Elevated plasma levels of Mac-2 binding protein predict poor cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Value of M2BP in predicting in‐stent restenosis in patients after coronary drug‐eluting stent implantation

Objective

We evaluated the association between plasma levels of mac‐2 binding protein (M2BP) with the risk of in‐stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

Plasma M2BP levels were compared between 258 patients who experienced ISR at 12‐months post‐PCI and 258 patients, matched for age and sex, without angiographic evidence of ISR.

Results

The plasma M2BP level was significantly higher in the ISR than in the non‐ISR group. On multivariate analysis, adjusted for potential clinical, biochemical, and angiography characteristics, M2BP remained as an independent significant predictor of ISR.

Conclusions

M2BP may be an important predictive biomarker of ISR and may be useful in identifying at‐risk patients.

In‐stent restenosis (ISR) remains a major problem after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated.

Plasma Mac‐2 binding protein (M2BP) levels were evaluated in 258 patients who experience ISR and 258 patients without angiographic evidence of ISR at approximately 12 months after PCI.

Notably, plasma M2BP levels were significantly higher patients with (12.91 ± 5.17 μg/ml) than without (10.07 ± 4.86 μg/ml) ISR (p = .001).

Compared with patients with the lowest tertile of M2BP, patients in the mid and highest tertiles of plasma M2BP had a more than 1.3‐fold and 1.8‐fold increased risk of ISR, respectively (both p < .001).

Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that, after adjustment for potential clinical factors, elevated plasma M2BP remained an independent predictor of ISR, either as a continuous or as a categorical variable (both p < .001).

M2BP is an important predictive biomarker of ISR and a mediator of growth and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Plasma M2BP assessment may be useful in identifying patients who are at high risk of ISR.

Factors associated with longitudinal changes in serum concentrations of Mac-2 binding protein: A prospective 3-year observational study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) plays an important role in cell adhesion. In a recent cross-sectional study we reported that serum M2BP concentrations may reflect silent atherosclerosis. The aim of the present prospective follow-up study was to investigate possible relationships between changes in concentrations of M2BP and other factors over a >3-year period.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The present study enrolled subjects who visited Enshu hospital from 2014 to 2015 for a periodic physical check-up and then attended for another physical check-up after >3 years (n = 174). Factors affecting changes in M2BP concentrations were investigated at both baseline and follow-up. Subjects with liver dysfunction, a history of hepatic disease, malignant neoplasm, or cardiovascular events at baseline were excluded. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that changes in serum M2BP concentrations during the follow-up period were significantly associated with changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, and oxidative stress marker derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM) concentrations. Moreover, the increase in LDL-C was significantly greater in subjects in whom M2BP concentrations increased during the follow-up period. Logistic regression analysis with an endpoint of increased M2BP revealed that increased LDL-C was an independent determinant of an increase in M2BP during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

During the observation period of >3 years, serum M2BP concentrations were increased in subjects who also exhibited increases in levels of metabolic parameters, especially LDL-C, and the oxidative stress marker d-ROM. These results support that serum M2BP reflects one of the contributors to the progression of silent atherosclerosis.

Galectin 3 and Galectin 3 Binding Protein Improve the Risk Stratification after Myocardial Infarction

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors are at risk of major adverse cardiac events and their risk stratification is a prerequisite to tailored therapeutic approaches. Biomarkers could be of great utility in this setting. Methods: We sought to evaluate the utility of the combined assessment of Galectin 3 (Gal-3) and Galectin 3 binding protein (Gal-3bp) for post-AMI risk stratification in a large, consecutive population of AMI patients. The primary outcomes were: Recurrent angina/AMI and all-cause mortality at 12 months after the index event. Results: In total, 469 patients were included. The median Gal-3bp was 9.1 μg/mL (IQR 5.8–13.5 μg/mL), while median Gal-3 was 9.8 ng/mL (IQR 7.8–12.8 ng/mL). During the 12 month follow-up, 34 patients died and 41 had angina pectoris/reinfarction. Gal-3 was associated with all-cause mortality, while Gal-3bp correlated with the risk of angina/myocardial infarction even when corrected for other significant covariates. The final multivariable model for mortality prediction included patients’ age, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), Gal-3, and renal function. The ROC curve estimated for this model has an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.84 (95%CI 0.78–0.9), which was similar to the area under the ROC curve obtained using the GRACE score 1-year mortality. Conclusions: The integrated assessment of Gal-3 and Gal-3bp could be helpful in risk stratification after AMI.

Correlation of serum Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) and liver stiffness in chronic hepatitis B infection

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel serum diagnostic marker for liver fibrosis in various liver diseases. We aimed to evaluate its role in assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB) with reference to liver stiffness measurement (LSM).

METHODS

CHB patients with LSM by transient elastography technology and retrievable serum samples were recruited. Ten-year re-assessments of LSM and M2BPGi were repeated in a patient subgroup.

RESULTS

240 CHB patients (M:F = 116:124; median age 47.5 years) were recruited. The median M2BPGi values for F0/F1/F2, F3 and F4 progressively increased with more advanced stages of liver fibrosis: 0.39, 0.46 and 0.82 COI, respectively (p < 0.01). M2BPGi levels correlated well with liver stiffness (r = 0.611), FIB-4 (r = 0.616), and strongly with APRI (r = 0.825) (all p < 0.001). Using cut-off values of 0.605 and 0.615 COI, the AUROCs were 0.754 and 0.799 for ≥ F3 and F4, respectively. M2BPGi identified one-quarter patients at risk of advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis otherwise classified into 'grey area' by LSM. In 86 patients with reassessment LSM, 21 (24.4%) showed significant fibrosis regression with corresponding decline in median M2BPGi level (- 0.11 COI) compared with the increase of +0.03 COI in patients without significant fibrosis regression (p = 0.011). Male gender, older age, use of potent antiviral therapy and change in serum M2BPGi were independently associated with significant fibrosis regression.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum M2BPGi can risk-stratify CHB patients whose liver stiffness fell into the 'grey area'. Significant fibrosis regression occurring in one-quarter patients was reflected by a reduction in M2BPGi levels at 10-year interval.