The Influence of Coronary Artery Disease in the Development of Aortic Stenosis and the Importance of the Albumin Redox State

Calcific aortic valve and coronary artery diseases are related cardiovascular pathologies in which common processes lead to the calcification of the corresponding affected tissue. Among the mechanisms involved in calcification, the oxidative stress that drives the oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids such ascysteines is of particular interest. However, there are important differences between calcific aortic valve disease and coronary artery disease, particularly in terms of the reactive oxygen substances and enzymes involved. To evaluate what effect coronary artery disease has on aortic valves, we analyzed valve tissue from patients with severe calcific aortic stenosis with and without coronary artery disease. Proteins and peptides with oxidized cysteines sites were quantified, leading to the identification of 16 proteins with different levels of expression between the two conditions studied, as well as differences in the redox state of the tissue. We also identified two specific sites of cysteine oxidation in albumin that have not been described previously. These results provide evidence that coronary artery disease affects valve calcification, modifying the molecular profile of aortic valve tissue. In addition, the redox proteome is also altered when these conditions coincide, notably affecting human serum albumin.