Aortic endothelial injury modifies plaque composition at a distally located site through increased monocyte extravasation

The deleterious impact of atherosclerosis on other cardiovascular diseases has recently been shown, but the effect of vascular alterations on plaque formation at a distal site, including the underlying mechanisms of this systemic response, has not been elucidated. In this study, we used an albumin-binding contrast agent to assess whether (1) endothelial injury in the abdominal aorta accelerates plaque progression in the brachiocephalic artery located distally to the site of injury and (2) whether monocytes can be the link between acute and systemic response.