations lymphocytes prevail in 45%, and macrophages/monocytes — only 17% of ca­ses. The progression of the initial forms of atherosclerosis is accompanied by increasing concentration in the intima of mast cells.