Wnt-5a as a potential novel biomarker in myocardial infarction

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, thus emphasizing a need for innovative approaches to their diagnostics, prevention and treatment. One of the promising areas is a fundamental role of a highly conservative Wnt signaling pathway. Wnt-5a is a Wnt ligand secreted by various cells, involved in the embryogenesis, homeostasis and body regeneration. Due to multifunctional, potentially contradictory Wnt-5a effects, additional studies are required in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of its involvement in pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease and to develop new diagnostic approaches using Wnt-5a as a promising biomarker. The purpose of the work was to study clinical significance of serum Wnt-5a level in acute myocardial infarction. The study included 70 young and middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction (Group I) admitted to the Orel Regional Clinical Hospital, and 20 healthy individuals (Group II, controls) matched for age and gender. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was diagnosed according to the clinical guidelines of the Russian Health Ministry. The level of Wnt-5a and IL-6 in the blood serum was determined in two replicates by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using Sunlong Biotech Co and Vector-Best reagent kits. Statistical calculations were performed in the StatTech online program. The study has shown that the median values of Wnt-5a were significantly lower in blood serum of AMI patients compared to healthy individuals. The lowest Wnt-5a values were observed on day 1 in patients with a history of myocardial infarction and extensive postinfarction cardiosclerosis, with a tendency for Wnt-5a increase by day 7, being associated with severe course of myocardial infarction. In patients with typical myocardial infarction, a decrement of Wnt-5a values was noted by day 7 of the pathological process. The maximum Wnt-5a values were recorded in patients with calcification of heart valves and coronary vessels. We have found an inverse correlation between Wnt-5a and IL-6 associated with inflammatory process in myocardial infarction. The obtained results suggest a value of Wnt-5a as a potential biomarker of acute myocardial infarction, requiring further reserach on its cardioprotective role aiming at development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.