title: Desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein is associated with increased aortic stiffness in a general population.
abstract: Matrix Gla protein (MGP), a natural inhibitor of calcification, strongly correlates with the extent of coronary calcification. Vitamin K is the essential cofactor for the activation of MGP. The nonphosphorylated-uncarboxylated isoform of MGP (dp-ucMGP) reflects the status of this vitamin. We investigated whether there is an association between dp-ucMGP and stiffness of elastic and muscular-type large arteries in a random sample from the general population. In a cross-sectional design, we analyzed 1087 subjects from the Czech post-MONICA study. Aortic and femoro-popliteal pulse wave velocities (PWVs) were measured using a Sphygmocor device. Dp-ucMGP concentrations were assessed in freshly frozen samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods using the InaKtif MGP iSYS pre-commercial kit developed by IDS and VitaK. Aortic PWV significantly (P<0.0001) increased across the dp-ucMGP quartiles. After adjustment for all potential confounders, aortic PWV independently correlated with dp-ucMGP (with beta coefficient (s.d.) 11.61 (5.38) and P-value=0.031). In a categorized manner, subjects in the top quartile of dp-ucMGP (⩾ 671 pmol l(-1)) had a higher risk of elevated aortic PWV, with corresponding adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.73 (1.17-2.5). In contrast, no relation between dp-ucMGP and femoro-popliteal PWV was found. In conclusion, increased dp-ucMGP, which is a circulating biomarker of vitamin K status and vascular calcification, is independently associated with aortic stiffness, but not with stiffness of distal muscular-type arteries.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty of Charles University and University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.|Biomedical Centre, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: O
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8023-3749
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty of Charles University and University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.|Biomedical Centre, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seidlerová
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Thomayer Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.|International Clinical Research Centre, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlfahrt
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty of Charles University and University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.|Biomedical Centre, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filipovský
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty of Charles University and University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaněk
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Thomayer Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.|International Clinical Research Centre, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cífková
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunodiagnostics, University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Windrichová
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunodiagnostics, University Hospital, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topolčan
authors.affiliation: VitaK, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H J
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Knapen
authors.affiliation: VitaK, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N E A
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Drummen
authors.affiliation: VitaK, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vermeer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018153:Czech Republic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein