This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Guo, W. Articles by Hamilton, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Guo, W. Articles by Hamilton, J. A. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB CALCIUM BIS(DIHYDROGEN PHOSPHATE) CALCIUM COMPOUNDS CALCIUM HYDROGEN PHOSPHATE CHOLESTEROL HYDROXYAPATITE PHOSPHORUS Medline Plus Health Information Carotid Artery Disease Related Collections Lipids

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2000;20:1630.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Atherosclerosis and Lipoproteins

Quantification In Situ of Crystalline Cholesterol and Calcium Phosphate Hydroxyapatite in Human Atherosclerotic Plaques by Solid-State Magic Angle Spinning NMR

Wen Guo; Joel D. Morrisett; Michael E. DeBakey; Gerald M. Lawrie; James A. Hamilton

From the Departments of Medicine (W.G., J.A.H.) and Biophysics (J.A.H.), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass; the Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry (J.D.M.) and the Department of Surgery (M.E.D.B., G.M.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.

Correspondence to James A. Hamilton, PhD, Department of Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118. E-mail Hamilton{at}med-biophd.bu.edu

Abstract—Because of renewed interest in the progression, stabilization, and regression of atherosclerotic plaques, it has become important to develop methods for characterizing structural features of plaques in situ and noninvasively. We present a nondestructive method for ex vivo quantification of 2 solid-phase components of plaques: crystalline cholesterol and calcium phosphate salts. Magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of human carotid endarterectomy plaques revealed ¹³C resonances of crystalline cholesterol monohydrate and a ³¹P resonance of calcium phosphate hydroxyapatite (CPH). The spectra were obtained under conditions in which there was little or no interference from other chemical components and were suitable for quantification in situ of the crystalline cholesterol and CPH. Carotid atherosclerotic plaques showed a wide variation in their crystalline cholesterol content. The calculated molar ratio of liquid-crystalline cholesterol to phospholipid ranged from 1.1 to 1.7, demonstrating different capabilities of the phospholipids to reduce crystallization of cholesterol. The spectral properties of the phosphate groups in CPH in carotid plaques were identical to those of CPH in bone. ³¹P MAS NMR is a simple, rapid method for quantification of calcium phosphate salts in tissue without extraction and time-consuming chemical analysis. Crystalline phases in intact atherosclerotic plaques (ex vivo) can be quantified accurately by solid-state ¹³C and ³¹P MAS NMR spectroscopy.

Key Words: magic angle spinning NMR • crystalline cholesterol • calcium phosphate hydroxyapatite • phospholipids • atherosclerotic plaques

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. L. Ruberg, J. Viereck, A. Phinikaridou, Y. Qiao, J. Loscalzo, and J. A. Hamilton Identification of cholesteryl esters in human carotid atherosclerosis by ex vivo image-guided proton MRS J. Lipid Res., February 1, 2006; 47(2): 310 - 317. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Higgins, S. A. Marvel, and J. D. Morrisett Quantification of Calcification in Atherosclerotic Lesions Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, August 1, 2005; 25(8): 1567 - 1576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Nadra, J. C. Mason, P. Philippidis, O. Florey, C. D.W. Smythe, G. M. McCarthy, R. C. Landis, and D. O. Haskard Proinflammatory Activation of Macrophages by Basic Calcium Phosphate Crystals via Protein Kinase C and MAP Kinase Pathways: A Vicious Cycle of Inflammation and Arterial Calcification? Circ. Res., June 24, 2005; 96(12): 1248 - 1256. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Doherty, L. A. Fitzpatrick, D. Inoue, J.-H. Qiao, M. C. Fishbein, R. C. Detrano, P. K. Shah, and T. B. Rajavashisth Molecular, Endocrine, and Genetic Mechanisms of Arterial Calcification Endocr. Rev., August 1, 2004; 25(4): 629 - 672. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. McIntosh, A. M. Gallegos, B. P. Atshaves, S. M. Storey, D. Kannoju, and F. Schroeder Fluorescence and Multiphoton Imaging Resolve Unique Structural Forms of Sterol in Membranes of Living Cells J. Biol. Chem., February 14, 2003; 278(8): 6384 - 6403. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Chao, M. Zhou, A. McIntosh, F. Schroeder, and A. B. Kier ACBP and cholesterol differentially alter fatty acyl CoA utilization by microsomal ACAT J. Lipid Res., January 1, 2003; 44(1): 72 - 83. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Schroeder, A. M. Gallegos, B. P. Atshaves, S. M. Storey, A. L. McIntosh, A. D. Petrescu, H. Huang, O. Starodub, H. Chao, H. Yang, et al. Recent Advances in Membrane Microdomains: Rafts, Caveolae, and Intracellular Cholesterol Trafficking Experimental Biology and Medicine, November 1, 2001; 226(10): 873 - 890. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Peng, W. Guo, J. D. Morrisett, M. T. Johnstone, and J. A. Hamilton Quantification of Cholesteryl Esters in Human and Rabbit Atherosclerotic Plaques by Magic-Angle Spinning 13C-NMR Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, December 1, 2000; 20(12): 2682 - 2688. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]