Genetic markers of oxidative stress and coronary atherosclerosis

Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Have Lower Levels of Antibody to Heat-Stressed Fibroblast Derived Proteins, versus Normal Subjects

Cellular stress response plays an important role in the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD). Inhibition of cellular stress may provide a novel clinical approach regarding the diagnosis and treatment of CAD. Fibroblasts constitute 60-70% of cardiac cells and have a crucial role in cardiovascular function. Hence, the aim of this study was to show a potential therapeutic application of proteins derived from heat-stressed fibroblast in CAD patients. Fibroblasts were isolated from the foreskin and cultured under heat stress conditions. Surprisingly, 1.06% of the cells exhibited a necrotic death pattern. Furthermore, heat-stressed fibroblasts produced higher level of total proteins than control cells. In SDS-PAGE analysis, a 70 kDa protein band was observed in stressed cell culture supernatants which appeared as two acidic spots with close pI in the two-dimensional electrophoresis. To evaluate the immunogenic properties of fibroblast-derived heat shock proteins (HSPs), the serum immunoglobulin-G (IgG) was measured by ELISA in 50 CAD patients and 50 normal subjects who had been diagnosed through angiography. Interestingly, the level of anti-HSP antibody was significantly higher in non-CAD individuals in comparison with the patient's group (p < 0.05). The odds ratio for CAD was 5.06 (95%CI = 2.15‐11.91) in cut-off value of 30 AU/mL of anti-HSP antibody. Moreover, ROC analysis showed that anti-HSP antibodies had a specificity of 74% and a sensitivity of 64%, which is almost equal to 66% sensitivity of exercise stress test (EST) as a CAD diagnostic method. These data revealed that fibroblast-derived HSPs are suitable for the diagnosis and management of CAD through antibody production.

Association of CYBA G640A variation with coronary artery disease in Indians

INTRODUCTION

Oxidative stress induces atherosclerosis by triggering an inflammatory cascade within the vascular wall.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of pro-oxidant and antioxidant gene variations with CAD in Indian subjects.

MATERIALS & METHODS

It's a case-control study and genotyping for the variants MPO G-463A, CYBA G640A, SOD2 Val16Ala and CAT C-262T were performed by conventional PCR techniques.

RESULTS

Only CYBA G640A variant allele was found to be significantly (p = 0.0075) associated with CAD.

CONCLUSION

Although CYBA G640A variation was found to be significant, a larger study is needed to validate these results and establish its role as a biomarker.

Association of LT-alpha Ala252Gly gene polymorphism and the genetic predisposition of coronary heart disease in Chinese

About the role of lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) gene in coronary heart disease, controversy reports exists. So the purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible involvement of LTA in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and MI in Chinese. In a cross-sectional design, we studied 57 coronary heart disease patients with family history of coronary heart disease and in another control group of 62 healthy subjects (mean age 56 years; range 32-78 years). Body mass index, the levels of blood pressure, the plasma levels of lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured, smoking data were self-reported, and LTA genotypes were determined. LTA Ala252Gly gene polymorphism had two alleles (LTA1 and LTA2) and three kinds of genotype: homozygote LTA G/G, LTA A/A, and heterozygote LTA A/G. No population significant differences were detected in LTA genotypes and allele frequencies between coronary heart disease patients or healthy controls (chi(2) = 1.479, P = 0.477 > 0.05). LTA Ala252Gly gene polymorphism was not associated with the genetic predisposition of coronary heart disease.