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Published on: September 9, 2011
Plasma leukocyte-derived extracellular vesicles are related to target vessel revascularization in off-pump coronary
Tomasz K Urbanowicz1, Aleksandra Gąsecka2, Anna Olasińska-Wiśniewska1
1Cardiac Surgery and Transplantology Department, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
Insights
Surgical revascularization impacts extracellular vesicle (EV) counts in patients with coronary artery disease. Specifically, leukocyte-derived EV counts were lower following left anterior descending artery grafting.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Biomarkers
- Atherosclerosis Research
Background:
- Multivessel coronary disease necessitates interventional therapy for improved survival and symptom management.
- Inflammatory activation is a key factor in coronary atherosclerosis progression and a prognostic indicator for surgical intervention.
- Elevated plasma extracellular vesicle (EV) counts, originating from erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets, are observed in inflammatory conditions like atherosclerosis-based cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between coronary artery bypass graft blood flow and changes in plasma EV counts post-surgical revascularization.
- To analyze EV plasma count variations in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
Main Methods:
- Included 44 patients (33 males, median age 65) undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
- Measured intraoperative blood flow in coronary artery bypass grafts.
- Quantified erythrocyte (CD235+), leukocyte (CD45+), and platelet (CD61+) derived EV counts via flow cytometry at baseline and on postoperative days 1 and 3.
Main Results:
- Leukocyte-derived EV counts were significantly lower in patients receiving a left internal mammary artery-left anterior descending (LIMA-LAD) graft (p=0.020).
- Total plasma EV count changes were significant for right internal mammary artery-left anterior descending (RIMA-LAD) grafting (p=0.028) and LIMA-LAD grafting (p=0.015) in arterial and arterio-venous grafting, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Surgical revascularization influences plasma EV counts.
- Postoperative values of leukocyte-derived EVs are significantly reduced when grafting to the left anterior descending artery.
Introduction:
In multivessel coronary disease, interventional therapy is recommended to improve symptoms and survival. Inflammatory activation is postulated as one of the coronary atherosclerosis progression risk factors and prognostic indicators of surgical intervention. Counts of plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets are elevated in patients with inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis-based cardiovascular diseases.
Aim:
We aimed to estimate the association between blood flow measurements in coronary artery bypass grafts and EV plasma count changes in patients undergoing surgical coronary revascularization.
Material And Methods:
Forty-four consecutive patients who underwent surgical off-pump revascularization (33 males, 75%) in the median (Q1-Q3) age of 65 (58-69) were included. The blood flow in the implanted coronary artery bypass grafts was measured intraoperatively. EV counts were measured at baseline (hospital admission) and on the 1st and 3rd postoperative days. The numbers of EVs from erythrocytes (CD235+), leukocytes (CD45+) and platelets (CD61+) were measured using flow cytometry with fluorescently labeled antibodies against specific antigens exposed on the EVs.
Results:
The numbers of leukocyte-derived EVs were lower in patients who received a LIMA-LAD graft (p = 0.020). The total EV plasma count changes were found significant for RIMA-LAD grafting (p = 0.028) and LIMA-LAD (p = 0.015) in arterial and arterio-venous grafting, respectively.
Conclusions:
Surgical revascularizations affect EV plasma count, including significantly lower postoperative values of leukocyte-derived EVs related to left descending artery grafting.

