Novel relationships between the ICAD, CD53, GRM1, and GSTmu protein levels and atherosclerosis and cardiovascular outcomes

The levels of glutathione S-transferase Mu1 (GSTmu), DNA fragmentation factor subunit (DFF45/ICAD), interleukin-6 (IL-6), leukocyte surface antigen (CD53), and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (GRM1) were shown to differ between the small selected groups of patients with severe and minor coronary lesions by microarray assays. In the total cohort, only ICAD was linked to type 2 diabetes and presence of coronary artery stenosis regardless of the severity of stenosis. CD53 was specifically associated with severe degree of coronary stenosis. GRM1 was associated with the presence of coronary stenosis and cardiovascular outcomes. IL6 was associated with femoral stenosis >70% and with diabetes, and GSTmu was associated with brachiocephalic stenosis >60% and with diabetes. Only GRM1 was a predictor of surrogate endpoint outcome, with inverse associations with coronary stenosis and surrogate endpoint outcome (r= -0.24 and P=0.025 and r= -0.31 and P=0.007, respectively).