INSERM UMR 1033, University of Lyon, F-69437 Lyon, France.
Eur J Endocrinol. 2012 Dec;167(6):873-80. doi: 10.1530/EJE-12-0512. Epub 2012 Sep 11.
To assess the association between abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and serum levels of myostatin, a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass, which has been implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions in mice.
We assessed AAC semiquantitatively from the lateral spine scans obtained using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in 1071 men aged 20-87 years. Serum myostatin levels were measured by an immunoassay that detects all myostatin forms.
Total myostatin serum levels did not differ between men with or without self-reported ischemic heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus. Total serum myostatin levels were higher in men with higher serum calcium levels and lower in men with higher serum concentrations of highly sensitive C-reactive protein. Men with AAC had lower myostatin levels compared with men without AAC. Prevalence of AAC (AAC score > 0) was lower in the highest myostatin quartile compared with the three lower quartiles (P < 0.05). After adjustment for confounders, odds of AAC (AAC score > 0) were lower (OR=0.62; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.45-0.85; P< 0.005) for the fourth myostatin quartile vs the three lower quartiles combined. In the sub-analysis of 745 men aged 60 years, the results were similar: AAC prevalence was lower in the highest myostatin quartile compared with the three lower quartiles combined (OR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.38-0.78; P<0.001).
In older men, total myostatin serum levels are inversely correlated with AAC. Further studies are needed to investigate mechanisms underlying this association and to assess utility of myostatin as a cardiovascular marker.
评估腹主动脉钙化（AAC）与肌肉生长抑制素（一种负向调节骨骼肌质量的因子）血清水平之间的相关性。肌肉生长抑制素在小鼠动脉粥样硬化病变的发生中发挥作用。
我们通过双能 X 射线吸收法（DXA）对 1071 名年龄在 20-87 岁的男性的脊柱侧位扫描进行半定量评估。采用免疫测定法检测所有肌肉生长抑制素形式，测量血清肌肉生长抑制素水平。
在有无自述缺血性心脏病、高血压或糖尿病的男性中，总血清肌肉生长抑制素水平无差异。血清钙水平较高的男性总血清肌肉生长抑制素水平较高，而血清高敏 C 反应蛋白浓度较高的男性总血清肌肉生长抑制素水平较低。与无 AAC 的男性相比，AAC 男性的肌肉生长抑制素水平较低。在最高四分位的肌肉生长抑制素中，AAC（AAC 评分>0）的患病率低于后三个四分位（P<0.05）。在校正混杂因素后，与后三个四分位相比，第四个四分位的 AAC（AAC 评分>0）的比值比（OR）为 0.62（95%置信区间（95%CI），0.45-0.85；P<0.005）。在年龄 60 岁的 745 名男性的亚分析中，结果相似：与后三个四分位相比，最高四分位的 AAC 患病率较低（OR=0.54；95%CI，0.38-0.78；P<0.001）。
在老年男性中，总血清肌肉生长抑制素水平与 AAC 呈负相关。需要进一步研究以探讨这种相关性的机制，并评估肌肉生长抑制素作为心血管标志物的效用。
