Can protein biomarkers provide an index of coronary artery calcification in patients with Type 2 diabetes?
OBJECTIVE
By exploring differences between patients with high and low coronary artery calcification score (CACS), a plasma protein biomarker might be identified as an alternative to CACS screening.


METHODS
We selected stored samples (12 per group) from a cohort study of patients with Type 2 diabetes and CACS >1000 or <100 Agatston units, with matching for age, BMI, blood pressure, lipids and lipoproteins and fibrinogen. Multiplex, immunobead-based assay or ELISA measured 18 cardiovascular-related protein biomarkers. SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) screened for proteins differing significantly between high and low CACS.


RESULTS
Only monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was higher in the high compared with the low CACS group but concentrations overlapped appreciably. On SELDI-TOF MS, several mass/charge ratio peak intensities significantly discriminated high and low CACS but these differences were not confirmed in larger samples from the cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma protein biomarkers are unlikely to provide an effective alternative to measurement of CACS.
Godsland
I F
IF
Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK. i.godsland@imperial.ac.uk
Pavitt
D
D
Okoturo
O
O
Edwards
R J
RJ
Rubens
M B
MB
Feher
M D
MD
Flather
M D
MD
Elkeles
R S
RS
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2