Abstract
Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) is considered to be a nonatherosclerotic, inflammatory, and vaso-occlusive disease, although the details of the mechanisms of pathogenesis remain unknown. The occurrence of the disease is strongly related to tobacco abuse and its progression is closely linked to continued smoking. The purpose of this review article is to demonstrate the pathological characteristics of arteries affected with Buerger's disease from a possible immunoreactive point of view. In addition, we present the mechanisms for preserving the architecture of the arterial wall in affected vasculatures. Thereafter, we discuss the possibility that the pathogenesis of Buerger's disease is a type of endarteritis obliterans, deeply connected to the Notch pathway, distinct from arteriosclerosis obliterans and other vasculitides.
MeSH terms
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Arteries / immunology
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Arteries / pathology
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Disease Progression
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Endarteritis / complications*
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Endarteritis / pathology
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Endarteritis / physiopathology
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Extracellular Matrix / pathology
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Humans
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Immunoglobulins / analysis
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Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
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Macrophages / immunology
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Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / physiology
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Neutrophil Infiltration
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Receptors, Notch / physiology
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Retrospective Studies
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Risk Factors
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Signal Transduction / physiology
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Smoking / adverse effects
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Smoking / physiopathology
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Thromboangiitis Obliterans / etiology*
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Thromboangiitis Obliterans / immunology
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Thromboangiitis Obliterans / pathology
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Tunica Intima / immunology
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Tunica Intima / pathology
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Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / physiology
Substances
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Immunoglobulins
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Receptors, Notch
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Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
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MMP3 protein, human
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Matrix Metalloproteinase 3