Circulating Extracellular Vesicles Are Strongly Associated With Cardiovascular Risk Markers

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Biomarker Discovery
• Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Background:

• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived vesicles with procoagulatory and prothrombotic properties.
• EVs show potential as novel biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
• Limited data exists on the relationship between circulating EVs and established CVD risk markers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between circulating EVs and conventional/thrombogenic CVD risk markers.
• To explore the role of EVs in individuals at moderate risk of CVD.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 40 subjects (aged 40-70) with moderate CVD risk.
• Assessed BMI, blood pressure, lipid profile, platelet aggregation, clot formation, thrombin generation, and fibrinolysis.
• Quantified circulating EV numbers using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis and flow cytometry.

Main Results:

• Circulating EV numbers positively correlated with BMI, blood pressure, triacylglycerol, and overall CVD risk.
• Higher EV counts were linked to increased thrombin generation and clot formation.
• EVs from subjects promoted thrombin generation ex vivo; endothelial-derived EVs correlated with clot lysis tendency.

Conclusions:

• Circulating EVs are strongly associated with conventional and thrombogenic CVD risk markers.
• EVs demonstrate a significant association with overall CVD risk.
• These findings highlight the potential importance of EVs in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.