Age-related effects on atherogenesis and scavenger enzymes of intracranial and extracranial arteries in @entity1 without classic risk factors for XXXX .

@entity1 @entity755 @entity1495 @entity731 @entity4522
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: @entity731 occurs later and is less extensive in intracranial arteries than in extracranial arteries. However, the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. A previous study has suggested a better antioxidant protection of intracranial arteries. METHODS: To assess the influence of age on arterial activity of antioxidant enzymes and atherogenesis, we compared intracranial and extracranial arteries of @entity1 of different ages who retrospectively lacked confounding classic risk factors (48 premature fetuses aged 6.4+/-0.8 months [mean+/-SD], 58 @entity1 aged 7.9+/-3.8 years, 42 adults aged 42.5+/-5.1 years, and 40 elderly subjects aged 71.8+/-3.4 years; all males). Lesions were quantified by computer-assisted imaging analysis of sections of the middle cerebral and basilar arteries, the left anterior descending coronary artery, the common carotid artery, and the abdominal aorta. Macrophages, @entity755 , oxidized LDL, and @entity1495 in lesions were determined by immunocytochemistry. The effect of aging on atherogenesis was then compared with that on the activity of 4 antioxidant enzymes in the arterial wall. RESULTS: @entity731 was 6- to 19-fold greater (P<0.01) in extracranial arteries than in intracranial arteries, and it increased linearly with age. Intracranial arteries showed significantly greater antioxidant enzyme activities than did extracranial arteries. However, the antioxidant protection of intracranial arteries decreased significantly in older age, coinciding with a marked acceleration of atherogenesis. An increase in @entity1495 protein expression and in gelatinolytic activity consistent with the degree of @entity4522 was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a greater activity of antioxidant enzymes in intracranial arteries may contribute to their greater resistance to atherogenesis and that with increasing age intracranial arteries respond with accelerated atherogenesis when their antioxidant protection decreases relatively more than that of extracranial arteries.
