Perivascular adipose adiponectin correlates with symptom status of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy

Abstract

Background and purpose: Recent symptoms stand as a major determinant of stroke risk in patients with carotid stenosis, likely reflective of atherosclerotic plaque destabilization. In view of emerging links between vascular and adipose biology, we hypothesized that human perivascular adipose characteristics associate with carotid disease symptom status.

Methods: Clinical history, carotid plaques, blood, and subcutaneous and perivascular adipose tissues were prospectively collected from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Nine adipose-associated biological mediators were assayed and compared in patients with symptomatic (n=15) versus asymptomatic (n=19) disease. Bonferroni correction was performed for multiple testing (α/9=0.006).

Results: Symptomatic patients had 1.9-fold higher perivascular adiponectin levels (P=0.005). Other circulating, subcutaneous, and perivascular biomarkers, as well as microscopic plaque characteristics, did not differ between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Conclusions: Symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid endarterectomy patients display a tissue-specific difference in perivascular adipose adiponectin. This difference, which was not seen in plasma or subcutaneous compartments, supports a potential local paracrine relationship with vascular disease processes that may be related to stroke mechanisms.

Keywords: adipokines; adiponectin; atherosclerosis; carotid stenosis; endarterectomy, carotid.

© 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Figures

Figure 1

Adiponectin levels in perivascular tissue of patients with carotid stenosis. IQR, interquartile range

Figure 2

Representative histology of endarterectomy specimens from asymptomatic (A-B) and symptomatic (C-D) patients, stained with Masson trichrome (A,C) and CD68 (B,D). All 200×. nc, necrotic core; double arrows, calcification; single arrow, neovascularization