Potential Relation between Plasma BDNF Levels and Human Coronary Plaque Morphology.

Patrizia Amadio,Franco Fabiocchi,Calogero Claudio Tedesco,Giampaolo Niccoli,Nicola Cosentino,Giancarlo Marenzi,Leonardo Sandrini,Sonia Eligini,Simone Barbieri,Fabrizio Veglia,Filippo Crea,Silvia Stella Barbieri,Giulia Magnani,Francesco Fracassi,Marta Zarà

doi:10.3390/diagnostics11061010

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) patients are at high ischemic risk, and new biomarkers reflecting atherosclerotic disease severity and coronary plaque vulnerability are required. The Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) affects endothelial and macrophage activation suggesting its involvement in atherosclerotic plaque behavior. To investigate whether plasma BDNF is associated with in vivo coronary plaque features, assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), in both acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stable angina (SA) patients, we enrolled 55 CAD patients (31 SA and 24 AMI), and 21 healthy subjects (HS). BDNF was lower in CAD patients than in HS (p < 0.0001), and it decreased with the presence, clinical acuity and severity of CAD. The greater BDNF levels were associated with OCT features of plaque vulnerability in overall CAD as well as in SA and AMI patients (p < 0.03). Specifically, in SA patients, BDNF correlated positively with macrophages’ infiltration within atherosclerotic plaque (p = 0.01) and inversely with minimal lumen area (p = 0.02). In AMI patients a negative correlation between BDNF and cap thickness was found (p = 0.02). Despite a small study population, our data suggest a relationship between BDNF and coronary plaque vulnerability, showing that vulnerable plaque is positively associated with plasma BDNF levels, regardless of the clinical CAD manifestation.

Highlights

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of death in both developed and developing countries [1]
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F has been detected in atherosclerotic plaque and has been found inInsomuroosttuhdmy, uinscalgereceemllesnatnwditihnJimnaectraol.p, [h3a2g] ewseaftocuonrdotnhaartyplaatshmearoBmDaNtFoulesvienlstiamrea and advseignntiifiticaan[1tl9y,3lo2w,3e6r].in CAD patients compared to healthy subjects (HS)

Summary

Introduction

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of death in both developed and developing countries [1]. Patients with CAD, and in particular those with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), are at high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, despite the adherence to current guideline-recommended secondary prevention therapies [2,3,4,5,6]. Their persistent high ischemic risk highlights the need to have new biomarkers reflecting atherosclerotic disease severity and coronary plaque activity and vulnerability. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the family of neurotrophins that are well characterized as trophic factors for neurons. The pleiotropic effects of this neurotrophin, ranging from neuroplasticity to angiogenesis, include vascular integrity [9] and fibrin clot stability [10]

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Discussion

Conclusion