title: Increased plasma levels of CATS mRNA but not CATB mRNA in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We hypothesized that patients with coronary atherosclerosis have increased plasma levels of cathepsin S (CATS) and cathepsin B (CATB) mRNA, the genes that are involved in atherosclerotic plaque development and destabilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  mRNAs were isolated from plasma of 67 patients with coronary atherosclerosis (29 with stable angina, 38 with acute coronary syndrome) and 33 healthy subjects as controls, transcribed to cDNA and quantified by real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma levels were successfully measured in all samples. Patients with coronary atherosclerosis had 2.75 times higher plasma levels of CATS mRNA than controls (median 6.10 vs. 2.22; p<0.001). No difference was observed in CATB mRNA levels (median 5.62 vs. 6.19; p=0.866). Patients on therapy with statins and aspirin tended to have higher plasma levels of CATS mRNA than patients without statins and aspirin (median 6.41 vs. 4.27; p=0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further evaluation of plasma CATS mRNA levels in patients with coronary atherosclerosis is reasonable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: Janja
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marc
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kranjec
authors.forename: Darko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zorman
authors.forename: Andreja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerne
authors.forename: Darko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cerne
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000235:genetics*; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000235:genetics*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002403:Cathepsins; D002401:Cathepsin B; C028217:cathepsin S; D001241:Aspirin