Researchers have discovered a new possible indicator for cardiovascular disease in women. A recent study highlights a connection between low levels of an anti-inflammatory antibody and the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack or coronary heart disease.
At the Karolinska Institutet, researchers have pinpointed a new potential indicator of cardiovascular disease specifically for women. Their latest study reveals a link between reduced levels of an anti-inflammatory antibody and the increased risk of heart attacks and coronary heart disease. This research is featured in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.
In Sweden, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for both genders. Nonetheless, there has been a historical lack of research focusing on women’s heart health. Generally, women experience these conditions later in life compared to men, often facing additional risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart failure. This new study indicates that low levels of antibodies targeting the fatty substance phosphorylcholine, known as anti-PC, may serve as a new independent risk marker for cardiovascular diseases in older women. Prior studies have indicated this trend in men as well.
“We have demonstrated that low levels of the natural antibody to phosphorylcholine can serve as an indicator for cardiovascular disease risk in women, regardless of other known risk factors. Our past research has shown that this antibody has anti-inflammatory properties, which protect against atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the blood vessel walls,” explains Johan Frostegård, a Professor of Medicine at the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Head of the Immunology and Chronic Disease Unit.
The research was carried out using the Swedish Mammography Cohort (SMC), involving 932 women with an average age of 66, tracked over a period of 16 years. Out of these participants, 113 women developed cardiovascular disease. The findings indicate that women with higher levels of the anti-PC antibody had a 25 percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease and experiencing heart attacks. However, the study does not specify which levels of this antibody are considered protective.
“We now need to investigate further to ascertain what level of anti-PC might be identified as a risk threshold, similar to established levels for high blood pressure, for instance. We are currently planning a larger study that will involve both men and women with the aim of pinpointing such a level,” notes Johan Frostegård.
The researchers are optimistic that their findings could assist in the development of a vaccine aimed at combating atherosclerosis, potentially increasing anti-PC levels in individuals identified as having dangerously low levels.
This research received funding from the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, the Swedish Science Fund, the King Gustaf V Foundation’s 80th Anniversary Fund, and the EU consortium CVDIMMUNE. Johan Frostegård is a co-founder of Annexin Pharmaceuticals and holds patents concerning anti-PC.
