Proteomics early after heart transplantation and relation to coronary intimal changes and prognosis
JHLT Open, 2024
Dalsgaard R., Clemmensen T., Eiskjær H., Poulsen S., Bjerre K.
| Disease area | Application area | Sample type | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
CVD | Patient Stratification | Plasma |  Olink Target 96 |
Abstract
Background
Long-term survival after heart transplantation (HTx) is limited by cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). The pathogenesis of CAV is poorly understood, and treatment has not yet been well-established. In this exploratory study, we aimed to identify novel immune and non-immune biomarkers correlated to CAV development, and biomarkers predicting CAV related events.
Methods
Using a proteomic panel, 92 cardiovascular disease-related proteins were evaluated in 26 de novo HTx patients at 3- and 12-months post transplantation. Intima area changes were assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) included significant CAV progression, heart failure, and cardiovascular death.
Results
Median follow up was 6.8 years. We found changes in four inflammatory biomarkers: Matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) were significantly increased after 3 months in the group of patients with highest intima proliferation, and after 12 months in patients experiencing MACE, respectively. Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) was increased after 12 months in patients experiencing MACE. Platelet derived growth factor subunit A (PDGF-A) was significantly increased after 3 months in the group of patients with highest intima proliferation.
Conclusions
We identified four biomarkers that may be associated with CAV development which differed significantly between groups of intima proliferation and MACE; MMP-2, MMP-3, MCP-1 and PDGF-A. Further studies are needed to examine whether our findings offer the basis to seek for new markers of graft vasculopathy or treatment options.