title: [Association between plasma macrophage migration inhibitory factor concentration and coronary artery lesion severity.].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between the plasma macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), activator protein-1 (AP-1) and MMP-9 concentrations and the severity of coronary artery lesions in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided into normal controls (n = 35), stable angina pectoris (SAP, n = 32) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS, n = 75) according to the coronary angiography (CAG), clinical and laboratory examinations. The CAG severity and extent of coronary lesions were analyzed by means of Gensini coronary score system. Enzyme linked immunosorent assay was used to measure the plasma MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations were significant increased in CHD patients [MIF: (14.97 +/- 2.11) microg/L, AP-1: 1.43 +/- 0.33, MMP-9: (1.48 +/- 0.14) microg/L] compared to those in control group [MIF: (9.07 +/- 1.28) microg/L, AP-1: 0.71 +/- 0.13, MMP-9: (1.01 +/- 0.07) microg/L, all P < 0.05]. The MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations in ACS group [MIF: (16.66 +/- 2.56) microg/L, AP-1: 1.56 +/- 0.22, MMP-9: (1.58 +/- 0.14) microg/L] were also significant higher than those in SAP group [MIF: (11.01 +/- 2.12) microg/L, AP-1: 1.04 +/- 0.25, MMP-9: (1.25 +/- 0.07) microg/L, all P < 0.05] and there was significant positive correlation between MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations and the Gensini score of coronary artery lesions (all P < 0.05). AP-1 was positively correlated with MMP-9 in CHD patients (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations were positively correlated to the severity of coronary lesions in CHD patients. Higher MIF, AP-1 and MMP-9 concentrations in ACS patients than in SAP patients might suggest higher plaque instability in ACS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kunming General Hospital of Chengdu Military Area, Kunming 650032, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rui-Wei
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Gui-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Xian-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan-Kun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ming-Qiu
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic
chemical_list: D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors