Plasma lipidome differences in patients with and without significant carotid plaque

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Atherosclerosis in carotid arteries is a primary cause of ischemic stroke.
• Early detection of advanced atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability is crucial for preventing adverse events.
• Plaque size alone does not accurately predict the risk of stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate plasma lipidomics as a diagnostic tool for stratifying carotid plaque stability.
• To determine if lipid profiles can differentiate between stable and unstable plaques without invasive procedures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for plasma lipidomics.
• Characterized and compared lipid profiles in patients with stable versus vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.
• Developed a statistical model for patient stratification based on lipid profiles.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in plasma lipid profiles were observed between patients with stable and unstable carotid plaques.
• Lysophosphoethanolamines, fatty acyl esters of hydroxy fatty acids, free fatty acids, plasmalogens, and triacylglycerols were key predictors of plaque vulnerability.
• Most predictive lipid compounds were decreased in plasma of patients with unstable plaques.

Conclusions:

• Plasma lipidomes differ between patients with stable and unstable carotid plaques.
• Specific lipid compounds show potential as biomarkers for identifying unstable plaques.
• LC-MS/MS-based lipidomics may offer a non-invasive method for clinical diagnosis of plaque vulnerability.