Fibronectin, procollagen III peptide, lipids and apolipoproteins in coronary artery disease

Collagen is an important major component of the blood vessel wall and is needed for the maintenance of the structural integrity of this tissue. Also, collagen forms a structural network for the attachment and alignment of heart muscle cells. The soluble plasma fibronectins are large adhesive glycoproteins with a variety of functions including roles in opsonization, cell adhesion, cell motility, tissue repair, coagulation and most important of all, maintenance of the integrity of the vascular endothelial lining. It is well established that hypercholesterolemia and/or increased low density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol are major risk factors for coronary artery disease. Recently, it is reported that measuring the concentration of apolipoproteins is a superior index of coronary artery disease than does quantitating the amount of cholesterol carried on the lipoproteins. The aim of this work was to determine the feasibility of employing the levels of plasma fibronectins, serum procollagen III peptide, serum lipid and apolipoproteins in patients with CAD as a marker of atherosclerosis. The results in comparison with control group showed that values of serum PIIIP were higher in CAD patients. While, plasma fibronectin level showed significant increase in patients with CAD. Serum triglycerides levels were significantly higher in CAD patients, and serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels showed significant increase in patients with CAD. Serum HDL cholesterol and serum lipoprotein A levels were low in CAD patients. The mean value of serum apolipoprotein B was significantly higher in patients with CAD

Assessment of the diagnostic value of antithrombin III in some conditions

Reference has been made to the antithrombin III [AT III] as a member of acute phase proteins, and its role as an antithrombotic agent and its diagnostic role in different diseases. In the present study, we tried to scan and estimate antithrombin III in different conditions including normal persons of different age groups to explore the possibility of age related differences, also we studied AT III in patients with acute rhcumatic activity, mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, nephrotic syndrome, and in normal pregnant females. The results showed that there is a significant increase, in the concentration of AT III in normal individuals above 40 years age if compared with younger groups. Also there is marked and significant increase in AT III in cases of acute rheumatic activity, on the contrary, cases of mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation showed significant decrease in levels of AT III if compared to normals with matched age group. Nephrotic patients showed also significant decrease in level of AT III if compared to normals. On the other hand diabetic patients with or without evident of thrombosis, and normal pregnant females showed no significant change in level AT III