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The release of cytokines and chemokines from activated immune-competent cells plays a crucial role in determining the pathology of the atherogenic progress. We investigated the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on cytokine/chemokine expression in carotid lesions and normal renal arteries. The lesions or renal arteries were incubated for 6 h at 37°C in serum-free media treated with or without LPS. After LPS treatment, increased protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and MCP-1 were observed in the culture medium from the lesions measured with cytometric bead array. We were able to detect the induction of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and MCP-1 mRNA in the lesions after stimulation with LPS using real-time PCR. In renal arteries, LPS also induces mRNA expression of all chemokines and cytokines investigated with the exception of IL-6. However, LPS induces significantly higher levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 mRNA in lesions compared to renal arteries. The results suggest that infectious agents are capable of enhancing the production of cytokines/chemokines in an already ongoing inflammatory process such as in atherosclerosis, and that low levels of circulating LPS may affect the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines much more in atherosclerotic vessels than in normal vessels and may contribute to the development of the atherosclerotic lesion.

In patients on ASA treatment, long-term postoperative dalteparin treatment did not improve patency after peripheral artery bypass grafting. Therefore, low molecular weight heparin treatment cannot be recommended for routine use after bypass surgery for critical lower limb ischemia.

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