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Circulating adhesion molecules and severity of coronary atherosclerosis
Y Oishi1, T Wakatsuki, A Nishikado
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
Insights
Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and E-selectin levels correlate with coronary atherosclerosis severity. ICAM-1 indicates advanced disease, while E-selectin suggests early stages, potentially serving as biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Immunology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Leukocyte recruitment to atherosclerotic sites involves adhesion molecules.
- Quantification of circulating adhesion molecules in peripheral blood is now feasible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between circulating adhesion molecules and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Study included 81 patients undergoing coronary angiography.
- Patients were categorized into control, mild atherosclerosis (Gensini score 1-20), and severe atherosclerosis (Gensini score > 20) groups.
- Serum levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin were measured and compared.
Main Results:
- Circulating ICAM-1 levels were significantly higher in mild and severe atherosclerosis groups compared to controls.
- No significant difference in VCAM-1 levels was observed among the three groups.
- E-selectin levels were significantly higher in the mild atherosclerosis group than in the severe and control groups.
Conclusions:
- E-selectin may be associated with early-stage coronary atherosclerosis, while ICAM-1 is linked to advanced stages.
- ICAM-1 mediated adhesion may become more critical than multistep adhesion involving E-selectin and VCAM-1 as atherosclerosis progresses.
- These adhesion molecules show potential as biomarkers for assessing coronary atherosclerosis severity.
Background:
Circulating leukocytes are recruited at atherosclerotic sites through a family of adhesion molecules. Circulating forms of adhesion molecules in peripheral blood can be quantified now.
Objective:
To evaluate the relationship between circulating adhesion molecules and severity of coronary atherosclerosis.
Methods:
Subjects included 81 patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography, 12 of whom had normal coronary arteries (control group). The remaining 69 patients with demonstrable coronary atherosclerosis were divided into two groups by use of Gensini scores, namely mild atherosclerosis (n = 36, Gensini score 1-20) and severe atherosclerosis (n = 33, Gensini score > 20). Serum levels of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin of groups measured before angiography were compared.
Results:
Circulating levels of ICAM-1 in members of mild and severe atherosclerosis groups were significantly higher than those in members of the control group, whereas there was no significant difference among circulating levels of VCAM-1 in members of the three groups. Circulating levels of E-selectin in members of the mild atherosclerosis group were significantly higher than those in members of the severe atherosclerosis and control groups.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that E-selectin is related to the early stage, and ICAM-1 is related to the advanced stage, of coronary atherosclerosis. With progression of atherosclerosis, one-step adhesion by ICAM-1 could become more important than multistep adhesion involving E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1. These molecules may serve as markers for severity of coronary atherosclerosis.