Serum extracellular vesicle protein levels are associated with acute coronary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Biomarkers are essential in the early detection of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Serum extracellular vesicles are small vesicles in the plasma containing protein and RNA and have been shown to be involved in ACS-related processes like apoptosis and coagulation. Therefore, we hypothesized that serum extracellular vesicle protein levels are associated with ACS.


RESULTS
Three serum extracellular vesicle proteins potentially associated with ACS were identified with differential Q-proteomics and were evaluated in 471 frozen serum samples of ACS-suspected patients presenting to the emergency department (30% of whom had an ACS). Protein levels were measured after vesicle isolation using ExoQuick. Mean serum extracellular vesicle concentration of the different proteins was compared between ACS and non-ACS patients. Selected proteins were tested in a univariate logistic regression model, as well as in a multivariate model to adjust for cardiovascular risk factors. A separate analysis was performed in men and women. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, polygenic immunoglobulin receptor, (pIgR; OR 1.630, p=0.026), cystatin C (OR 1.641, p=0.021), and complement factor C5a (C5a, OR 1.495, p=0.025) were significantly associated with ACS, while total vesicle protein concentration was borderline significant. The association of the individual proteins with ACS was markedly stronger in men.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that serum extracellular vesicle pIgR, cystatin C, and C5a concentrations are independently associated with ACS and that there are pronounced gender differences. These observations should be validated in a large, prospective study to assess the potential role of vesicle content in the evaluation of patients suspected of having an ACS.
University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Vince C
VC
de Hoog
Leo
L
Timmers
Arjan H
AH
Schoneveld
Jiong-Wei
JW
Wang
Sander M
SM
van de Weg
Siu Kwan
SK
Sze
J Karlijn
JK
van Keulen
Arno W
AW
Hoes
Hester M
HM
den Ruijter
Dominique Pv
DP
de Kleijn
Arend
A
Mosterd
ACS; acute coronary syndrome; biomarker; extracellular vesicle; protein