title: Increased myocardial expression of angiopoietin-2 in patients undergoing urgent surgical revascularization for acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myocardial ischemia triggers the expression of multiple angiogenic factors including vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors. However, vascular endothelial growth factor does not act in isolation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify other genes important in the angiogenic response to clinically relevant myocardial ischemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paired intraoperative biopsies of ischemic and nonischemic myocardium were obtained from 12 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing urgent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated significant upregulation of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in ischemic myocardium, to a greater extent than other classical angiogenic factors. Microarray gene profiling identified Ang-2 to be among the top 10 differentially upregulated genes, in addition to genes involved in inflammation, cell signalling, remodelling and apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present document is the first report of microarray analysis of patients with ACS, and supports an important role for Ang-2 in the angiogenic response to severe ischemia in the human heart. Common gene expression patterns in ACS may provide opportunities for targeted pharmacological and cellular intervention.
authors.affiliation: Terrence Donnelly Heart Centre, St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Neil P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Fam
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arab
authors.forename: Filio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Billia
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Proteau
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Latter
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Errett
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonneau
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Duncan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D015415:Biomarkers