Circulating elastin crosslinking desmosines are associated with arterial wall degradation in older adults with atherosclerosis

Elastin, an extracellular matrix component that contributes to vascular integrity, is progressively degraded during vascular injury including atherosclerosis. We assessed circulating desmosine (DES) and isodesmosine (IDES), elastin-specific crosslinking amino acids, as indicators of arterial elastin degradation by isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Thirty-eight patients with atherosclerotic ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Plasma concentrations of both DES and IDES were significantly higher in IHD patients than in controls. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for total desmosines (DES + IDES) was 0.763. Multivariable analysis revealed that traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis were not significantly associated with plasma concentrations of desmosines. These findings suggest that circulating desmosines reflect arterial wall degeneration in atherosclerosis and are independent of traditional risk factors.