Complement and diverse enrichment of antibodies in intraluminal thrombi from abdominal aortic aneurysms may contribute to increased inflammation

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Complement and diverse enrichment of antibodies in intraluminal thrombi from abdominal aortic aneurysms may contribute to increased inflammation

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2025) Cite this article

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Abstract

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) often contain an intraluminal thrombus (ILT) which may contribute to aneurysm growth and rupture, but the mechanisms are not well understood. We hypothesized that complement and antibodies play a central role in the immune reactions within ILT from AAA. We quantified pre-specified proteins from complement and other defense systems, including coagulation, fibrinolysis, neutrophils, relevant proteinases and inhibitors, as well as immunoglobulins in ILT (n = 7), using fresh thrombi for comparison (n = 7). Protein analysis was performed using liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry, permitting simultaneous protein detection with comparable quantitative results, and antibody diversity characterization. The results indicated complement activation (classical and lectin pathways), coagulation (contact pathway), and degranulation including proteinase release from neutrophils in the ILT, with protein enrichment compared to fresh thrombi. Inhibitors of these systems were also present. In the ILT, 151 different immunoglobulin heavy chain and 144 different light chain variable regions were detected. Corresponding numbers in the controls were 25 and 26. Immunohistochemistry confirmed terminal complement activation and substantial presence of IgG in the ILT, which also contained IgM and IgA. These results are suggestive of a complex immunological process with activation of many defense systems, and antibody enrichment in the ILT.

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The data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article, including in Supplementary Table S2 online.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Nina Sandberg, Sheila McGuinness, Nina Berggaard, and Borgny Ytterhus for excellent technical assistance.

Funding

Open access funding provided by NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology (incl St. Olavs Hospital – Trondheim University Hospital). The study was supported by grant 17/10862-31/GIOPLA from the Clinic of Laboratory Medicine, St. Olavs University Hospital, to VV. The PROMEC Core Facility for Proteomics and Modomics is a member of the Norwegian National Network of Advanced Proteomics Infrastructure (NAPI), which is funded by the Research Council of Norway’s INFRASTRUKTUR program (#295910). Data storage and handling is supported under the PRIDE and Norstore/Notur projects #NN9036K/#NS9036K, respectively. The Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core Facility (CMIC) is funded by the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Central Norway Regional Health Authority.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Vibeke Videm & Animesh Sharma

  2. Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, St. Olavs University Hospital, Lab Center 3 east, Trondheim, 7006, Norway

    Vibeke Videm

  3. PROMEC Core Facility for Proteomics and Modomics, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Central Norway Regional Health Authority, Trondheim, Norway

    Animesh Sharma

  4. Department of Surgery, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

    Torbjørn Dahl

Authors

  1. Vibeke Videm
  2. Animesh Sharma
  3. Torbjørn Dahl

Contributions

AS: contributed to the design of the study, data acquisition and analysis, data interpretation, revised the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the submitted version. TD: contributed to the design of the study, data acquisition and interpretation, revised the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the submitted version. VV: contributed to the design of the study, data acquisition and analysis, data interpretation, drafted the manuscript and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the submitted version. All authors agree both to be personally accountable for the author’s own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even ones in which the author was not personally involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and the resolution documented in the literature.

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Correspondence to Vibeke Videm.

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Videm, V., Sharma, A. & Dahl, T. Complement and diverse enrichment of antibodies in intraluminal thrombi from abdominal aortic aneurysms may contribute to increased inflammation. Sci Rep (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29506-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29506-0

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