Abstract:
Blood cell infiltration and inflammation are involved in atrial remodeling during atrial fibrillation (AF) although the exact mechanisms of inflammatory cell recruitment remain poorly understood. Platelet-bound stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is increased in cases of hibernating myocardium and regulates recruitment of CXCR4+ cells on vascular wall. Whether platelet-bound SDF-1 levels are differentially influenced by nonvalvular paroxysmal or permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been reported so far.
A total of 1291 consecutive patients with CAD undergoing coronary angiography were recruited. Among patients with SAP, patients with paroxysmal AF, but not with persistent/permanent AF, presented with increased platelet-bound SDF-1 expression (P<0.05) compared to sinus rhythm (SR). Plasma SDF-1 was only increased in patients with persistent/permanent AF compared to SR, independent of clinical presentation of CAD (P<0.05 for both). Platelet-bound SDF-1 correlated with plasma SDF-1 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with AF. Interestingly, compared to patients with SR, patients with paroxysmal or persistent/permanent AF presented with an impaired platelet-bound SDF-1 expression enhancement in patients with ACS compared to SAP.
AF seems to influence the levels of platelet-bound and plasma SDF-1 which may affect progenitor cell mobilisation and inflammatory cell recruitment in patients with AF and inschemic heart disease. Further in vivo studies are called to elucidate the role of SDF-1 in atrial remodeling and atrial fibrillation course.