Effects of Estrogen on the Expression of Noncollagenous Proteins in Coronary Arteries of Postmenopausal Women
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Authors
Farout, Megan E.
Issue Date
2000
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Depletion of estrogen is a key factor in the development of cardiovascular disease
in postmenopausal women. The production of noncollagenous proteins (NCPs) in
vascular tissue particularly, osteopontin (OP), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteocalcin (OC),
and osteonectin (ON), are associated with atherosclerosis, a disease in which the intimal layer of the arterial wall becomes thickened. Interestingly, these NCPs are involved in the calcification of atherosclerotic arteries and bone. Previous studies suggest that estrogen may inhibit the expression of NCPs within coronary arteries. In this investigation the lateral anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery of sixteen
postmenopausal women were obtained at autopsy. Fifty percent of the women were on
estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) and fifty percent were not on ERT. The amount of
calcification detected in the LAD arteries of women on ERT was significantly less than
women not on ERT. Sections of the LAD arteries were subjected to
immunocytochemistry to detect OP, BSP, OC, and ON using polyclonal antibodies.
Immunocytochemistry did not reveal statistically significant differences of NCPs present
in the LAD arteries between the women on ERT and the women not on ERT, but this
may be due to limitations in the interpretation of the data collected. Possible trends
observed in selected LAD arteries from the two groups of women suggest that ERT may
slow the progression and development of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women by inhibiting the expression OP, BSP, OC and increasing the expression of ON.
Description
iv, 27 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.