Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Epidemiological studies using high-sensitivity assays for serum C-reactive protein have shown a consistent association between cardiovascular disease risk and serum C-reactive protein concentrations. C-reactive protein is a biomarker for inflammation, and has been established in clinical practice as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease events. There is evidence that serum C-reactive protein is an excellent biomarker of cardiovascular disease and is also an independent and strong predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Further characterization of the impact and influence of lifestyle exposures and genetic variation on the C-reactive protein response to cardiovascular disease events may have implications for the therapeutic approaches to reduce cardiovascular disease events. This review summarizes the studies that have examined the association between serum C-reactive protein and the risk of cardiovascular disease. We also discuss the impact of independent factors and C-reactive protein genetic polymorphisms on baseline plasma C-reactive protein levels.

Serum C-reactive protein in the prediction of cardiovascular diseases: Overview of the latest clinical studies and public health practice

Cross-talk between macrophages and smooth muscle cells impairs collagen and metalloprotease synthesis and promotes angiogenesis

Colchicine as a Novel Therapy for Suppressing Chemokine Production in Patients With an Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Fractalkine and placental growth factor: A duet of inflammation and angiogenesis in cardiovascular disorders.

Background: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an inflammatory marker that is associated with the outcomes of ischemic stroke. However, the role of hs-CRP levels in the functional outc...

The role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in functional outcomes in patients with large-artery atherosclerosis and small-artery occlusion.

Our aim was to investigate the role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism. Coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) were performed in 60 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients and 60 unstable angina pectoris (UAP) patients. The chemotactic activity of monocytes in the 2 groups of patients was examined in Transwell chambers. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), regulated on activation in normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and fractalkine in serum were examined with ELISA kits, and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was examined with real-time PCR. In the SAP group, 92 plaques were detected with IVUS. In the UAP group, 96 plaques were detected with IVUS. The plaques in the UAP group were mainly lipid 51.04% (49/96) and the plaques in the SAP group were mainly fibrous 52.17% (48/92). Compared with the SAP group, the plaque burden and vascular remodeling index in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Chemotactic activity and the number of mobile monocytes in the UAP group were significantly greater than in the SAP group (P<0.01). Concentrations of hs-CRP, MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine in the serum of the UAP group were significantly higher than in the serum of the SAP group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and expression of MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine mRNA was significantly higher than in the SAP group (P<0.05). MCP-1, RANTES, and fractalkine probably promote instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

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Q.F. Zhang

Papers

Role of chemokines in promoting instability of coronary atherosclerotic plaques and the underlying molecular mechanism