The authors identified previously unreported associations of the ICAD, CD53, GRM1, and GSTmu proteins with atherosclerosis, diabetes, and nonfatal cardiovascular outcomes in a 3-year follow-up of 216 patients undergoing coronary angiography.
The study profiled serum proteins in patients undergoing coronary angiography to find proteins associated with atherosclerosis and its comorbidities.
The top five proteins from the atherosclerotic microarray profile were validated by ELISA in the total cohort.
ICAD (DFF45/ICAD) was the only validated protein linked to both type 2 diabetes and the presence of coronary artery stenosis, regardless of stenosis severity.
CD53 was associated with coronary stenosis.
IL-6 was associated with diabetes.
GSTmu (glutathione S-transferase Mu3) was associated with brachiocephalic stenosis ≥60% and with femoral and coronary arterial lesions.
GRM1 (glutamate metabotropic receptor 1) was the only protein showing inverse associations with coronary stenosis and with cardiovascular outcomes.
GRM1 was inversely associated with femoral lesions ≥30%.
The authors conclude that ICAD, CD53, GRM1, and GSTmu have previously unreported associations with atherosclerosis, diabetes, and nonfatal cardiovascular outcomes.
This study looked for proteins in the blood that are linked to hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and related conditions. Researchers followed 216 patients who had coronary angiography for three years. They screened blood proteins with an antibody microarray, then confirmed the top candidates with standard lab tests (ELISA). Several proteins showed links to artery disease. ICAD was linked to type 2 diabetes and to narrowed coronary arteries. CD53 was also linked to coronary narrowing. GSTmu was linked to narrowing in neck-area (brachiocephalic), leg (femoral), and coronary arteries. IL-6 was linked to diabetes. GRM1 behaved differently: higher levels were associated with less coronary narrowing, fewer non-fatal cardiovascular events (r = -0.24 and -0.31), and fewer femoral artery lesions. This research suggests these proteins may be candidate markers or contributors in atherosclerosis and diabetes, and that GRM1 might be linked to a protective pattern. The associations were previously unreported, and the study is observational with a fairly small group, so it cannot show that these proteins cause or predict disease. Larger studies would be needed to confirm the findings.
Gumanova N, Mols A, Levshina A, Khadorich M, Luboyatnikova E, Shanoyan A, et al.. (2026). Novel Relationships between the ICAD, CD53, GRM1, and GSTmu Protein Levels and Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Outcomes.. Journal of proteome research. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.5c00843