Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Hoshigaoka Medical Center, Japan Community Healthcare Organization (JCHO).
J Atheroscler Thromb. 2018 Apr 1;25(4):350-358. doi: 10.5551/jat.41335. Epub 2017 Nov 1.
Alpha-2-macroglobulin (MG) is thought to be associated with inflammatory reactions and procoagulant properties that might cause ischemic stroke. Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in atherosclerosis development and in the occurrence of cardiovascular events. In this study, we investigated whether serum MG levels, endothelial function, and endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) number were associated in patients with chronic stroke or cardiovascular risk factors.
Patients with a history of stroke or any established cardiovascular risk factors were enrolled in this study (n=102; 69 men, 70.1±9.2 years). Endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). EPC numbers (CD34＋/CD133＋) were measured using flow cytometry (n=91). Serum MG levels were measured by nephelometry.
Patients in the highest tertile of serum MG levels were older (P=0.019) and more frequently exhibited dyslipidemia (P=0.021). Univariate-regression analysis revealed that increased MG levels were negatively associated with FMD values (r=-0.25; P=0.010), whereas increased EPC numbers were positively associated (r=0.21; P=0.044). Multivariate-regression analysis adjusted for male gender, hypertension, and severe white-matter lesions showed that serum MG levels were independently associated with FMD values (standardized partial regression coefficient [β] -0.185; P=0.033), although not significantly associated with EPC numbers.
Serum MG levels might reflect endothelial dysfunction evaluated by FMD in patients with chronic stroke or cardiovascular risk factors.
α-2-巨球蛋白（MG）被认为与炎症反应和促凝特性有关，这些特性可能导致缺血性中风。内皮功能障碍在动脉粥样硬化发展和心血管事件发生中起着重要作用。在这项研究中，我们研究了慢性中风或心血管危险因素患者的血清 MG 水平、内皮功能和内皮祖细胞（EPC）数量之间是否存在相关性。
本研究纳入了有中风病史或任何已确立的心血管危险因素的患者（n=102；69 名男性，70.1±9.2 岁）。通过血流介导的扩张（FMD）评估内皮功能。使用流式细胞术（n=91）测量 EPC 数量（CD34＋/CD133＋）。通过散射光比浊法测量血清 MG 水平。
血清 MG 水平最高三分位的患者年龄更大（P=0.019），血脂异常更为常见（P=0.021）。单因素回归分析显示，MG 水平升高与 FMD 值呈负相关（r=-0.25；P=0.010），而 EPC 数量增加与 FMD 值呈正相关（r=0.21；P=0.044）。多因素回归分析调整了男性性别、高血压和严重的白质病变，显示血清 MG 水平与 FMD 值独立相关（标准化偏回归系数[β] -0.185；P=0.033），尽管与 EPC 数量无显著相关性。
血清 MG 水平可能反映了慢性中风或心血管危险因素患者的 FMD 评估的内皮功能障碍。
