sJAM-C as a Potential Biomarker for Coronary Artery Stenosis: Insights from a Clinical Study in Coronary Heart Disease Patients.

Abstract

Purpose: Coronary artery stenosis caused by atherogenesis is a major pathological link in coronary heart disease (CHD), which is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Junctional adhesion molecule C (JAM-C) presents more and more association with atherosclerosis. However, no studies have shown the relationship between soluble JAM-C (sJAM-C) and the degree of coronary artery stenosis. This study aimed to analyze the effect of sJAM-C on coronary artery stenosis and to verify whether sJAM-C could be a biomarker for coronary artery stenosis.

Patients and methods: The participants registered at the Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University in the cross-sectional study. A total of 121 patients without coronary stenosis and 408 patients with coronary artery stenosis were enrolled after matching age and sex. Demographic information, medication history, and laboratory data were collected. The level of serum sJAM-C was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. We used the logistic regression model to evaluate the association between sJAM-C and coronary artery stenosis. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of sJAM-C on coronary artery stenosis.

Results: The serum level of sJAM-C was remarkably higher in patients with coronary artery stenosis than those without stenosis (p < 0.0001). Logistic regression models showed that there were positive association between serum sJAM-C level and coronary artery stenosis after adjustment, with corresponding ORs were 3.088 (95% CI 1.922-4.960, p < 0.0001). And the ROC curve revealed a sensitivity of 65.7% and specificity of 60.3% with AUC of 0.676 (95% CI 0.622-0.730) for the diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis with serum sJAM-C at a cut-off value of 18.1 pg/mL, indicating a certain diagnostic value.

Conclusion: In summary, higher serum sJAM-C level was possibly associated with the more severe coronary artery stenosis. Additionally, sJAM-C demonstrates a certain diagnostic value of coronary artery stenosis. These findings suggest sJAM-C may be a biomarker for coronary artery stenosis.