Increased plasma YKL-40/chitinase-3-like-protein-1 is associated with endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea

PLoS One. 2014 May 30;9(5):e98629. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098629. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder affecting 15-24% of the adults and is associated with increased risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis. The exact mechanisms underlying hypertension in OSA are not entirely clear. YKL-40/Chitinase-3-like protein-1 is a circulating moiety with roles in injury, repair and angiogenesis that is dysregulated in atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. We sought to determine the role of YKL-40 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.

Methods: We studies 23 normotensive OSA (N-OSA) and 14 hypertensive OSA (H-OSA) without diabetes and apparent cardiovascular disease. Endothelial-dependent nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatory capacity was assessed by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). YKL-40, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the soluble form of VEGF receptor-1 or sFlt-1 were measured in plasma using ELISA methodology.

Results: N-OSA subjects aged 49.1 ± 2.3 years and H-OSA aged 51.3 ± 1.9 years with BMI 36.1 ± 1.6 and 37.6 ± 1.9 kg/m(2), respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 41 ± 5 events/hr in N-OSA and 46 ± 6 in H-OSA with comparable degree of oxygen desaturations during sleep. FMD was markedly impaired in H-OSA (8.3% ± 0.8) compared to N-OSA (13.2% ± 0.6, P<0.0001). Plasma YKL-40 was significantly elevated in H-OSA (55.2 ± 7.9 ng/ml vs. 35.6 ± 4.2 ng/ml in N-OSA, P = 0.02) and had an inverse relationship with FMD (r = -0.52, P = 0.013). There was a significant positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF, a measure of decreased VEGF availability, and YKL-40 (r = 0.42, P = 0.04).

Conclusion: The levels of plasma YKL-40 were elevated in H-OSA group and inversely correlated with the endothelial-dependent vasodilatory capacity whereas there was a positive correlation between sFlt-1/VEGF and YKL-40. These findings suggest that YKL-40 is dysregulated, in part, due to perturbation of VEGF signaling, and may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in OSA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adipokines / blood*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / pathology
  • Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
  • Diabetes Mellitus / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus / pathology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / blood
  • Hypertension / metabolism
  • Hypertension / pathology
  • Lectins / blood*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Plasma / metabolism
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / blood*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / metabolism
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / pathology*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / metabolism
  • Vasodilation / physiology

Substances

  • Adipokines
  • CHI3L1 protein, human
  • Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1
  • Lectins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Nitric Oxide
  • FLT1 protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Oxygen