(Circulation. 1995;92:3376.)
© 1995 American Heart Association, Inc.
Articles |
Significance of Chlamydia pneumoniae (TWAR) in Atherosclerotic Lesions
From the University of Chicago (Ill).
Correspondence to Robert W. Wissler, PhD, MD, The University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Ave, MC 3083, Chicago, IL 60637.
Key Words: Editorials • chlamydia • immunohistochemistry • atherosclerosis
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Introduction |
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The discovery by the group of investigators in the epidemiology and pathobiology departments at the University of Washington's School of Public Health in Seattle that specific antigenic components of Chlamydia pneumoniae are present in atherosclerotic lesions presents intriguing possibilities concerning the multifactorial nature of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Starting in 1986, this group, headed by Professor Grayston, has been studying this relatively recently identified member of the Chlamydia genus. They quite recently found evidence that the specific antibodies to this pathogen can be identified serologically in the blood of many victims of coronary heart disease and/or myocardial infarction. This supports the results of Saikku et al reported in Lancet in 1988, which were confirmed by the University of Washington group led by Professor Grayston in 1991 and extended in a larger group of patients by Saikku and coworkers in 1992. Now they report very strong evidence that the organism is lurking in the lesions of atherosclerosis and not elsewhere in the artery wall.
The implications of their results published in this issue of
Circulation are challenging. The question is, does evidence
of the specific antigen and DNA of the organism in the lesion implicate
C pneumoniae as either an etiologic agent or a pathogenetic
factor in atherogenesis? The finding certainly raises the possibility
that C pneumoniae may contribute to the progression of the
atherosclerotic lesion. The investigation gains further strength from
the use of two monoclonal antibodies, one against a genus antigen and
one that is a species-specific reagent, and
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