Caratterizzazione del trascrittoma di PBMCs di pazienti affetti da aneurisma dell'aorta addominale e da ostruzione carotidea

Atherosclerosis (also known as Arteriosclerotic Vascular Disease or ASVD) is the condition in which an artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol. It is a syndrome affecting arterial blood vessels, a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by Low-density lipoproteins (plasma proteins that carry cholesterol and triglycerides) without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoproteins (HDL). It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries. Other arteriosclerotic disease is aortic aneurysm usually affecting the abdominal tract of the vessel. The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) varies ranging from 4.1% to 11.5% in European men. This disorder is characterized by localized structural deterioration of the aortic wall, leading to progressive dilatation and eventual aortic rupture. Rupture of AAA is responsible for 1.5% of the total mortality in males over 55 years of age. Both disease seem to share common causes in alteration in lipid metabolism and immune response against host and oxidised lipids, leading to a condition of chronic inflammation affecting all the vascular system, especially the big diameter arteries. There are several factors such as smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and male sex, which are well known risk factors for the development of AAA and carotid stenosis. However, better understanding of molecular mechanisms is an important step toward clarification of the pathophysiology, identification of genetic and molecular biomarkers and development of new therapeutic strategies for AAA and atherosclerosis in general. Gene expression profiling studies by microarray technologies are particularly appropriate to investigate and create working hypotheses to und