Longitudinal profile of circulating endothelial cells in post-acute coronary syndrome patients

• Published in: Biomarkers Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 152 - 159
• Main Authors: de Bakker, Marie, Kraan, Jaco, Akkerhuis, K. Martijn, Oemrawsingh, Rohit, Asselbergs, Folkert W., Hoefer, Imo, Kardys, Isabella, Boersma, Eric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 17-02-2023
• Subjects: acute coronary syndrome; Acute Coronary Syndrome - diagnosis; Aged; atherosclerosis; Biomarkers; cardiovascular disease; Case-Control Studies; Circulating endothelial cells; Endothelial Cells; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; repeated measurements; vascular injury; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; vascular injury; Circulating endothelial cells; acute coronary syndrome; repeated measurements
• ISSN: 1354-750X; 1366-5804
• DOI: 10.1080/1354750X.2022.2162966

Introduction
Patients who have experienced an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at risk of a recurrent event, but their level of risk varies. Because of their close temporal relationship with vascular injury, longitudinal measurements of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) carry potential to improve individual risk assessment.
Methods
We conducted an explorative nested case-control study within our multicenter, prospective, observational biomarker study (BIOMArCS) of 844 ACS patients. Following an index ACS, high-frequency blood sampling was performed during 1-year follow-up. CECs were identified using flow cytometric analyses in 15 cases with recurrent event, and 30 matched controls.
Results
Cases and controls had a median (25
th
-75
th
percentile) age of 64.1 (58.1-75.1) years and 80% were men. During the months preceding the endpoint, the mean (95%CI) CEC concentration in cases was persistently higher than in controls (12.8 [8.2-20.0] versus 10.0 [7.0-14.4] cells/ml), although this difference was non-significant (P = 0.339). In controls, the mean cell concentration was significantly (P = 0.030) lower in post 30-day samples compared to samples collected within one day after index ACS: 10.1 (7.5-13.6) versus 17.0 (10.8-26.6) cells/ml. Similar results were observed for CEC subsets co-expressing CD133 and CD309 (VEGFR-2) or CD106 (VCAM-1).
Conclusion
Despite their close relation to vascular damage, no increase in cell concentrations were found prior to the occurrence of a secondary adverse cardiac event.