Detection of Enterovirus RNA in Atheromatous Lesions (ATH-ENTE)

Objective: In order to complete these data and to answer clearly to the question of the role of persistent infection by enteroviruses in atherosclerosis, we propose this research program involving the Departments of Vascular Surgery of three University hospitals of the "Rhône-Alpes" region and of three laboratories of Virology interested by the relationship between chronic diseases and enterovirus infection..

Methods: It is projected to include about one hundred voluntary adults exhibiting carotid atheromatous lesions requiring a surgical removal. Because of the difficulty to define a pertinent control group, each patient will be his/her own control. In addition to the fragment of pathologic carotid, it will be taken arterial and venous fragments from vessels that are never the seat of atherosclerosis lesions. To reach the best sensitivity, enterovirus RNA will be detected by nested RT-PCR.

Evaluation criteria: The main evaluation criterion will be the percentage of detection of enterovirus RNA by RT-PCR in atheromatous lesions by comparison to control arteries by Mac-Nemar test. These results will be correlated to anatomic and histological lesions of the atheromatous plaques. Other markers will be analysed secondarily: detection of enterovirus RNA in control venous samples, detection of stigmata of viral replication by immunochemistry or detection of negative RNA strands, analysis of the antibody response to enterovirus in blood, molecular typing of enteroviruses detected in the lesions… Expected benefits: This study should allow to better understand the putative involvement of enteroviruses in atherosclerosis-linked diseases. If the hypothesis of a relationship was confirmed, a more ambitious research project would be proposed in order to investigate the mechanisms by which enterovirus can favour atherosclerosis and to discuss the opportunity of preventive strategies (notably vaccination) to reduce the risk.