ELEVATED PLASMA-LEVELS OF SOLUBLE P-SELECTIN IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION AND UNSTABLE ANGINA - AN INVERSE LINK TO LIPOPROTEIN(A)

P-selectin in platelets and endothelial cells mediates adhesive: inter actions between platelet, leukocyte and endothelium to form thrombi. T he purpose of the present study was to investigate the plasma level of soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) in patients with coronary heart dise ase and the relationship between sP-selectin and plasma concentration of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. Levels of sP-selectin and Lp(a) were determ ined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay on plasma taken from patie nts with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), old myocardial infarction (OMI), unstable angina (UA), stable angina (SA) and the controls. In p atients with AMI and UA, sP-selectin levels (79.62+/-3.82 ng/ml, 43.75 +/-2.97 ng/ml, respectively) were significantly higher (P<0.01) than t hose in patients with OMI (15.92+/-1.34 ng/ml), SA (15.31+/-1.51 ng/ml ), and the controls (14.93+/-1.33 ng/ml), but there was no difference between AMI and UA groups. Among all subjects studied, there was an in verse correlation between Lp(a) and sP-selectin (r=-0.315 P<0.001). Th ese findings indicate that plasma levels of sP-selectin are increased in patients with AMI and UA, and high levels of soluble P-selectin may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary events. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd.