Increased levels of sCD40L (soluble CD40 ligand) have been associated with enhanced in vivo platelet activation, and may represent a molecular link between inflammation and a prothrombotic state. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between platelet activation, endothelial dysfunction, low-grade inflammation and sCD40L in patients with hypertension with or without MA (microalbuminuria). A cross-sectional comparison of sCD40L levels was performed in 25 patients with MH (essential hypertension with MA) pair-matched for gender and age with 25 patients with EH (essential hypertension) and 25 HS (healthy subjects with normotension). Circulating levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), a marker of inflammation, sP-selectin (soluble P-selectin), a marker of in vivo platelet activation, and ADMA (asymmetric dimethylarginine) and vWF (von Willebrand factor), markers of endothelial dysfunction, were analysed in each subject. sCD40L levels were increased in patients with MH compared with either patients with EH (P<0.001) or HS (P<0.0001). A highly significant correlation between plasma sCD40L and sP-selectin (P<0.0001), vWF (P<0.001) or CRP levels (P<0.05) was observed in patients with MH. Multivariate regression analysis showed that sP-selectin was the strongest independent predictor of sCD40L levels (P<0.0001) in patients with MH. Patients with hypertension with both vWF and CRP levels above the median had the highest sCD40L levels (P<0.0001). Factorial ANOVA of all of the patients with hypertension confirmed that only patients with MH with low-grade inflammation had elevated levels of sCD40L. In conclusion, sCD40L levels appear to discriminate a subset of patients characterized by MA and low-grade inflammation, suggesting that inhibition of the CD40/CD40L system may represent a potential therapeutic target in subjects with hypertension at a high risk of cardiovascular events.
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March 2008
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Research Article|
February 12 2008
Association of low-grade inflammation and platelet activation in patients with hypertension with microalbuminuria
Patrizia Ferroni;
Patrizia Ferroni
*Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
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Maria Teresa Guagnano;
Maria Teresa Guagnano
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
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Angela Falco;
Angela Falco
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
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Vincenzo Paoletti;
Vincenzo Paoletti
‡Department of Medical Therapy, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
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Maria Rosaria Manigrasso;
Maria Rosaria Manigrasso
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
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Noemi Michetti;
Noemi Michetti
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
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Francesca Santilli;
Francesca Santilli
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
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Fiorella Guadagni;
Fiorella Guadagni
*Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
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Stefania Basili;
Stefania Basili
‡Department of Medical Therapy, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
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Giovanni Davì
†Center of Excellence on Aging, “G. d'Annunzio” University Foundation and Department of Medicine and Aging, University of Chieti “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
Correspondence: Professor Giovanni Davì (email gdavi@unich.it).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 31 2007
Revision Received:
October 31 2007
Accepted:
November 07 2007
Accepted Manuscript online:
November 07 2007
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 Biochemical Society
2008
Clin Sci (Lond) (2008) 114 (6): 449–455.
Article history
Received:
August 31 2007
Revision Received:
October 31 2007
Accepted:
November 07 2007
Accepted Manuscript online:
November 07 2007
Citation
Patrizia Ferroni, Maria Teresa Guagnano, Angela Falco, Vincenzo Paoletti, Maria Rosaria Manigrasso, Noemi Michetti, Francesca Santilli, Fiorella Guadagni, Stefania Basili, Giovanni Davì; Association of low-grade inflammation and platelet activation in patients with hypertension with microalbuminuria. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 March 2008; 114 (6): 449–455. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20070307
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