DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00075.2004. Evidence of nanobacterial-like structures in calcified human arteries and cardiac valves

Evidence of nanobacterial-like structures in calcified human arteries and cardiac valves

10.1152/ajpheart.00075.2004

Crossref journal-article

American Physiological Society

American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (24)

Abstract

Mechanisms mediating vascular calcification remain incompletely understood. Nanometer scale objects hypothesized to be a type of bacteria (nanobacteria) are associated with calcified geological specimens, human kidney stones, and psammona bodies in ovarian cancer. Experiments were designed to evaluate human vascular tissue for the presence of similar nanometer-scale objects. Calcified human aneurysms ( n = 8), carotid plaques ( n = 2), femoral arterial plaques ( n = 2), and cardiac valves ( n = 2) and noncalcified aneurysms from patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease ( n = 2) were collected as surgical waste from the Heart Hospital of Austin, Austin, Texas, and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Whole mounts or adjacent sections from each specimen were examined by electron microscopy, stained for calcium phosphate, or stained with a commercially available antibody (8D10). Filtered (0.2 μm) homogenates of aneurysms were cultured and costained with 8D10 antibody followed by PicoGreen to detect DNA or incubated with [3H]uridine. Staining for calcium phosphate was heterogeneously distributed within all calcified tissues. Immunological staining with 8D10 was also heterogeneously distributed in areas with and without calcium phosphate. Analysis of areas with positive immunostaining identified spheres ranging in size from 30 to 100 nm with a spectral pattern of calcium and phosphorus (high-energy dispersive spectroscopy). Nanosized particles cultured from calcified but not from noncalcified aneurysms were recognized by a DNA-specific dye and incorporated radiolabeled uridine, and, after decalcification, they appeared via electron microscopy to contain cell walls. Therefore, nanometer-scale particles similar to those described as nanobacteria isolated from geological specimens and human kidney stones can be visualized in and cultured from calcified human cardiovascular tissue.

Bibliography

Miller, V. M., Rodgers, G., Charlesworth, J. A., Kirkland, B., Severson, S. R., Rasmussen, T. E., Yagubyan, M., Rodgers, J. C., Cockerill, F. R., Folk, R. L., Rzewuska-Lech, E., Kumar, V., Farell-Baril, G., & Lieske, J. C. (2004). Evidence of nanobacterial-like structures in calcified human arteries and cardiac valves. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 287(3), H1115âH1124.

Authors 14

Virginia M. Miller (first)
George Rodgers (additional)
Jon A. Charlesworth (additional)
Brenda Kirkland (additional)
Sandra R. Severson (additional)
Todd E. Rasmussen (additional)
Marineh Yagubyan (additional)
Jeri C. Rodgers (additional)
Franklin R. Cockerill (additional)
Robert L. Folk (additional)
Ewa Rzewuska-Lech (additional)
Vivek Kumar (additional)
Gerard Farell-Baril (additional)
John C. Lieske (additional)

References 52 Referenced 113

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10.1161/01.ATV.0000101191.92392.1D
Bjorklund M, Ciftcioglu N, and Kajander EO. Extraordinary survival of nanobacteria under extreme conditions. SPIE 3441: 123–129, 1998. (10.1117/12.319827)
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Dates

Type	When
Created	21 years, 3 months ago (May 17, 2004, 8:33 p.m.)
Deposited	5 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 8, 2019, 3:47 p.m.)
Indexed	2 months ago (July 5, 2025, 5:25 a.m.)
Issued	21 years ago (Sept. 1, 2004)
Published	21 years ago (Sept. 1, 2004)
Published Print	21 years ago (Sept. 1, 2004)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Miller_2004, title={Evidence of nanobacterial-like structures in calcified human arteries and cardiac valves}, volume={287}, ISSN={1522-1539}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00075.2004}, DOI={10.1152/ajpheart.00075.2004}, number={3}, journal={American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology}, publisher={American Physiological Society}, author={Miller, Virginia M. and Rodgers, George and Charlesworth, Jon A. and Kirkland, Brenda and Severson, Sandra R. and Rasmussen, Todd E. and Yagubyan, Marineh and Rodgers, Jeri C. and Cockerill, Franklin R. and Folk, Robert L. and Rzewuska-Lech, Ewa and Kumar, Vivek and Farell-Baril, Gerard and Lieske, John C.}, year={2004}, month=sep, pages={H1115–H1124} }

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