Huang S, et al. Exp Ther Med. 2020 Jan;19(1):61-66.
Huang S, et al., conducted a study to estimate the association of cathepsin S with coronary stenosis degree, carotid thickness, blood pressure, glucose and lipid metabolism, and vascular endothelial function in atherosclerosis patients.
Patients were divided into increased cathepsin S group (n=120) and normal cathepsin S group (n=120). The serum cathepsin S level and Gensini score comparison was observed between the healthy subjects and patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, as well as the link between serum cathepsin S level and Gensini score was also assessed. Comparison was also observed between the carotid thickness, mean arterial pressure and indexes related to glucose and lipid metabolism, along with vascular endothelial function. The association of the serum cathepsin S levels with carotid intima‑media thickness (IMT), mean arterial pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and nitric oxide (NO) was evaluated.
The serum cathepsin S level was 0.31±0.03 μg/l in normal participants, 0.45±0.05 μg/l in single‑vessel CAD participants, 0.53±0.08 μg/l in double‑vessel disease participants, and 0.71±0.17 μg/l in multi‑vessel disease participants. The multi‑vessel CAD participants showed greater serum cathepsin S level as compared to with double‑vessel and single‑vessel disease, and a higher level than the normal participants (F=7.493, p<0.05) (Figure 1). The Gensini scores were 2.5±0.3, 13.2±1.4, 36.4±2.8 and 67.1±3.5 points in normal participants, single‑vessel CAD participants, double‑vessel disease participants and participants with multi‑vessel disease, respectively. The participants with multi‑vessel CAD showed greater Gensini score as compared to with double‑vessel and single‑vessel disease, and a higher score vs. normal participants (F=9.201, p<0.05) (Figure 2). Positive association was observed between the serum cathepsin S level with Gensini score (r=0.9364, p<0.05) (Figure 3). Participants with enhanced serum cathepsin S level showed greater IMT (p<0.05), greater mean arterial pressure (p<0.05), FBG, FINS (p<0.05), TG, TC (p<0.05) and endothelin‑1 (p<0.05), whereas, lower NO level (p<0.05) as compared to those of healthy participants (Table 1). Positive association was observed between the serum cathepsin S level with IMT, mean arterial pressure, FBG and TC levels (p<0.05), whereas negative association was observed with NO level (p<0.05) (Figure 4).
Thus, significant association was detected between the serum cathepsin S level with the coronary stenosis degree, carotid thickness, blood pressure, glucose and lipid metabolism and vascular endothelial function. Increase in the severity of coronary stenosis, thickening of carotid artery, increase in blood pressure and significantly abnormal glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and vascular endothelial function was observed with increase in the level of serum cathepsin S.
Figure 1: Comparison of serum cathepsin S levels between healthy subjects and patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
Figure 2: Comparison of Gensini scores between healthy subjects and patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
Figure 3: Correlation analysis of the serum cathepsin S level and Gensini score.
Table 1: Comparison of carotid thickness, mean arterial pressure, and indexes related to glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as vascular endothelial function (mean ± SD) between the two groups.
Figure 4: Correlation analysis of the serum cathepsin S level with IMT, mean arterial pressure, fasting blood glucose, TC and NO.
