Screening and verification of plasma biomarkers for stable angina pectoris: a differential proteomic analysis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare and analyze the differentially expressed plasma proteome between patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and healthy donors to identify the biomarkers for early diagnosis of SAP.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma samples from 60 patients with SAP and 60 healthy controls were collected. Twenty samples (100 mL each) randomly selected from each group were pooled and after removing high-abundance proteins from the pooled plasma, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) was performed to isolate the total proteins. The protein spots with more than 2 fold changes were selected after 2D analysis using software, and the differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometer. ELISA was performed to detect hemoglobin subunit delta (HBD) levels in 40 randomly selected samples from each group for verification of the results of 2DE.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 7 differentially expressed proteins were found in plasma samples from patients with SAP, including 3 up regulated proteins (serum albumin, hemoglobin subunit alpha and hemoglobin subunit delta,) and 4 down?regulated ones (apolipoprotein L1, apolipoprotein C3, apolipoprotein E and complement C4B). ELISA results showed that HBD level was increased in SAP plasma, which was consistent with the results of 2DE.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with SAP have different plasma protein profiles from those of healthy controls, and HBD may serve as a potential specific biomarker for early diagnosis of SAP.</p>

Effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor EPC on cardiac function in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of cardiac function following treatment with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-eight patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction were randomized into G-CSF treatment group and control group. All the patients received conventional treatment (medication and interventional therapy), and the patients in treatment group were given additional G-CSF (600 µg/day) for 7 consecutive days. The plasma level of brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the peripheral blood were detected before and at 7 days and 4 months after the treatment. The cardiac functions (LVSD, EDV, and LVEF) were evaluated by ultrasonic imaging before and at 2 weeks and 4 months after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of EPCs was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group after the treatment especially at 7 days (P<0.01). In both groups, BNP level was lowered significantly after the treatment to recover the normal level (P<0.01). The cardiac functions were improved in all the patients at 7 days and 4 months after the treatment, and the improvement was more obvious in the treatment group (P<0.05), especially in terms of LVEF at 4 months after the treatment (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EPC mobilization by G-CSF can effectively improve the cardiac functions and lessen ventricular remodeling in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction.</p>

Value of Doppler echocardiography derived myocardial energy expenditure measurements in chronic heart failure patients / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the relationship between myocardial energy expenditure (MEE) level and cardiac function in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 99 CHF patients were divided into 3 groups according to the LVEF (HFNEF > or = 50%, n = 37; HFREF1 35.1% - 49.9%, n = 30; HFREF2 < or = 35%, n = 32) or the New York Heart Association (NYHA II, n = 26; III, n = 42; IV, n = 31) criteria. Thirty patients with cardiovascular disease and without CHF served as controls. Routine examinations including serum CRP (ELISA) and plasma NT-proBNP (chemiluminescence sandwich ELISA) were made on the next morning after admission; echocardiography was performed on the third day after admission. LVMW, LVMWI, RWT, LVIDd, LA, LV, LVEF, LVFS, E/A, EDT, IVRT, Tei index and MEE were measured or calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MEE was significantly higher in HFREF patients than in controls (P < 0.01) and similar between HFNEF patients and controls (P > 0.05). MEE increased in proportion to decrease of LVEF and increase of NYHA grades in CHF patients (all P < 0.05). Bivariate analysis confirmed that MEE was significant correlated with LVMW, LVMWI, RWT, LVIDd, LA, LV, LVEF (r = -0.540, P < 0.01), LVFS (r = -0.454, P < 0.01), E/A, EDT, IVRT, Tei index, NYHA grades, CRP and NT-proBNP.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MEE derived from standard echocardiographic measurements is an effective indicator for myocardial bioenergetics and significantly correlated with cardiac function in CHF patients, especially in CHF patients with reduced LVEF.</p>