IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 are associated with a decreased pulse-wave velocity in young, healthy adults

Relationship of proteins and subclinical cardiovascular traits in the population-based LIFE-Adult study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Understanding molecular processes of the early phase of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease conditions is of utmost importance for early prediction and intervention measures.

METHODS

We measured 92 cardiovascular-disease-related proteins (Olink, Cardiovascular III) in 2024 elderly participants of the population-based LIFE-Adult study. We analysed the impact of 27 covariables on these proteins including blood counts, cardiovascular risk factors and life-style-related parameters. We also analysed protein associations with 13 subclinical cardiovascular traits comprising carotid intima media thickness, plaque burden, three modes of Vicorder-based pulse-wave velocities, ankle-brachial index and ECLIA-based N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

RESULTS

Estimated glomerular filtration rate, triglycerides and sex where the most relevant covariables explaining more than 1 % variance of 49, 22 and 20 proteins, respectively. A total of 43 proteins were significantly associated with at least one of the analysed subclinical cardiovascular traits. NT-pro-BNP, brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (baPWV) and parameters of carotid plaque burden accounted for the largest number of associations. Association overlaps were relatively sparse. Only growth/differentiation factor 15, low density lipoprotein receptor and interleukin-1 receptor type 2 are associated with these three different cardiovascular traits. We confirmed several literature findings and found yet unreported associations for carotid plaque presence (von-Willebrand factor, galectin 4), carotid intima-media thickness (carboxypeptidase A1 andB1), baPWV (cathepsin D) and NT-proBNP (cathepsin Z, low density lipoprotein receptor, neurogenic locus homolog protein 3, trem-like transcript 2). Sex-interaction effects were observed, e.g. for spondin-1 and growth/differentiation factor 15 likely regulated by androgen response elements.

CONCLUSIONS

We extend the catalogue of proteome biomarkers possibly involved in early stages of cardiovascular disease pathologies providing targets for early risk prediction or intervention strategies.

Circulating leptin is associated with adverse vascular changes in young adult survivors of childhood cancer

INTRODUCTION

Proteomics may help discover novel biomarkers and underlying mechanisms for cardiovascular disease. This could be useful for childhood cancer survivors as they show an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate circulating cardiovascular proteins in young adult survivors of childhood cancer and their relationship to previously reported subclinical cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

Ninety-two cardiovascular proteins were measured in 57 childhood cancer survivors and in 52 controls. For proteins that were significantly different between childhood cancer survivors and controls, we performed correlations between protein levels and measures of peripheral arterial stiffness (carotid distensibility and stiffness index, and augmentation index) and endothelial dysfunction (reactive hyperemia index).

RESULTS

Leptin was significantly higher in childhood cancer survivors compared to controls (normalized protein expression units: childhood cancer survivors 6.4 (1.5) versus 5.1 (1.7), p < 0.0000001) after taking multiple tests into account. Kidney injury molecule-1, MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase, selectin P ligand, decorin, alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor protein, and pentraxin 3 showed a trend towards group differences (p < 0.05). Among childhood cancer survivors, leptin was associated with anthracycline treatment after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (p < 0.0001). Higher leptin correlated with lower carotid distensibility after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and treatments with radiotherapy and anthracyclines (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

This proteomics approach identified that leptin is higher in young asymptomatic adult survivors of childhood cancer than in healthy controls and is associated with adverse vascular changes. This could indicate a role for leptin in driving the cardiovascular disease burden in this population.

Association between C10X polymorphism in the CARD8 gene and inflammatory markers in young healthy individuals in the LBA study

BACKGROUND

The Caspase activation and recruitment domain 8 (CARD8) protein is a component of innate immunity as a negative regulator of NF- ĸB, and has been associated with regulation of proteins involved in inflammation. Expression of CARD8 mRNA and protein has been identified in human atherosclerotic lesions, and the truncated T30A variant (rs2043211) of CARD8 has been associated with lower C-reactive (CRP) and MCP-1 levels in myocardial infarction patients. The present study examines the role of a genetic variation in the CARD8 gene in relation to a selection of markers of inflammation.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study of young healthy individuals (18.0-25.9 yrs, n = 744) the association between the rs2043211 variant in the CARD8 gene and protein markers of inflammation was assessed. Genotyping of the CARD8 C10X (rs2043211) polymorphism was performed with TaqMan real time PCR on DNA from blood samples. Protein levels were studied via Olink inflammation panel ( https://olink.com/ ). Using linear models, we analyzed men and two groups of women with and without estrogen containing contraceptives separately, due to previous findings indicating differences between estrogen users and non-estrogen using women. Genotypes were analyzed by additive, recessive and dominant models.

