Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 31, 2025
Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
Circulating Biomarkers Reflecting Destabilization Mechanisms of Coronary Artery Plaques: Are We Looking for the
Marko Kumric1, Josip A Borovac1,2, Dinko Martinovic1
1Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, 21000 Split, Croatia.
Insights
Detecting vulnerable plaques causing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains challenging. This review explores plaque instability, current biomarkers, and the future of non-invasive diagnostics for rupture-prone coronary artery plaques.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarker Discovery
- Atherosclerosis Research
Background:
- Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a significant global health issue.
- Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, not just lumen narrowing, often cause ACS.
- Current imaging for vulnerable plaque detection is largely invasive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathophysiology of plaque instability.
- To summarize evidence on biomarkers for plaque destabilization.
- To discuss the potential for non-invasive diagnosis of vulnerable plaques.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of plaque instability.
- Analysis of current evidence on lipid, inflammation, and microRNA biomarkers.
- Discussion of diagnostic challenges and future directions.
Main Results:
- Plaque rupture, not stenosis, is a key ACS driver.
- Lipids, inflammation, and microRNAs are implicated in plaque instability.
- No reliable non-invasive diagnostic methods for vulnerable plaques currently exist.
Conclusions:
- Understanding plaque instability is crucial for ACS management.
- Biomarker research, including microRNAs, shows promise but needs clinical validation.
- Future research aims for non-invasive, cost-effective diagnostics for rupture-prone coronary plaques.
Abstract:
Despite significant strides to mitigate the complications of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), this clinical entity still represents a major global health burden. It has so far been well-established that most of the plaques leading to ACS are not a result of gradual narrowing of the vessel lumen, but rather a result of sudden disruption of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. As most of the developed imaging modalities for vulnerable plaque detection are invasive, multiple biomarkers were proposed to identify their presence. Owing to the pivotal role of lipids and inflammation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, most of the biomarkers originated from one of those processes, whereas recent advancements in molecular sciences shed light on the use of microRNAs. Yet, at present there are no clinically implemented biomarkers or any other method for that matter that could non-invasively, yet reliably, diagnose the vulnerable plaque. Hence, in this review we summarized the available knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of plaque instability, the current evidence on potential biomarkers associated with plaque destabilization and finally, we discussed if search for biomarkers could one day bring us to non-invasive, cost-effective, yet valid way of diagnosing the vulnerable, rupture-prone coronary artery plaques.
More Related Videos
13:07Optical Coherence Tomography Based Biomechanical Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Coronary Atherosclerosis Progression
Published on: January 15, 2022
07:25Predicting Amputation using Local Circulating Mononuclear Progenitor Cells in Angioplasty-treated Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia
Published on: September 22, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
01:19Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
01:26Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
01:30Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
01:19Acute Coronary Syndrome II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction