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Updated: Feb 4, 2026
Heterotopic Cervical Heart Transplantation in Mice
Published on: August 25, 2015
Urinary proteomic signatures associated with β-blockade and heart rate in heart transplant recipients
Qi-Fang Huang1,2, Jan Van Keer3, Zhen-Yu Zhang1,4
1Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Insights
Beta-blocker (BB) use in heart transplant (HTx) recipients is linked to a urinary proteomic signature. Early BB initiation post-HTx may offer benefits, as later use correlates with markers of worse outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Proteomics
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- Heart transplant (HTx) recipients often have high heart rates (HR) due to graft denervation.
- Beta-blockade (BB) is commonly prescribed for these patients.
- The association between BB use, HR, and urinary proteomic profiles in HTx recipients is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between beta-blocker (BB) use and heart rate (HR) with specific urinary proteomic signatures in heart transplant (HTx) recipients.
- To explore whether the timing of BB initiation influences these proteomic profiles.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 336 HTx patients (median 7.3 years post-transplant).
- Measurement of HR and assessment of medication use (BB).
- Capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry to analyze urinary classifiers (HF1, HF2, ACSP75, CKD273) and peptides.
Main Results:
- BB users showed higher levels of urinary classifiers HF1, HF2, and CKD273 compared to non-users.
- Later initiation of BB post-HTx was associated with higher HF1 and HF2 levels.
- No significant association was found between HR and urinary biomarkers.
- BB use correlated with specific collagen fragment profiles in urine.
Conclusions:
- Beta-blocker use, not HR, is associated with a distinct urinary proteomic signature in HTx recipients.
- This signature may indicate underlying health conditions influencing BB initiation.
- Early initiation of BB therapy after heart transplantation might be clinically advantageous.
Objectives:
Heart transplant (HTx) recipients have a high heart rate (HR), because of graft denervation and are frequently started on β-blockade (BB). We assessed whether BB and HR post HTx are associated with a specific urinary proteomic signature.
Methods:
In 336 HTx patients (mean age, 56.8 years; 22.3% women), we analyzed cross-sectional data obtained 7.3 years (median) after HTx. We recorded medication use, measured HR during right heart catheterization, and applied capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry to determine the multidimensional urinary classifiers HF1 and HF2 (known to be associated with left ventricular dysfunction), ACSP75 (acute coronary syndrome) and CKD273 (renal dysfunction) and 48 sequenced urinary peptides revealing the parental proteins.
Results:
In adjusted analyses, HF1, HF2 and CKD273 (p ≤ 0.024) were higher in BB users than non-users with a similar trend for ACSP75 (p = 0.06). Patients started on BB within 1 year after HTx and non-users had similar HF1 and HF2 levels (p ≥ 0.098), whereas starting BB later was associated with higher HF1 and HF2 compared with non-users (p ≤ 0.014). There were no differences in the urinary biomarkers (p ≥ 0.27) according to HR. BB use was associated with higher urinary levels of collagen II and III fragments and non-use with higher levels of collagen I fragments.
Conclusions:
BB use, but not HR, is associated with a urinary proteomic signature that is usually associated with worse outcome, because unhealthier conditions probably lead to initiation of BB. Starting BB early after HTx surgery might be beneficial.
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