Expression of Myeloperoxidase in Patient-Derived Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells—Associations with Coronary Artery Disease and Mitochondrial Function

Abstract

Background and Aims: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays a critical role in the innate immune response and has been suggested to be a surrogate marker of oxidative stress and inflammation, with elevated levels implicated in cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and heart failure, as well as in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. While MPO is well-known in leukocytes, its expression and function in human endothelial cells remain unclear. This study investigates MPO expression in patient-derived endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) and its potential association with CAD and mitochondrial function. Methods: ECFCs were cultured from the peripheral blood of 93 BioHEART-CT patients. MPO expression and associated functions were examined using qRT-PCR, immunochemistry, flow cytometry, and MPO activity assays. CAD presence was defined using CT coronary angiography (CACS > 0). Results: We report MPO presence in patient-derived ECFCs for the first time. MPO protein expression occurred in 70.7% of samples (n = 41) which had nuclear co-localisation, an atypical observation given its conventional localisation in the granules of neutrophils and monocytes. This suggests potential alternative roles for MPO in nuclear processes. MPO mRNA expression was detected in 66.23% of samples (n = 77). CAD patients had a lower proportion of MPO-positive ECFCs compared to non-CAD controls (57.45% vs. 80%, p = 0.04), a difference that persisted in the statin-naïve sub-cohort (53.85% vs. 84.62%, p = 0.02). Non-CAD patients with MPO expression showed upregulated mitochondrial-antioxidant genes (AIFM2, TXNRD1, CAT, PRDX3, PRDX6). In contrast, CAD patients with MPO gene expression had heightened mROS production and mitochondrial mass and decreased mitochondrial function compared to that of CAD patients without MPO gene expression. Conclusions: MPO is present in the nucleus of ECFCs. In non-CAD ECFCs, MPO expression is linked to upregulated mitochondrial-antioxidant genes, whereas in CAD ECFCs, it is associated with greater mitochondrial dysfunction.

Keywords

• myeloperoxidase
• endothelial dysfunction
• endothelial colony forming cells
• coronary artery disease
• discovery