Publications by authors named "Simona Tramontana"
Background And Purpose: The lectin-like oxidised LDL receptor-1 (OLR1) gene encodes a scavenger receptor implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Although functional roles have been suggested for two variants, epidemiological studies on OLR1 have been inconsistent.
Methods: We tested the association between the non-synonymous substitution K167N (rs11053646) and intima media thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) in 2,141 samples from the Progression of Lesions in the Intima of the Carotid (PLIC) study (a prospective population-based study).
Objective: Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a protective role in experimental atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated whether the levels of circulating Treg cells relate to the degree of atherosclerosis in carotid and coronary arteries.
Methods And Results: We studied 2 distinct populations: (1) 113 subjects, selected from a free-living population (carotid study), in which we measured the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery, as a surrogate marker of initial atherosclerosis; and (2) 75 controls and 125 patients with coronary artery disease (coronary study): 36 with chronic stable angina, 50 with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome, 39 with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.
Background: PCSK9 plays a key role in plasma cholesterol metabolism by modulating the expression of LDL receptors.
Objective And Methods: In this study we investigated the effects of two common polymorphism of the PCSK9 gene (E670G and I474V) on the intima media thickness of the common carotid artery and the possible relation with polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E in 1541 middle aged subjects selected from the general population enrolled in the PLIC study and confirmed the major findings in a second free-living population enrolled in the Ventimiglia study.
Results: 670G carriers showed significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and Apo levels B while no significant differences were observed between carriers of the I474V SNP.