title: Premature myocardial infarction is associated with low serum levels of Wnt-1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Besides its effects on glucose and lipid metabolism, the Wnt pathway has been increasingly implicated in the regulation of proliferation, migration and survival of vascular cells. In addition, defective Wnt signaling has been identified in a family with autosomal dominant early coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether premature coronary artery disease is associated with features of decreased Wnt signaling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We prospectively enrolled 100 consecutive young survivors of myocardial infarction (MI≤40 years of age) from two high-volume cardiac catheterization centers and 100 sex and age matched hospital controls. We determined serum levels of Wnt-1 and its antagonist Dkk-1 by ELISA. MI patients showed significantly lower Wnt-1 levels as compared to controls (151 ng/mL, IQR 38-473 ng/mL vs. 233 ng/mL, IQR 62-1756; p<0.005) whereas Dkk-1 was not different at baseline. Wnt-1 levels remained stable over time, whereas Dkk-1 significantly increased at one-year follow-up from 3557, IQR 2306-5810 pg/mL to 4973, IQR 3293-7093 pg/mL (p<0.001). In the stable phase of the disease, Wnt-1 levels were lower (p<0.005) and Dkk-1 levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) as compared to controls. Wnt-1 at follow-up was associated with glucose, HbA1c, non-HDL-, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels but no other features of the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study establishes an association between low Wnt-1 and high Dkk-1 serum levels and premature myocardial infarction. Wnt-1 is associated with markers of glucose and lipid metabolism. Further research elucidating the role of Wnt pathways in premature coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goliasch
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiesbauer
authors.forename: Stefan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kastl
authors.forename: Katharina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Katsaros
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blessberger
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schillinger
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wojta
authors.forename: Walter S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Speidl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D051155:Wnt1 Protein / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C501126:DKK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C495247:WNT1 protein, human; D051155:Wnt1 Protein