Adipo/cytokines in atherosclerotic secretomes: increased visfatin levels in unstable carotid plaque.

Teresa Auguet,Xavier Ruyra,Marta Curriu,María-Luisa Camara,Carmen Aguilar,Esther Guiu-Jurado,Salomé Martinez,Esteban Hernández,Vicente Martín-Paredero,Alba Berlanga,Gemma Aragonès,Cristóbal Richart,Ajla Alibalic

doi:10.1186/s12872-016-0320-5

Abstract

BackgroundNovel pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory derivatives from adipose tissue, known as adipokines, act as metabolic factors. The aim of this study was to analyse the secreted expression of different adipo/cytokines in secretomes of unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque versus non-atherosclerotic mammary artery.MethodsWe evaluated the secretion levels of adiponectin, visfatin, lipocalin-2, resistin, IL-6 and TNFR2 by ELISA in human secretomes from cultured unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque (n = 18) and non-atherosclerotic mammary artery (n = 13). We also measured visfatin serum levels in patients suffering from atherosclerosis and in a serum cohort of healthy subjects (n = 16).ResultsWe found that visfatin levels were significantly increased in unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque secretome than in non-atherosclerotic mammary artery secretome. No differences were found with regard the other adipo/cytokines studied. Regarding visfatin circulating levels, there were no differences between unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque and non-atherosclerotic mammary artery group. However, these visfatin levels were increased in comparison to serum cohort of healthy subjects.ConclusionsOf all the adipo/cytokines analysed, only visfatin showed increased levels in secretomes of unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Additional human studies are needed to clarify the possible role of visfatin as prognostic factor of unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque.

Highlights

Novel pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory derivatives from adipose tissue, known as adipokines, act as metabolic factors
Adipo/cytokine levels in the secretome To study the local role of adipo/cytokines in atherosclerosis, we evaluated the presence of adiponectin, visfatin, lipocalin-2, resistin, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) in secretomes of the unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaque and nonatherosclerotic mammary artery tissue cultures (Table 2)
IL-6 has been regarded as a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is classically associated with endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis [36], we found no differences in secretome or circulating levels between the group of patients suffering from atherosclerosis and the mammary artery

Summary

Introduction

Novel pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory derivatives from adipose tissue, known as adipokines, act as metabolic factors. Since obesity is considered a risk factor associated to atherosclerosis, a lot of research over recent years has tried to gain greater insights into the link between atherosclerosis and adipose tissue that has been described as an endocrine organ that secretes a wide variety of proteins called adipokines [1,2,3]. It is Auguet et al BMC Cardiovascular Disorders (2016) 16:149 pathophysiological pathways that underlie the association between adipokines and atherosclerosis, and their potential role as new therapeutic approaches and biomarkers. Studies on tissue secretome more closely resemble the in vivo situation than cell culture workflows

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