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Brusca SB, Elinoff JM, Zou Y, Jang MK, Kong H, Demirkale CY, Sun J, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Valantine HA, Tanba C, Chaturvedi A, Graninger GM, Harper B, Chen LY, Cole J, Kanwar M, Benza RL, Preston IR, Agbor-Enoh S, Solomon MA. Plasma Cell-Free DNA Predicts Survival and Maps Specific Sources of Injury in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Circulation 2022; 146:1033-1045. [PMID: 36004627 PMCID: PMC9529801 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.121.056719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a noninvasive marker of cellular injury. Its significance in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. METHODS Plasma cfDNA was measured in 2 PAH cohorts (A, n=48; B, n=161) and controls (n=48). Data were collected for REVEAL 2.0 (Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-Term PAH Disease Management) scores and outcome determinations. Patients were divided into the following REVEAL risk groups: low (≤6), medium (7-8), and high (≥9). Total cfDNA concentrations were compared among controls and PAH risk groups by 1-way analysis of variance. Log-rank tests compared survival between cfDNA tertiles and REVEAL risk groups. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were estimated from logistic regression models. A sample subset from cohort B (n=96) and controls (n=16) underwent bisulfite sequencing followed by a deconvolution algorithm to map cell-specific cfDNA methylation patterns, with concentrations compared using t tests. RESULTS In cohort A, median (interquartile range) age was 62 years (47-71), with 75% female, and median (interquartile range) REVEAL 2.0 was 6 (4-9). In cohort B, median (interquartile range) age was 59 years (49-71), with 69% female, and median (interquartile range) REVEAL 2.0 was 7 (6-9). In both cohorts, cfDNA concentrations differed among patients with PAH of varying REVEAL risk and controls (analysis of variance P≤0.002) and were greater in the high-risk compared with the low-risk category (P≤0.002). In cohort B, death or lung transplant occurred in 14 of 54, 23 of 53, and 35 of 54 patients in the lowest, middle, and highest cfDNA tertiles, respectively. cfDNA levels stratified as tertiles (log-rank: P=0.0001) and REVEAL risk groups (log-rank: P<0.0001) each predicted transplant-free survival. The addition of cfDNA to REVEAL improved discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.72-0.78; P=0.02). Compared with controls, methylation analysis in patients with PAH revealed increased cfDNA originating from erythrocyte progenitors, neutrophils, monocytes, adipocytes, natural killer cells, vascular endothelium, and cardiac myocytes (Bonferroni adjusted P<0.05). cfDNA concentrations derived from erythrocyte progenitor cells, cardiac myocytes, and vascular endothelium were greater in patients with PAH with high-risk versus low-risk REVEAL scores (P≤0.02). CONCLUSIONS Circulating cfDNA is elevated in patients with PAH, correlates with disease severity, and predicts worse survival. Results from cfDNA methylation analyses in patients with PAH are consistent with prevailing paradigms of disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel B Brusca
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jason M Elinoff
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Yvette Zou
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Moon Kyoo Jang
- Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
- Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAfT), Bethesda, MD
| | - Hyesik Kong
- Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
- Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAfT), Bethesda, MD
| | - Cumhur Y Demirkale
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Junfeng Sun
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Fayaz Seifuddin
- Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Mehdi Pirooznia
- Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Hannah A Valantine
- Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAfT), Bethesda, MD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Carl Tanba
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Abhishek Chaturvedi
- Pauley Heart Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
| | - Grace M Graninger
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Bonnie Harper
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Li-Yuan Chen
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Justine Cole
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
| | - Manreet Kanwar
- Cardiovascular Institute at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Raymond L Benza
- Departent of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
| | - Ioana R Preston
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Sean Agbor-Enoh
- Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
- Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAfT), Bethesda, MD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Michael A Solomon
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Section of the Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
- Cardiology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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Lu M, Blaine KP, Cullinane A, Hall C, Dulau-Florea A, Sun J, Chenwi HF, Graninger GM, Harper B, Thompson K, Krack J, Barnett CF, Brusca SB, Elinoff JM, Solomon MA. Pulmonary arterial hypertension patients display normal kinetics of clot formation using thrombelastography. Pulm Circ 2021; 11:20458940211022204. [PMID: 34249330 PMCID: PMC8237222 DOI: 10.1177/20458940211022204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by endothelial dysfunction and
microthrombi formation. The role of anticoagulation remains controversial, with
studies demonstrating inconsistent effects on pulmonary arterial hypertension
mortality. Clinical anticoagulation practices are currently heterogeneous,
reflecting physician preference. This study uses thrombelastography and
hematology markers to evaluate whether clot formation and fibrinolysis are
abnormal in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. Venous blood was collected
from healthy volunteers (n = 20) and patients with pulmonary
arterial hypertension (n = 20) on stable medical therapy for
thrombelastography analysis. Individual thrombelastography parameters and a
calculated coagulation index were used for comparison. In addition, hematologic
markers, including fibrinogen, factor VIII activity, von Willebrand factor
activity, von Willebrand factor antigen, and alpha2-antiplasmin, were measured
in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and compared to healthy volunteers.
