The Role of ADAMTS1 and Versican in Human Myocardial Infarction: A Postmortem Study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif (ADAMTS1) and fragmented versican in the myocardial infarction (MI) process in humans and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ADAMTS1 for postmortem diagnosis of MI.

METHODS

Thirty autopsied individuals were allocated into 2 groups, namely, a study group of individuals who died of myocardial infarction (n = 20), and a control group who died of trauma (n = 10). We performed standard immunohistochemical staining on myocardial tissue specimens, studying anti-ADAMTS1, anti-versican, and anti-versican C terminal peptide sequence (DPEAAE) fragments.

RESULTS

Strong, diffuse staining was observed throughout myocardial tissue for ADAMTS1 in the 2 groups. However, in the study group, we observed no expression for ADAMTS1 around fibrotic areas but detected slight staining in coagulative and necrotic zones.

CONCLUSION

Similar localizations of ADAMTS and fragmented versican in human heart tissue indicate that versican presumably is cleaved by ADAMTS1. Hence, ADAMTS1 can be regarded as a new marker for postmortem differential diagnosis of MI.