Inflammation-sensitive proteins and erythrocyte aggregation in atherothrombosis.
OBJECTIVE
To find the relative contribution of various inflammation-sensitive proteins including fibrinogen, immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA), ceruloplasmin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) to the induction and/or maintenance of enhanced erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation in the peripheral blood of individuals with atherothrombotic risk factors.


METHODS
The degree of erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation was determined by a simple slide test and image analysis. In addition, we measured various inflammation-sensitive protein levels including fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin, immunoglobulins and hs-CRP in a group of 234 individuals with atherothrombotic risk factors and healthy ones. Pearson partial correlations and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.


RESULTS
Fibrinogen was found to be the major protein contributing to the enhanced erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation, explaining 30% of the model. Fibrinogen and IgG together explained 32.4% of the model. Other inflammation-sensitive proteins did not reach statistical significance and were excluded from the model.


CONCLUSIONS
Among inflammation-sensitive proteins measured in our cohort, fibrinogen is the dominant contributor to erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation in the peripheral blood of individuals with atherothrombotic risk factors and healthy ones. These findings may pave the way for the development of therapeutic strategies directed at the attenuation of erythrocyte aggregability in individuals with atherothrombosis.
Assayag
Einor Ben
EB
Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, 6 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel.
Bornstein
Nathan
N
Shapira
Itzhak
I
Mardi
Tamar
T
Goldin
Yelena
Y
Tolshinski
Tatiana
T
Vered
Yafa
Y
Zakuth
Vera
V
Burke
Michael
M
Berliner
Shlomo
S
Bonet
Dorit Samocha
DS
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood*
D007136:Immunoglobulins; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D002570:Ceruloplasmin