1.Division of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy,University Zürich,Switzerland;2.Laboratory for Transplantation Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine,University Hospital Zürich,Switzerland
Abstract:
Background
The intracellular bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae is suspected to play a role in formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Many studies investigated cell death initiation versus inhibition by Chlamydia pneumoniae in established cell lines but nothing is known in primary human aortic smooth muscle cells, a cell type among others known to be involved in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. Type of cell death was analyzed by various methods in primary aortic smooth muscle cells after infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae to investigate a possible pathogenic link in atherosclerosis.