Evaluation of the smooth muscle cell component and apoptosis in the varicose vein wall

This study was designed to evaluate the role of the smooth muscle cell and the apoptosis in the pathogenesis of the varicose vein. Segments of saphenous vein were obtained from healthy subjects and from those with varicose veins. The vein specimens were subdivided according to subject age (younger o...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Domínguez, B., Bellón Caneiro, Juan Manuel|||0000-0002-6071-5011, Buján Varela, María Julia Araceli|||0000-0003-2419-2476, Jiménez Cossío, J. A., Jurado, F., Gimeno, M. J., Pascual, G., García Honduvilla, Natalio Antonio|||0000-0003-0904-6198
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2000
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/59620
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/59620
https://dx.doi.org/10.14670/HH-15.745
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Varicose vein
Apoptosis
Smooth muscle cell
Vein wall
Proliferation
Descripción
Sumario:This study was designed to evaluate the role of the smooth muscle cell and the apoptosis in the pathogenesis of the varicose vein. Segments of saphenous vein were obtained from healthy subjects and from those with varicose veins. The vein specimens were subdivided according to subject age (younger or older than 50 years) and according to the varicose vein source (distal or proximal). Morphological, ultrastructural, cell proliferation (anti-PCNA method) and cell death (TUNEL method) analysis were performed. The walls of healthy, control vein specimens acquired a more collagenous and papillomatous appearance with age. A slight increase in the number of TUNEL-positive cells was also observed in specimens from older subjects. The proportion of apoptotic cells was much greater in the varicose veins than in control specimens. Most cellular alterations were seen in proximal varicose segments obtained from young subjects. These specimens showed hypertrophic areas with a high degree of cellularity (both in the media and in the thickened intima). The highest proportion of apoptotic cells and collagenisation were also observed in these areas. The enhanced number of apoptotic cells in varicose veins observed mainly in proximal/young vein specimens could be responsible, at least in part, for the acceleration of the final fibrosclerotic process characteristic of the varicose vein wall.