Activin a and follistatin in chronic heart failure

Howaida Nounou, Azza Hassan, Hanan AbdelAziz
2007 Bulletin of Egyptian Society for Physiological Sciences  
Activin A a member of TGF-B superfamily has been involved in several pathologic processes. It is also accused to have a pathognomonic role in atherogenesis and the development of heart failure. Its activity is regulated by a glycoprotein called follistatin that bind activin preventing its function. uPA is a serine protease that activates plasminogen thus initiating a cascade of fibrinolysis and extra cellular proteolysis. The aim of this study is to assess the role of activin A, follistatin and
more » ... uPA in patients with chronic heart failure and to find if there is any correlation among their levels. The present study was conducted on 30 patients with chronic heart failure as a result of cardiomyopathy or ischemic heart diseases (group I). There were 20 healthy subjects of matched age and sex involved in the study as a control group (group II). In both groups serum activin A, follistatin, uPA and lipid profile that included serum T.G, total cholesterol, LDLc and HDLc were estimated. Results: there was a significant increase in serum activin A and follistatin and a significant decrease of uPA in group I as compared to controls. As regard to lipid profile there was a significant increase in serum T.G, serum total cholesterol and serum LDLc in group I than group II while there was a significant decrease in patients than the controls regarding HDLc. There was significant positive correlation between activin A and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in group 1. Conclusion: activin A/follistatin system may play a role in the pathogenesis of heart failure; also uPA could be suggested to have an important role in atherosclerosis and ischemic vascular disease that predisposes to heart failure due to the possible role of activin A cytokine in the fibrinolytic activity of uPA.
doi:10.21608/besps.2007.37122 fatcat:nje6xauddnc2ngwgwg7txgrfma