title: Elevated serum levels of soluble Axl in acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Morbidities related to atherosclerosis, such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS), remain the leading cause of mortality. Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is expressed in mammalian vascular and immune cells. Axl signaling is involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response. A considerable amount of evidence indicates that inflammation is responsible for the development of atherosclerosis in patients with ACS.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the relation of Axl and ACS, we recruited 64 patients with coronary heart disease: 34 with ACS, 30 with stable coronary heart disease, and 24 apparently healthy controls. Serum concentrations of soluble Axl (sAxl) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha, troponin I, and other routine biochemical markers were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of sAxl were significantly higher in patients with ACS than in the controls (P=0.005). Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that sAxl was significantly associated with serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r=0.283, P=0.008), tumor necrosis factor alpha (r=0.565, P<0.001), and troponin I (r=0.264, P=0.013). Logistic regression analysis (odds ratio=1.038, 95% confidence interval, 1.008-1.069, P=0.012) indicated a significant association between sAxl and ACS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of sAxl correlate to inflammatory biochemical markers. These findings demonstrate for the first time that sAxl does have a role in ACS, presumably connected to the inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Geriatrics, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qun-Fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pei-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Chang-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xing-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cheng-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood*; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood; D000094963:Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019210:Troponin I; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000094963:Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase; C000722289:AXL protein, human