title: Serum levels of tenascin-C variants in congestive heart failure patients: comparative analysis of ischemic, dilated, and hypertensive cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tissue remodelling in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is accompanied by the re-occurrence of fetal tenascin-C (Tn-C) variants. The study was aimed to comparatively analyze the serum levels of Tn-C containing the FNIIIB (B+ Tn-C) or FNIIIC (C+ Tn-C) domain in heart failure patients due to ICM, DCM, and HHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  119 male patients with congestive heart failure (45 with ICM, 43 with DCM, 31 with HHD) were included. Measurement of serum levels of B+ and C+ Tn-C was performed using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results were correlated to clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and spiroergometric parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of Tn-C concentrations according to heart failure etiology revealed no significant differences. There was an association of C+ Tn-C serum levels to enlargement of the left atrium in DCM (p < 0.01) and the left ventricle in HHD (p < 0.05). In patients with ICM, C+ Tn-C showed a strong negative correlation to the stress test performance (p = 0.002, R2: -0.691). Most strikingly, there was a strong correlation between BNP and B+ Tn-C (p = 0.038, R2: 0.466) as well as C+ Tn-C (p = 0.001, R2: 0.814) in DCM patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study highlights the impact of Tn-C variants as biomarkers reflecting the extent of cardiac remodeling in heart failure patients. Furthermore, B+ Tn-C can be suggested as an additional tool to estimate ICM performance in patients. Especially in combination with BNP, analysis of Tn-C might pave the way for a more precise evaluation of heart failure patients.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grün
authors.forename: Friedhelm
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kuethe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fritzenwanger
authors.forename: Hans-Reiner
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Figulla
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D019063:Tenascin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019063:Tenascin