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Depressed plasma platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction

V L Serebruany1, P A Gurbel, S R Murugesan

  • 1Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research, Baltimore, Md., USA.

Cardiology
|October 21, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) plasma levels are lower in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. This decreased PAF-AH activity may be a risk factor for acute coronary syndromes, not just a consequence.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Biochemistry
  • Pathophysiology

Background:

  • Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is implicated in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) pathogenesis.
  • Phospholipids in cell membranes, including PAF, play a role in cardiovascular disease.
  • Understanding PAF's role requires investigating related enzyme activities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare plasma levels of PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) in AMI patients versus healthy controls.
  • To explore the potential role of PAF-AH activity as a risk factor in acute coronary syndromes.
  • To investigate the relationship between PAF, lyso-PAF, and PAF-AH in the context of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion.

Main Methods:

  • Plasma PAF-AH levels were measured in 18 AMI patients before treatment.
  • Plasma PAF-AH levels were measured in 13 healthy individuals.
  • Statistical analysis was used to compare PAF-AH levels between the AMI group and the control group.

Main Results:

  • Plasma PAF-AH levels were significantly lower in AMI patients (23.15 +/- 1.75 nmol/min/ml) compared to healthy controls (30.43 +/- 2.13 nmol/min/ml).
  • The difference in PAF-AH levels between groups was statistically significant (p = 0.027).
  • No significant evidence supports the benefit of anti-PAF antibodies in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion.

Conclusions:

  • Decreased plasma PAF-AH activity is observed in patients with AMI.
  • Reduced PAF-AH activity might be a risk factor for developing acute coronary syndromes.
  • The inability of systemic PAF to activate PAF-AH could contribute to AMI events.

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