CRP - extracellular vesicles interactions: systems-based approaches to cardiovascular diseases in order to discovery new biomarkers
The overall goal of this project is to identify, verify and apply biomarkers for the early diagnosis or risk assessment of cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that the combination of the commonly used diagnostic and prognostic markers with the circulating extracellular vesicle pattern and the data analysed by computer tomography will result a more sensitive method for the risk assessment of cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesize that combination of circulating extracellular vesicle (EV) pattern, inflammatory parameters, clinical laboratory measurements and coronary CTA may enhance the sensitivity of risk estimation of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Using an in vitro model system, we confirmed that EVs influence the cell-mediated cytolysis. We certified that EVs bind CRP, and we could also prove that CRP affects the immunoglobulin binding ability of EVs. In addition, we demonstrated that the intercellular glucose concentration modifies the immunoglobulin binding ability of EVs.
Twenty-five CVD patients and 3 healthy age-, gender- and BMI-matched control persons were enrolled to the study until now. Both their laboratory measurements and coronary CTA analysis were completed. In 15 cases the circulating EV pattern was also characterized by multicolor flow cytometry. A clinical data base was also created for further analysis.
Pál Maurovich Horváth - Éva Pállinger