title: Serum monokine induced by gamma interferon as a novel biomarker for coronary artery calcification in humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  T-cell-mediated immune responses play important roles in the progression of atherosclerotic disease. Studies have linked various inflammatory biomarkers with the burden of coronary artery calcification, but the significance of T-cell-specific chemokines in coronary artery calcification has not been confirmed. We aimed to examine the association between serum levels of the monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG) and the coronary artery calcium score (CACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 456 individuals (285 men, 66.5±5.8 years) who were registered in the Mapo-gu public health center cohort. We selected 228 individuals with a CACS of more than 100 and 228 age-matched and sex-matched individuals with a CACS of less than 100. All participants underwent coronary computed tomography for CACS measuring. Clinical and laboratory variables including serum MIG levels were analyzed at the time of enrollment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum level of MIG was significantly higher in participants with a CACS of more than 100 (152.1±119.1 vs. 130.3±112.9, P=0.046). Serum MIG levels correlated significantly with CACS (r=0.113, P=0.016), and higher levels of MIG were associated with severe plaque burden (CACS>400, P=0.025). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum MIG levels were associated independently with CACS after controlling for confounding factors and medications (β=0.114, P=0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum MIG levels were associated independently with CACS after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. These findings suggest that MIG may be used as a novel biomarker for T-cell inflammation and atherosclerotic plaque burden in humans.
authors.affiliation: aLaboratory of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon bCardiology Division, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jaewon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyuk-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Sang-Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eui-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sungha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9 / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C080810:CXCL9 protein, human; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9