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Biomedical subjects

Johan Frostegård

Publications and source records attributed to Johan Frostegård.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein is increased in hypertension.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and autoantibodies to OxLDL (aOxLDL) are implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine the importance of these factors in hypertension, a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Samples were obtained from 111 men with established hypertension (diastolic pressure >95 mmHg) from the Swedish component of an ongoing hypertension study (European Lacidipine study on Atherosclerosis, ELSA) and from 75 normotensive control men, who were from a Swedish population-screening programme (diastolic pressure <80 mmHg). The presence of carotid atherosclerosis and the intima-media thicknesses were determined by ultrasonography. A monoclonal antibody to OxLDL, EO6, was used to determine oxidation epitopes in LDL. aOxLDL of IgG and IgM subclass were tested by ELISA against OxLDL. Hypertensive men had increased OxLDL levels compared with normotensives ( P =0.002), whereas autoantibodies tested were largely similar between groups. There was no association between the antibodies tested, or OxLDL and carotid atherosclerosis. Age was not associated with OxLDL or aOxLDL measurements. Taken together, our findings indicate that OxLDL is elevated in hypertensive men, which may predispose to atherosclerosis in hypertension. In contrast, aOxLDL levels were unchanged and the role of aOxLDL may depend on disease stage and/or type.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Autoimmunity, oxidized LDL and cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis is the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and in addition to established risk factors as smoking, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia, inflammation and autoimmune reactions have been much discussed recently. Several lines of evidence indicate that also inflammation and autoimmune reactions are highly relevant in atherosclerosis and CVD. Inflammatory cells and cytokines are present in lesions, already at an early stage; animal experiments suggest that immune reactions, though not necessary for development of atherosclerosis, can modulate disease development and systemic inflammation is associated with an enhanced risk of CVD. The enhanced risk of CVD in a major autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is therefore highly relevant, and in addition to being an important clinical problem, SLE-related CVD could give insights into the nature of autoimmunity in atherosclerosis and CVD in general. We recently defined traditional and non-traditional risk factors for CVD in SLE. These include increased atherosclerosis (as determined by intima-media thickness of carotid artery); raised oxidized low density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and autoantibodies to OxLDL; dyslipidemia with raised triglycerides and Lp(a) and decreased HDL-cholesterol concentrations; raised systemic inflammation; presence of anti-phospholipid antibodies including lupus anticoagulant, homocysteine-levels and more frequent osteoporosis. Disease duration, smoking, blood pressure or diabetes mellitus did not differ significantly between the groups. Taken together, immune reactions are highly relevant in atherosclerosis, and patients with autoimmune disease like SLE are at high-risk of CVD. If confirmed prospectively, non-traditional risk factors like OxLDL in the circulation, autoantibodies against OxLDL and phospholipids and inflammation could lead to new therapeutic strategies and insight into disease mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Circulating heat shock protein and heat shock protein antibody levels in established hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Serum Hsp60 and anti-Hsp65 antibody levels are raised in subjects with borderline hypertension, and there is an association between circulating Hsp60 levels and early atherosclerosis. Given the recognized relationship between hypertension and atherosclerosis, this study determined heat shock protein and heat shock protein antibody levels in subjects with established hypertension. METHODS: Samples from 111 men with hypertension were obtained from the European Lacidipine study on Atherosclerosis and samples from 75 normotensive controls were taken from a population-screening programme (diastolic pressure, 95 and 80 mmHg, respectively). Hsp60, Hsp70 and anti-human Hsp60, anti-human Hsp70 and anti-mycobacterial Hsp65 antibody levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Intima-media thickness (I-M) and the presence of carotid atherosclerosis were determined by ultrasonography. RESULTS: Hsp60, Hsp70 and anti-Hsp60 antibody levels in hypertension were similar to those in normotensive controls, whereas anti-Hsp70 and anti-Hsp65 antibody levels were elevated ( 0.001). Hsp60 levels and atherosclerosis were not associated. Anti-Hsp70 and anti-Hsp65 antibody levels were both associated with hypertension, independently of age, smoking habits and blood lipids. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates elevated levels of selected heat shock protein antibodies in subjects with hypertension. Although the association between heat shock protein antibody levels and human cardiovascular stress/disease appears to be robust, the relationship of the latter with heat shock protein levels is more complex. Further studies are required before the factors inducing, and the clinical significance of, circulating heat shock proteins can be evaluated.

Antibodies↗
PubMed2001

Antibodies to Lysophosphatidylcholine Are Decreased in Borderline Hypertension.

-Atherosclerosis is characterized by infiltration in the lesions of cytokine-producing T cells and macrophages, where oxidized LDL may play an important role. However, little is known about the role of the immune system in the development of hypertension. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is formed by phospholipase A(2)-induced hydrolysis and/or by oxidation of LDL and other phospholipid-containing membranes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of antibodies to LPC in borderline hypertension (BHT). Seventy-five men with BHT were compared with 75 age-matched normotensive (NT) men (diastolic blood pressure 85 to 94 and <80 mm Hg, respectively). Antibody levels to LPC of IgM and IgG isotypes and IgG subclasses were determined with ELISAs. BHT men had significantly lower anti-LPC antibody levels of both IgG class (P:=0.0002) and IgM class (P:=0.0003) than did NT controls. Subclass analysis indicated that IgG(1) (P:=0.0005), but not IgG(2), was decreased. Anti-LPC antibodies or immunoglobulin subclasses thereof were negatively associated with atherosclerosis on the basis of intima-media thickness (P:=0.02), metabolic factors (P:=0.02), smoking (P:=0.02), and endothelin (P:=0.03). LPC has proinflammatory properties and is toxic at higher concentrations and thus may play a role in atherogenesis. Furthermore, LPC functions as a vasoconstrictor in experimental systems by inhibiting NO-mediated vasorelaxation. An intriguing possibility is that anti-LPC antibodies counteract these effects. Taken together, our data indicate that anti-LPC antibodies may constitute a novel factor in the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Journal Article↗