COLOCALIZATION OF IRON AND CEROID IN HUMAN ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESIONS

The presence of ceroid, a complex of protein associated with oxidized lipids, is commonly observed in human atherosclerotic lesions. When th e human aortic walls were examined by Perls' staining, it was found th at the iron deposits were evident in aortas with atherosclerosis. The extent of iron deposition was associated with the severity of the lesi on. Furthermore, the iron deposits appeared to be colocalized with cer oids either extracellularly or intracellularly in foam cell-like macro phages or smooth muscle cells. Electron microscopy and X-ray microanal ysis revealed that some of the extracellular iron aggregates were pres ent within the ceroids. Likewise, some of the subcellular iron aggrega tes were found to be located near the lipid droplets or within the cer oids of foam cells. Collectively, these observations support the theor y that the lipid oxidation occurring in lipid-laden cells of aortic le sions is facilitated by iron-overload in these cells. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.