S100a8 and s100a9 are elevated in aortic wall from patients with moderate-and-severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PURPOSE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with systemic inflammation and cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis. S100A8 and S100A9 are pro-inflammatory proteins involved in atherogenesis, but their expression in the aortic walls of OSA patients remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the relationship between OSA severity and S100A8/S100A9 expression in aortic tissue from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

This study included 46 patients who underwent CABG. OSA severity was assessed using the WatchPAT™ home sleep apnea test, classifying patients into control and mild (0 < AHI < 15), and moderate to severe (AHI ≥ 15) OSA groups. Aortic wall samples were collected intraoperatively, and S100A8 and S100A9 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis compared protein expression across OSA severity groups.

RESULTS

Patients with moderate-to-severe OSA exhibited higher S100A8 and S100A9 expression in aortic tissue compared to control and mild OSA groups. The difference was statistically significant for S100A9 (p < 0.01), while S100A8 showed a non-significant increasing trend (p = 0.073).

CONCLUSION

This study provides novel evidence that S100A8 and S100A9 are overexpressed in the aortic walls of patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. These findings suggest a potential role for these proteins in OSA-related vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. Further research is needed to explore their potential as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in OSA-related cardiovascular disease.