Soluble vascular adhesion protein-1 correlates with cardiovascular risk factors and early atherosclerotic manifestations
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Published on: January 28, 2020
Kristiina Aalto1, Mikael Maksimow, Markus Juonala
1MediCity Research Laboratory, Tykistökatu 6A, 20520 Turku, Finland.
Insights
Soluble vascular adhesion protein-1 (sVAP-1) activity is linked to preclinical atherosclerosis markers in women, correlating with carotid plaques and intima-media thickness. These associations were not significant in men, suggesting potential sex-specific roles in cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Biochemistry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) is an endothelial enzyme involved in leukocyte trafficking and vascular damage.
- Its soluble form (sVAP-1) and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis at a population level remain understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between soluble vascular adhesion protein-1 (sVAP-1) activity and cardiovascular risk factors.
- To examine the relationship between sVAP-1 activity and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in a general population.
Main Methods:
- A high-throughput method was developed to measure sVAP-1 activity in serum samples.
- Serum sVAP-1 activity was analyzed in 2183 participants from The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
- Statistical analyses, including univariate and multivariable correlations and logistic regression, were performed.
Main Results:
- In women, sVAP-1 activity showed inverse correlations with BMI, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and flow-mediated vasodilatation, and a direct correlation with carotid plaques.
- After adjustments, sVAP-1 activity in women correlated directly with LDL-cholesterol and carotid intima-media thickness.
- In men, sVAP-1 activity correlated directly with glucose, intima-media thickness, metabolic syndrome, and type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Conclusions:
- sVAP-1 activity is directly correlated with intima-media thickness and carotid plaques in the general population.
- sVAP-1 may play a role in the pathophysiology of preclinical atherosclerosis.
- The findings suggest potential sex-specific associations of sVAP-1 with atherosclerosis markers.
Objective:
Vascular adhesion protein-1 is an endothelial enzyme that regulates leukocyte traffic and contributes to vascular damage in animal models. The relations of soluble vascular adhesion protein-1 (sVAP-1) with cardiovascular risk factors and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis at a population level have not been studied.
Methods And Results:
We developed a new high-throughput method and measured sVAP-1 activities in serum of 2183 persons (The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study). In women, sVAP-1 activity correlated indirectly with body mass index (r=-0.15, P<0.0001), triglycerides (r=-0.13, P<0.0001), C-reactive protein (r=-0.23; P<0.0001), and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation (r=-0.076, P=0.0089) and directly with carotid plaques (r=0.066, P=0.023). None of these correlations was significant in men. In women, all these univariate correlations remained significant after adjustment for body mass index, and direct correlations with LDL-cholesterol (r=0.094, P=0.0014) and carotid intima-media thickness (r=0.075, P=0.010) became evident. In men, sVAP-1 activity associated directly with glucose (r=0.074, P=0.020), intima-media thickness (r=0.072, P=0.025), metabolic syndrome (P=0.016), and type 1 (P=0.0002) and type 2 (P<0.0001) diabetes. In multivariable analyses, sVAP-1 activity was an independent determinant of carotid intima-media thickness (P=0.0072) and plaques [odds ratio 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.07-2.72, P=0.025] in women, but not in men.
Conclusions:
sVAP-1 activity correlates directly with intima-media thickness and carotid plaques in general population and may play a role in the pathophysiology of preclinical atherosclerosis.
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