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Updated: May 5, 2026
Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
Serum proteomic profiling reveals potential predictive indicators for coronary artery calcification in stable
Haiyan Wu1,2, Mingjie Pang1,2, Haoqiang Chen1,2
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Rd, Kunming, 650021, Yunnan, China.
Insights
Researchers identified novel serum protein biomarkers, RNASE1 and MSLN, for early detection of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) patients. This study reveals key immune and metabolic pathway alterations in SIHD with CAC.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Proteomics
- Immunology
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a common complication in stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD), but early diagnosis and pathogenesis remain unclear.
- Understanding the serum proteome in SIHD patients with and without severe CAC is crucial for identifying diagnostic and prognostic markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze aberrant alterations in the serum proteome of SIHD patients with and without severe CAC.
- To explore potential risk factors and early diagnostic indicators for CAC in SIHD patients.
Main Methods:
- Serum proteomic profiling using nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in SIHD, severe CAC in SIHD (CAC_SIHD), and healthy control groups.
- Differential protein expression analysis, gene ontology, and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses.
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis to identify predictive factors for CAC.
Main Results:
- Aberrant alterations in complement pathways and lipid metabolism were observed in SIHD and CAC_SIHD patients.
- Increased T cells and natural killer cells, with reduced B cells, were characteristic of SIHD and CAC_SIHD.
- RNASE1 and MSLN were identified as potential predictive indicators for early CAC detection in SIHD patients.
Conclusions:
- The study provides insights into the pathological mechanisms of SIHD and CAC, highlighting immune and metabolic dysregulation.
- RNASE1 and MSLN show promise as biomarkers for early CAC diagnosis in SIHD patients.
- Findings suggest potential clinical applications for improved CAC management in SIHD.
Abstract:
Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a common complication in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD). However, the early diagnosis and understanding of the pathogenesis of CAC in SIHD patients remain underdeveloped. This study aimed to analyze aberrant alterations in the serum proteome of SIHD patients, as well as SIHD patients with severe CAC (CAC_SIHD), and to explore the potential risk factors of CAC in SIHD patients. Serum proteomic profiles were obtained from individuals with SIHD (n = 6), CAC_SIHD (n = 6), and healthy controls (n = 9), and were analyzed using nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The aberrant alterations in proteins and immune cells in the serum of SIHD and CAC_SIHD patients were characterized through differential protein expression analysis and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis analysis, respectively. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were further subjected to gene ontology functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. Finally, Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was performed on the DEPs between SIHD and CAC_SIHD to identify potential predictive factors of CAC. Abnormalities in multiple complement pathways and lipid metabolism were observed in SIHD and CAC_SIHD patients. Moreover, SIHD and CAC_SIHD were characterized by an increased presence of T cells and natural killer cells, along with a reduced presence of B cells. Subsequent analysis of serum proteins revealed that RNASE1 and MSLN may be potential predictive indicators for the early detection and diagnosis of CAC in SIHD patients. In conclusion, our research extensively examined the variations in serum proteins in patients with SIHD and CAC_SIHD, identifying key indicators and metabolic pathways associated with these conditions. These findings not only provide new insights into the pathological mechanisms of SIHD and CAC_SIHD, but also suggest potential factors for the early diagnosis of CAC in SIHD patients, which imply potential clinical applications.
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