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Evaluation of serum cathepsin D concentrations in coronary artery disease
Amir Hooshang Mohammadpour1, Zakieh Salehinejad2, Sepideh Elyasi2
1Clinical Pharmacy Department, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Pharmaceutical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Insights
Serum cathepsin D levels are higher in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Elevated cathepsin D indicates more severe CAD, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cardiology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Traditional risk factors inadequately explain coronary artery disease (CAD).
- Cathepsin D is a proposed marker for atherosclerosis, but its role in CAD patients is unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum cathepsin D concentrations in relation to CAD presence and severity.
- Investigate cathepsin D as a potential biomarker for atherosclerosis in CAD patients.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) used to measure serum cathepsin D.
- 104 subjects included: 71 with suspected CAD and 33 healthy controls.
- CAD patients categorized by coronary stenosis severity and vessel disease (single, double, triple).
Main Results:
- Serum cathepsin D significantly higher in CAD+ versus healthy controls (p=0.016).
- Triple-vessel disease (3VD) patients showed significantly higher cathepsin D than single-vessel disease (SVD) and CAD- groups.
- No association found between cathepsin D and confounders like age, sex, or lipids.
Conclusions:
- Serum cathepsin D concentrations may correlate with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.
- Cathepsin D warrants further investigation as a potential biomarker for atherosclerosis.
Background:
Coronary artery disease (CAD) cannot be sufficiently explained by the presence of traditional risk factors. Cathepsin D has been proposed to serve as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis but its alterations in CAD patients have not been studied.
Objective:
To evaluate serum cathepsin D concentrations in relation to the presence and severity of CAD.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 104 subjects were recruited; 71 patients with suspected CAD and 33 healthy subjects. Thirty-four patients had >50% coronary stenosis of at least one artery (CAD+); the remaining 37 patients had <50% stenosis (CAD-) based on angiography. CAD+ patients were sub-divided into three sub-groups with single (SVD; n=15), double (2VD; n=9), and triple vessel (3VD; n=10) disease. Serum soluble cathepsin D concentrations were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
Serum cathepsin D concentrations were significantly higher in the CAD+ compared with healthy control (p=0.016) but not CAD- group (p=0.098). Within the CAD+ group, patients with 3VD had significantly higher serum cathepsin D concentrations compared with the SVD group (p=0.025), and also compared with the CAD- (p=0.011) and SVD (p=0.001) groups. No significant associations were found between serum cathepsin D concentrations and potential confounders including age, sex, blood pressure, smoking history and dyslipidemia.
Conclusion:
Serum cathepsin D concentrations may be associated with the presence of CAD.
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