title: Biglycan expression, earlier vascular damage and pro-atherogenic profile improvement after smoke cessation in young people.
abstract: Young cigarette smokers may already present with early signs of vascular inflammation and damage; biglycan (BGN) has been shown to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of vascular lesions, also in young smokers. We investigated whether after smoke cessation, monocyte BGN expression is reduced; moreover, we evaluated any improvement of pro-atherogenic profile and arterial stiffness (AS), and their relationship with BGN in abstinent smokers.
  
  
  
  Two-hundred-fifty-one young people who had decided to quit smoking were enrolled; of these, 71 had completed the 12-month observation period maintaining smoking abstinence. At enrollment and 12 months later, we evaluated anthropometrics, laboratory profile, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), BGN expression.
  
  
  
  After 12-month smoke abstinence, we found a significant decrease in inflammatory markers (Hs-CRP: -23.3%; fibrinogen: -11.8%; IL-6: -9.2%), and increased HDL-C levels (+9.3%); blood pressure values were also slightly reduced. cf-PWV (-8.9%) appeared to be improved; cIMT remained unchanged. BGN expression appeared to be reduced (-42.8% relative reduction). BGN reduction appeared to be associated with fibrinogen reduction, and smoking burden. Reduced cf-PWV appeared to be dependent on change in fibrinogen, SBP, IL-6, and BGN by multiple regression analysis.
  
  
  
  After the first year of smoke abstinence, the levels of IL-6, CRP, fibrinogen, HDL-C, and BGN expression, as well cf-PWV, are significantly improved as compared to baseline. This is the first evidence that removing exposure to a well-known cardiovascular risk factor, such as cigarette smoking, leads to significant reduction of BGN expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: gmandraffino@unime.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mandraffino
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina Oriana
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical, Physiological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scuruchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mamone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical, Physiological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Ascola
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cinquegrani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Cardiology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oreto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and of Morphologic and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Enricomaria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mormina
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Cardiology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Scipione
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carerj
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Egidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imbalzano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D058578:Biglycan / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C546884:BGN protein, human; D058578:Biglycan; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Atherosclerosis; Biglycan; Proteoglycans; Smoke cessation; Smoking; Vascular inflammation