Plasma levels of soluble thrombomodulin, C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid A protein in the atherosclerotic coronary circulation.
Plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A protein (SAA), inflammatory markers, and soluble thrombomodulin (s-TM), a marker of endothelial damage. are thought to be related to coronary artery disease. However, the relationship between these inflammatory markers and endothelial injury in atherosclerotic coronary arteries is still unclear. Fifty-five patients who underwent coronary angiography were classified into 3 groups according to the severity of left coronary arterial atherosclerosis evaluated by the Gensini score (GS; normal: score = 0, n = 15; mild: 0 < score < 15, n = 29; severe: score > or = 15, n = 11). Blood samples were obtained from the aortic root (Ao) and coronary sinus (CS) and plasma CRP and SAA levels were measured by latex turbidimetric immunoassays, and s-TM levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The difference between marker concentrations in the Ao and CS of the coronary circulation was expressed as the coronary sino-arterial (CS-Ao) difference. The CS-Ao differences of s-TM and SAA were significantly higher in patients with severe atherosclerosis than in normal patients (P < 0.01), and showed weak but significant positive correlations with the GS (r = 0.34, P < 0.01 and r = 0.33, P < 0.05, respectively). The CS-Ao differences in CRP did not differ among the three groups, and did not correlate with the GS. The results of our study reveal a possible relationship between endothelial cell injury and inflammation in atherosclerotic coronary arteries.
Division of Cardiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical & Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.
Tohru
T
Mezaki
Taku
T
Matsubara
Tomoyuki
T
Hori
Kohtarou
K
Higuchi
Akira
A
Nakamura
Iwao
I
Nakagawa
Shunsuke
S
Imai
Kazuyuki
K
Ozaki
Keiichi
K
Tsuchida
Akimitsu
A
Nasuno
Takayuki
T
Tanaka
Kaname
K
Kubota
Masahiko
M
Nakano
Takashi
T
Miida
Yoshifusa
Y
Aizawa
D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000097:blood*
D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D018180:Thrombomodulin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein