Prostate-specific antigen kallikrein complexes and acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Recently, attention has focused on prostate-specific antigen kallikrein and the cardiovascular system. The finding of diminished PSA during acute myocardial infarction and the correlation of variation of PSA with coronary lesions and occurrence of major adverse cardiac events have opened a possible new intriguing scenario. As with many stories in biology, the tale of PSA can be more complex than was first appreciated. In the bloodstream, the proteolytic activity of PSA is inhibited by the formation of irreversible complexes with serum protease inhibitors and other acute-phase proteins. We noticed that the formation of irreversible PSA complexes (reflected by the increased bound PSA) has significant correlation with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and that seems to play a crucial role in the adverse event prevention.