Carotid body hypoxia induces angiogenesis and correlates with glomic artery anatomy and carotid artery atherosclerosis

The carotid body (CB) monitors arterial oxygen and triggers cardiovascular and respiratory responses. We aimed to investigate how carotid artery atherosclerosis and the number and topology of glomic arteries (GAs) affect the expression of hypoxia and angiogenesis marker genes in human CBs. Thirty carotid bifurcations and CBs were harvested, and high-resolution episcopic microscopy (HREM) data volumes of the carotid arteries and GAs were created. The origin, courses, and lumen occlusion of the GAs and the grade and position of atherosclerotic plaques were evaluated. Real-time qPCR quantified hypoxia, sprouting, and intussusceptive angiogenesis marker genes expression. We demonstrate that the degree of both GA lumen occlusion and carotid artery atherosclerosis correlates with the expression levels of the hypoxia marker gene and all angiogenesis marker genes in both pathways. In addition, we define the minimal and maximal levels of hypoxia and angiogenesis marker genes in CB tissue.