title: TGF-β1 content in atherosclerotic plaques, TGF-β1 serum concentrations and incident coronary events.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We tested the hypothesis that high TGF-β1 content in atherosclerotic plaques and high TGF-β1 serum levels are associated with lower risk of coronary events in two independent prospective studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the prospective Athero-Express biobank study, total TGF-β1 plaque levels were measured in 632 atherosclerotic lesions from patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy. In a population-based case-cohort study within the Monitoring of trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease (MONICA)/Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) Augsburg studies, baseline total TGF-β1 serum levels were measured in 333 individuals with and 1728 without incident coronary events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with TGF-β1 content in their plaques above the study median did not have a lower risk of coronary events than patients with lower TGF-β1 levels [adjusted HR (95% CI) 1·46 (0·83-2·53); P = 0·16; mean follow-up 2·6 ± 0·7 years] in the Athero-Express biobank study. Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, metabolic factors, lifestyle factors and survey did not reveal a significant association between TGF-β1 serum levels and incident coronary events [HR (95% CI) for increasing TGF-β1 tertiles 1·0, 1·22 (0·88-1·68), 1·13 (0·82-1·57); P = 0·47; mean follow-up: 10·8 ± 4·6 years] in the MONICA/KORA Augsburg studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that high TGF-β1 content in human atherosclerotic plaques and high serum levels of TGF-β1 are not associated with reduced risk of coronary events.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herder
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zierer
authors.forename: Dominique P V
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: de Kleijn
authors.forename: Frans L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: Mahir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakas
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roden
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meisinger
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thorand
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasterkamp
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koenig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1