title: Intracoronary monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor levels are associated with necrotic core, calcium and fibrous tissue atherosclerotic plaque components: an intracoronary ultrasound radiofrequency study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between various serum biomarkers and coronary atherosclerotic plaque composition obtained by intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using ELISA, we measured the serum levels of CD40 ligand, C-reactive protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), metalloproteinase 9, P-selectin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in 40 patients with manifested coronary artery disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation analysis between biomarkers levels, IVUS grayscale parameters and VH-defined necrotic core (NC), calcium, fibrous and fibrofatty components was performed. MCP-1 and VEGF levels correlated with the severity of area stenosis (r = 0.35, p = 0.03 and r = 0.38, p = 0.017, respectively) and inversely correlated with the remodeling index (r = -0.35, p = 0.03 and r = 0.35, p = 0.02, respectively). Higher levels of MCP-1 were associated with increased calcium (r = 0.47, p = 0.004), NC (r = 0.38, p = 0.02) and less fibrous tissue components (r = -0.34, p = 0.03), whereas VEGF had an inverse correlation with both calcium components (r = -0.37, p = 0.02) and NC (r = -0.34, p = 0.036) but was strongly associated with increased fibrous components (r = 0.47, p = 0.003). No significant correlation was noted for any of the other biomarkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MCP-1 and VEGF serum levels in patients with ischemic heart disease are correlated with coronary artery plaque burden and composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel. shmuelf @ clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Ifat
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lavi
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tzang
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bessler
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brosh
authors.forename: Tamir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bental
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dvir
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Einav
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kornowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A