Proteomics reveals high levels of vitamin D binding protein in myocardial infarction

Abstract

The pathogenic mechanisms underlying the disease processes in cardiovascular disease are likely to involve significant alterations in myocardial gene and protein expression. Proteomics analysis can define new protein and peptide changes associated with myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of the present study was to analyze serum proteome of patients with ST-Elevation MI (STEMI). Serum samples were collected from STEMI patients (age 65.0+/-10.3) at 5.3+/-2.7 hours after the onset of typical chest pain and before initiating standard therapy. Ten age- and sex-matched donors were used as controls. The samples were albumin- and IgG-depleted. Isotopecoded affinity tag method was employed to label cysteine residues and liquid chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry analysis was performed to measure the labelled proteins. Our proteomic approach identified increased levels of vitamin D-binding protein precursor (VDB) in the serum from STEMI patients compared to control donors. Western blot analysis confirmed the increase in VDB protein in STEMI patients. Moreover, fresh thrombotic plaques, obtained during primary angioplasty, showed high expression of VDB protein. Finally, VDB protein reduced the aggregation rate and prolonged coagulation time.