Role of legumain in metabolic dysfunction, diagnosis, and prognosis of patients with atherosclerosis.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of legumain in metabolic dysfunction, diagnosis, and prognosis in patients with atherosclerosis. Plasma levels of legumain from patients with atherosclerosis (n = 320) and healthy controls (n = 320), expression of legumain in atheromatous plaque and secreted from monocyte-derived macrophages were measured using enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence. Data demonstrated that atherosclerotic patients had higher plasma level of legumain than healthy controls, which was a diagnostic and prognostic marker and corrected with the degree of atherosclerosis. It found that atheromatous plaque and endothelial cell had higher legumain expression than non-atherosclerotic arteries (controls). Legumain showed significantly increased secretion from pro-inflammatory M1 compared to pro-resolving M2 macrophages during monocyte-derived macrophages, which was localized to structures resembling foam cells. In conclusion, our data indicate that legumain expression is upregulated in both plasma and plaques of patients with atherosclerosis, which is associated with metabolic dysfunction of endothelial cell and might be a diagnostic and prognostic marker of atherosclerosis.