Higher circulating dp-ucMGP concentrations were associated with the presence of fibrocalcific plaques and/or arterial stenosis, whereas tMGP and Fetuin-A did not differ significantly between groups, supporting the potential relevance of dp-ucMGP as a biomarker of fibrocalcific and stenotic arterial disease.
Circulating dp-ucMGP was significantly higher in patients with fibrocalcific plaques and/or arterial stenosis than in controls without them.
Total MGP (tMGP) did not differ significantly between patients with and without fibrocalcific plaques and/or arterial stenosis.
Fetuin-A concentrations did not differ significantly between the study and control groups.
Several routine laboratory parameters differed between the study and control groups, with glucose showing the strongest difference.
dp-ucMGP showed weak positive correlations with urea, creatinine, and triglycerides.
The authors conclude that dp-ucMGP is potentially relevant as a biomarker of fibrocalcific and stenotic arterial disease but that its independent predictive value and clinical utility remain to be established.
This study compared blood levels of three proteins linked to blood vessel calcification in 160 patients. Of these, 136 had calcified plaques or narrowed arteries and 24 had neither. The proteins were inactive matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP), total matrix Gla protein (tMGP), and Fetuin-A. Only dp-ucMGP was significantly higher in patients with calcified plaques or narrowed arteries (1.29 vs. 1.07). Total MGP and Fetuin-A did not differ meaningfully between the groups. dp-ucMGP also had weak positive links with kidney-related markers (urea, creatinine) and triglycerides. Patients with arterial disease also had higher glucose and differences in several other blood tests, including LDL cholesterol and uric acid. This research suggests dp-ucMGP might be a useful blood marker associated with calcified and narrowed arteries. However, the study was a single-time-point comparison with a small control group, and the difference was borderline (p = 0.047). It cannot show that dp-ucMGP predicts disease or causes it. The authors state that more studies are needed to see whether it adds independent value in clinical practice.
Tirla-Sirca T, Mureșan M, Dobjanschi L, Ilyés T, Negrean R, Vicaș L, et al.. (2026). Evaluating dp-ucMGP, tMGP, and Fetuin-A as Markers of Combined Arterial Atherosclerotic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.. International journal of molecular sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27209391