Elevated serum levels of S100A1 and zinc α2-glycoprotein in patients with heart failure

Background and aims Heart failure (HF) is a growing concern worldwide. S100A1 and zinc α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) play an important role in heart function. We examined serum levels of S100A1 and ZAG in HF patients and their association with anthropometric indices and body composition. Methods and results Sixty-four patients with HF, mean age 56.2, 48 male and 16 females, with ejection fraction <30–35%, were recruited from Shahid Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz, Iran, from April to October 2019. Two groups, cachexia (n = 32) and non-cachexia (n = 32), which were divided based on weight loss of at least 7.5% in the last six months, were compared with the control group (n = 26). S100A1 and ZAG serum levels were determined by ELISA. Serum median (min–max) levels of S100A1 and ZAG were significantly greater in HF patients [326 (184.8–635.2) and 150.4 (61.5–520.7)] than healthy controls [265.4 (43.6–658.8) and 119.8 (16.7–533)], both p = 0.001. S100A1 Serum levels in cachexia group was significantly higher than non-cachexia group [331 (245.6–469.6) vs. 318 (184.8–635.2), p = 0.03]. A strong positive association was observed between S100A1 and ZAG serum levels in patients (r = 0.70, p < 0.0001). Serum levels of these two proteins negatively and significantly associated with BMI (r = −0.25, p = 0.044 and r = −0.28, p = 0.024, respectively) and arm circumference (r = −0.26, p = 0.037 and r = −0.25, p = 0.047, respectively). Conclusion The results indicate that S100A1 and ZAG are likely to contribute to the pathogenesis of HF disease and weight loss, as well as the strong association between S100A1 and ZAG possibly indicating a similar mechanism of action for these two proteins.