Regulation of CD163 Receptor in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Associations with Antioxidant Enzymes HO-1 and NQO1
Bianca Hamann,
Anna Klimova,
Felicia Klotz,
Frieda Frank,
Christian Jänichen,
Marvin Kapalla,
Pamela Sabarstinski,
Steffen Wolk,
Henning Morawietz,
David M. Poitz,
Anja Hofmann,
Christian Reeps
Affiliations
Bianca Hamann
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Anna Klimova
Core Unit Data Management and Analytics, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Felicia Klotz
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Frieda Frank
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Christian Jänichen
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Marvin Kapalla
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Pamela Sabarstinski
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Steffen Wolk
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Henning Morawietz
Division of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
David M. Poitz
Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Anja Hofmann
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Christian Reeps
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Red blood cells are found within the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), in the intraluminal thrombus (ILT), and in neovessels. Hemolysis promotes aortic degeneration, e.g., by heme-induced reactive oxygen species formation. To reduce its toxicity, hemoglobin is endocytosed by the CD163 receptor and heme is degraded by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). A soluble form (sCD163) is discussed as an inflammatory biomarker representing the activation of monocytes and macrophages. HO-1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) are antioxidant genes that are induced by the Nrf2 transcription factor, but their regulation in AAA is only poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to analyze linkages between CD163, Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 and to clarify if plasma sCD163 has diagnostic and risk stratification potential. Soluble CD163 was 1.3-fold (p = 0.015) higher in AAA compared to patients without arterial disease. The difference remained significant after adjusting for age and sex. sCD163 correlated with the thickness of the ILT (rs = 0.26; p = 0.02) but not with the AAA diameter or volume. A high aneurysmal CD163 mRNA was connected to increases in NQO1, HMOX1, and Nrf2 mRNA. Further studies are needed to analyze the modulation of the CD163/HO-1/NQO1 pathway with the overall goal of minimizing the detrimental effects of hemolysis.
