Comparative transcriptome analysis of human aorta atherosclerotic lesions and peripheral blood leukocytes from essential hypertension patients

One of the major cardiovascular risk factor which predisposes to and accelerates atherosclerosis is arterial hypertension (AH). To determine the molecular basis of the crosslink between AH and atherosclerosis for the development of new treatment strategies large-scale transcriptome analysis of the cells implicated in atherogenesis is needed. We used cDNA microarray technique for simultaneous analysis of gene expression in human abdominal aorta normal sites and atherosclerotic lesions of different histological types, as well as in peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with essential hypertension (EH) and donors. The microarray data were verified by quantitative RT-PCR (reverse transcription coupled with polymerase chain reaction) and immunohistochemical analysis. Differential expression of 40 genes has been found, among which twenty two genes demonstrated up-regulation and 18 genes demonstrated down-regulation in atherosclerotic aorta compared with normal vessel. New gene-candidates, implicated in atherogenesis, have been identified - FPRL2, CD37, CD53, RGS1, LCP1, SPI1, CTSA, EPAS1, FHL1, GEM, RHOB, SPARCL1, ITGA8, PLN, and COL14A1. These genes participate in cell migration and adhesion, phenotypic changes of smooth muscle cells, immune and inflammatory reactions, oxidative processes and extracellular matrix remodeling. We have found increased expression levels of CD53, SPI1, FPRL2, SPP1, CTSD, ACP5, LCP1, CTSA and LIPA genes in peripheral blood leukocytes from EH patients and in atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta. The majority of these genes significantly (p 0.5) correlated with AH stage as well as with histological grading of atherosclerotic lesions.