Sclerostin is a possible candidate marker of arterial stiffness: Results from a cohort study in Catania.
Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are worldwide public health issues. Recent evidence indicates a possible role of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway as a common mediator between these two diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between serum concentrations of sclerostin and Dkk1, two extracellular inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signalling, with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and with arterial stiffness, evaluated by measuring the pulse wave velocity (PWV) in an ambulatory population of adults. To this aim, 67 subjects were recruited in the 'Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis: identification of common pathogenetic factors' investigation. Serum sclerostin levels correlated positively with CIMT (r=0.314, p=0.03) and inversely with the augmentation index, a marker of arterial stiffness (r=-0.286, p<0.05), whereas Dkk1 did not. Moreover, in a multivariate linear regression model, sclerostin [β -0.1472; p=0.0023; standard error (SE)=0.04620] was an independent predictor of PWV in the study subjects. Our study shows that, following adjustment for confounders, sclerostin is an independent predictor of arterial stiffness in an ambulatory population, whereas Dkk1 is not.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Agostino
A
Gaudio
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Valerio
V
Fiore
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Rosario
R
Rapisarda
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Maria Helga
MH
Sidoti
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Anastasia
A
Xourafa
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, I-98125 Messina, Italy.
Antonino
A
Catalano
Medical and Environmental Research Institute (IRMA), I-95024 Acireale, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Tringali
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Luca
L
Zanoli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Salvatore Santo
SS
Signorelli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy.
Carmelo Erio
CE
Fiore
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015415:Biomarkers; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; C501126:DKK1 protein, human; D005819:Genetic Markers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C422903:SOST protein, human