The significance of CD105, TGF beta and CD105/TGF beta complexes in coronary artery disease

We have quantified levels of CD105, its ligand TGF beta and receptor-ligand complexes in sera from healthy individuals (n = 31), patients with triple vessel disease documented by coronary angiography (TVD; n = 36) and patients with chest pain and a positive exercise electrocardiogram but with normal coronary angiogram (NCA; n = 30). Both active TGF beta 1 and active plus acid-activatable TGF beta 1 [(a + 1)TGF beta 1] were significantly depressed in patients with TVD compared with the other two groups (P less than or equal to 0.04). CD105 levels in TVD patients were also diminished but elevated in NCA patients. In contrast, patients with TVD had more CD105/TGF beta 1 complex in their sera than the other two groups, suggesting that this may be the reason why TVD patients had low levels of receptor and ligand. TGF beta 3 levels were similar in the three groups, but elevated CD105/TGF beta 3 levels were noted in patients with NCA compared with those with TVD and healthy individuals (P less than or equal to 0.02). CD105 was correlated with both active TGF beta 1 and (a + 1)TGF beta 1 (P = 0.02). CD105 also strongly correlated with TGF beta 3 and CD105/TGF beta 3 complexes (P = 0.001 in both cases). The changes in levels of CD105, TGF beta 1 and the receptor-ligand complexes in sera of patients with atherosclerosis suggest that these molecules may be important in the pathobiology of the atherosclerotic disease. Further studies on sequential samples from a larger cohort of patients are needed to define a causal relationship between these molecules and the disease progression. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.