RESULTS

The minor (A) allele of the rs2043211 polymorphism in the CARD8 gene was associated with lower levels of CCL20 and IL-6 in men (CCL20, Additive model: p = 0.023; Dominant model: p = 0.016. IL-6, Additive model: p = 0.042; Dominant model: p = 0.039). The associations remained significant also after adjustment for age and potential intermediate variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that CARD8 may be involved in the regulation of CCL20 and IL-6 in men. No such association was observed in women. These findings strengthen and support previous in vitro data on IL-6 and CCL20 and highlight the importance of CARD8 as a factor in the regulation of inflammatory proteins. The reason to the difference between sexes is however not clear, and the influence of estrogen as a possible factor important for the inflammatory response needs to be further explored.

Circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 may be biomarkers for risk stratification in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The involvement of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is rarely studied in clinical practice. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the relationship between IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 concentrations at admission and risk stratification based on the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score in patients with ACS.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In all, 304 patients diagnosed with ACS were included in this study. Plasma IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 were measured using commercially available ELISA kits. The TIMI risk score was calculated and the study population was stratified into high (n = 65), medium (n = 138), and low (n = 101) risk groups. Levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 were analyzed for their predictive ability of risk stratification based on the TIMI risk scores. Correlation analysis showed that IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with TIMI risk levels (r = -0.144, p = 0.012), while IGFBP-2 levels were significantly and positively correlated with TIMI risk levels (r = 0.309, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, IGF-1 (odds ratio [OR]: 0.995; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.990-1.000; p = 0.043) and IGFBP-2 (OR: 1.002; 95%CI: 1.001-1.003; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of high TIMI risk levels. In receiver operating characteristic curves, the area under the curve values for IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 in the prediction of high TIMI risk levels were 0.605 and 0.723, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 levels are excellent biomarkers for risk stratification in patients with ACS, which provides further guidance for clinicians to identify patients at high risk and to lower their risk.

Reduced IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity in human serum correlates with arterial stiffness in a healthy Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Circulating insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) is associated with metabolic changes in both physiological and pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity in serum and arterial stiffness in a healthy Chinese population.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 360 healthy participants aged 37-87 years were recruited from 1500 and were divided into three groups according to serum IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity (Tertile I, 25.437 ng/ml-120.870 ng/ml; Tertile II, 120.871 ng/ml-161.914 ng/ml; Tertile III, 161.915 ng/ml-321.636 ng/ml). Arterial stiffness was evaluated by measuring the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The association between IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity and arterial stiffness was estimated by multiple stepwise regression.

RESULTS

Compared with the other two groups population, the individuals in Tertile I had significantly older age (62.66 ± 13.30 years, P < 0.01), lower level of triglyceride (1.08 ± 0.70 mmol/l, P < 0.01) and E/A (peak velocity of early filling and preak velocity of atrial filling ratio) (0.90 ± 0.33, P < 0.05). IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity was inversely related with baPWV in the total population (r = -0.171, P < 0.01) and in Tertile I (r = -0.275, P < 0.01). After adjusting for age and the other confounders, no association was found between IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity and baPWV in the total population. However, In Tertile I, reduced IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity in serum was an independent risk factor of baPWV acceleration in three different adjustment models: Model 1 (no adjustment, P < 0.01), Model 2 (adjusted for age, P < 0.05), and Model 3 (adjusted for all variables, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity in serum is inversely associated with baPWV in a healthy Chinese population. This association did not change after adjustment for conventional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in the subjects with the lowest IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity. Consequently, reduction of IGFBP-2 related immunoreactivity may be a predictor of arterial stiffness. IGFBP-2 seems to be a potential intervention target in early atherosclerosis.