Between group differences were analyzed using t tests and linear mixed models,
accounting for repeated measures when applicable. Although the degree of
fibrinolysis (LY30) was significantly lower in pulmonary arterial hypertension
patients compared to healthy volunteers (0.3% ± 0.6 versus
1.3% ± 1.1, p = 0.04), all values were within the normal
reference range (0–8%). All other thrombelastography parameters were not
significantly different between pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and
healthy volunteers (p ≥ 0.15 for all). Similarly,
alpha2-antiplasmin activity levels were higher in pulmonary arterial
hypertension patients compared to healthy volunteers (103.7% ± 13.6
versus 82.6% ± 9.5, p < 0.0001), but
all individual values were within the normal range (75–132%). There were no
other significant differences in hematologic markers between pulmonary arterial
hypertension patients and healthy volunteers (p ≥ 0.07 for
all). Sub-group analysis comparing thrombelastography results in patients
treated with or without prostacyclin pathway targeted therapies were also
non-significant. In conclusion, treated pulmonary arterial hypertension patients
do not demonstrate abnormal clotting kinetics or fibrinolysis by
thrombelastography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyun Lu
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin P Blaine
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ann Cullinane
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Courtney Hall
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alina Dulau-Florea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Junfeng Sun
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Herman F Chenwi
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Grace M Graninger
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bonnie Harper
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Keshia Thompson
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Janell Krack
- Pharmacy Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher F Barnett
- MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Samuel B Brusca
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason M Elinoff
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael A Solomon
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Cardiology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Tropea MM, Harper BJA, Graninger GM, Phillips TM, Ferreyra G, Mostowski HS, Danner RL, Suffredini AF, Solomon MA. Isolation of a circulating CD45-, CD34dim cell population and validation of their endothelial phenotype. Thromb Haemost 2014; 112:770-80. [PMID: 25057108 DOI: 10.1160/th14-01-0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Accurately detecting circulating endothelial cells (CECs) is important since their enumeration has been proposed as a biomarker to measure injury to the vascular endothelium. However, there is no single methodology for determining CECs in blood, making comparison across studies difficult. Many methods for detecting CECs rely on characteristic cell surface markers and cell viability indicators, but lack secondary validation. Here, a CEC population in healthy adult human subjects was identified by flow cytometry as CD45-, CD34dim that is comparable to a previously described CD45-, CD31bright population. In addition, nuclear staining with 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) was employed as a standard technique to exclude dead cells. Unexpectedly, the CD45-, CD34dim, 7-AAD- CECs lacked surface detectable CD146, a commonly used marker of CECs. Furthermore, light microscopy revealed this cell population to be composed primarily of large cells without a clearly defined nucleus. Nevertheless, immunostains still demonstrated the presence of the lectin Ulex europaeus and von Willebrand factor. Ultramicro analytical immunochemistry assays for the endothelial cell proteins CD31, CD34, CD62E, CD105, CD141, CD144 and vWF indicated these cells possess an endothelial phenotype. However, only a small amount of RNA, which was mostly degraded, could be isolated from these cells. Thus the majority of CECs in healthy individuals as defined by CD45-, CD34dim, and 7-AAD- have shed their CD146 surface marker and are senescent cells without an identifiable nucleus and lacking RNA of sufficient quantity and quality for transcriptomal analysis. This study highlights the importance of secondary validation of CEC identification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael A Solomon
- Michael A. Solomon, MD, Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 2C145, Bethesda, MD 20892-1662, USA, Tel.: +1 301 496 9320, Fax: +1 301 402 1213, E-mail:
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