Increased circulating plasma lysophosphatidic acid in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Background: The platelet activator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has recently been identified as an ingredient in oxidized LDL and it has been isolated from atherosclerotic plaques. The lysophospholipase D activity of autotaxin produces LPA extracellularly from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). The present study determines whether circulating LPA is associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: We enrolled 141 consecutive patients (age, 62.6 +/- 3.8 y; male, 69.2%) with ACS (n = 38), stable angina pectoris (SAP; n = 72) or angiographically normal coronary arteries (NCA; n = 31). The relationships between LPA and other established biomarkers were examined. Concentrations of plasma LPA were determined using an enzymatic assay. Results: Concentrations of LPA significantly correlated with LPC (r = 0.549), autotaxin (r = 0.370) and LDL-C (r = 0.307) (all p<0.01). Lysophosphatidic acid concentrations were significantly higher in patients with ACS than with SAP and NCA (p<0.01), but did not significantly differ between patients with SAP and NCA. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the highest LPA tertile was independently associated with ACS (odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI: 1.18-3.39, p = 0.02). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that increased circulating plasma LPA concentrations are significantly associated with ACS. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.