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Thromb Haemost 2005; 93(02): 346-350
DOI: 10.1160/TH04-08-0493
Cell Signalling and Vessel Remodelling
Schattauer GmbH

Antibodies to N-homocysteinylated albumin as a marker for earlyonset coronary artery disease in men

Anetta Undas
1   Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland
,
Milosz Jankowski
1   Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland
,
Magdalena Twardowska
1   Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland
,
Agnieszka Padjas
1   Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland
,
Hieronim Jakubowski
2   Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland,
3   Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, International Center for Public Health, Newark, New Jersey, USA
,
Andrzej Szczeklik
1   Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland
› Author AffiliationsFinancial support: This work was supported by the American Heart Association (to H. J.).
Further Information

Publication History

Received 11 August 2004

Accepted after revision 20 January 2004

Publication Date:
11 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

N-homocysteinylated (Nε-Hcy) proteins and corresponding antibodies have recently been discovered in humans and animals. Increased autoimmune response to Nε -Hcy-proteins has been reported in stroke patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether antibodies against N-homocysteinylated albumin are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD).We studied 88 male patients aged 50 years or under with angiographically documented CAD and 100 age-matched apparently healthy men as controls. Serum levels of IgG antibodies against Nε-Hcy-albumin were determined using an enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Seropositivity to anti-Nε -Hcy-albumin antibodies was 5-fold more frequent in CAD patients than in controls (52.3 % vs 10.0 %; p<0.0001). Plasma Hcy levels in CAD patients were also significantly higher in the former than in the latter group (medians, 13.0 μ M vs 12.1 μ M; p=0.026). Importantly, 41.2% of subjects with plasma total Hcy >14.5 mM were seropositive compared with 25.5 % of normohomocysteinemic individuals (p=0.048).There was a weak correlation between anti-Nε-Hcy-albumin antibodies and Hcy levels (r=0.16; p=0.03). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, seropositivity to anti-Nε-Hcy-albumin antibodies was an independent predictor of early CAD (OR, 14.82; 95% CI, 4.47 to 49.19; p=0.00002). Interestingly, anti-Nε-Hcy-albumin antibodies were associated with C-reactive protein levels (r=0.24; p=0.002). Seropositivity to anti-Nε-Hcy-albumin antibodies showed no association with the MTHFR C677T polymorphism. Our results suggest that seropositivity to antibodies against Nε-homocysteinylated albumin is associated with early-onset CAD. An autoimmune response to Nε-Hcy-albumin may represent a novel mechanism involved in the early development of CAD.

Keywords

Antibodies - homocysteine - coronary artery disease
 

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