Behaviour of protein carbonyl groups in juvenile myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is accompanied by oxidative stress, and protein oxidation is among the consequences of oxidative stress. We examined the plasma concentration of protein carbonyl groups (PC), a marker of protein oxidation, in a group of young subjects with AMI (45 men and 5 women; mean age 40.4 ± 4.8 yrs). We found a significant increase of PC (p < 0.001) in comparison with normal controls. No difference was observed between patients with AMI characterized by elevated ST segment and those without elevation of ST segment. There was no correlation between the ejection fraction and PC in the whole group nor in the subgroups of STEMI and non-STEMI patients. Subdividing the whole group of AMI patients according to the number of risk factors and the number of stenosed coronary vessels, the difference in PC level was not statistically significant among the subgroups. This study showed an increased protein oxidation in young subjects with recent AMI. Further investigation is needed to ascertain whether this can be a target of therapeutic intervention.