title: Gene expression profiling reveals multiple differences in platelets from patients with stable angina or non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelets play a key role in coronary artery disease. They have the capacity of protein synthesis through translation of megakaryocyte-derived mRNAs, which may influence pathophysiological functions. The present study aimed to prove the concept that platelets from patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) have differential mRNA expression profiles, in the hypothesis that this may influence their thrombogenicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gene expression profiles were determined in RNA pools from resting platelets of patients with stable angina (SA, n = 14) or NSTE-ACS (n = 15) using a glass microarray platform. Validation was done by real-time PCR and immunoblot analyses in independent sets of individual samples (26 SA and 17 NSTE-ACS patients, in total). Parallel comparison with healthy subjects was performed to relate the relative abundance of validated genes in CAD patients to a control expression level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microarray analysis identified 45 transcripts with a significant ≥ ± 2.0-fold difference in expression between NSTE-ACS and SA platelet pools. Thus, gene expression profiles at least partially discriminate unstable from stable CAD. Validation confirmed a significant over-expression of 3 genes in NSTE-ACS at both mRNA and protein level. In particular, the glycoprotein Ib β-polypeptide (GP1BB) was increased in NSTE-ACS also in comparison with healthy subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that NSTE-ACS platelets are potentially preconditioned to a higher degree of reactivity on the transcriptional level. Our data suggest that a different composition of the mRNA pool might mediate an increased platelet prothrombotic potential in NSTE-ACS patients.
authors.affiliation: Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Via Parea 4, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gualtiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gertow
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marenzi
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Metrio
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tremoli
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camera
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D060050:Angina, Stable / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010976:Platelet Count; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012313:RNA