Expression of endothelin converting enzyme mRNA in patients with acute cerebral infarction and its clinical significance / 临床神经病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of endothelin converting enzyme (ECE) mRNA in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and its clinical significance.Methods Blood samples from 40 patients with ACI (patient group) within 72 hours after the onset of ACI and 28 gender and age-matched healthy subjects (control group) were collected on admission. Plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) as well as the serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein,high density lipoprotein, apoA1, apoB, lipoprotein a and fasting plasma glucose in each sample were measured and analyzed. Additionally, semi-quantitative RT-PCR was performed to check the ECE mRNA level in the blood cells. European stroke scale (ESS) was used to evaluate ACI patients' neurological deficit on admission.Results (1) ECE mRNA could be detected in every blood sample from either patient group or control group. However, the ECE mRNA level increased significantly in the patient group compared with that in the control group (0.31?0.092 versus 0.25?0.10, t=2.46, P=0.016). (2) The plasma ET-1 concentration in patient group was also significantly higher than that of control subjects (183.27?56.63pg/ml versus 156.47?34.24 pg/ml, t=2.23, P=0.029). (3) Plasma ET-1 concentration was negatively correlated with ECE mRNA level in the control group (r=-0.452, P=0.021). However, the result in the patient group was not the same as the control group. (4) The ET-1 concentration and ECE mRNA level in the patients had histories of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and stroke were not significantly different from those in the patients without these histories. (5) No significant correlation existed between plasma ET-1 concentration and ECE mRNA level and age of the patient, ESS score, fasting plasma glucose and serum lipid. Conclusions ECE mRNA level is significantly increased in the early stage of ACI, which may be associated with the acute-phase reaction of cerebral infarction and may have deleterious effects on the development of neuronal injury. Our results suggest the protective reflection in the endothelin system of normal human body may be disturbed by the onset of ACI. The relationship between ECE mRNA level and neurological deficit degree, stroke risk factors is worthy for further study.