A biomarker of tissue damage, lactate dehydrogenase, is associated with fibulin-1 and oxidative stress in blacks: the SAfrEIC study

Abstract

Context: Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and oxidative stress is present in hypertension and associated arterial stiffness, but little is known on the physiological link among lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), fibulin-1, and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the link among a marker of tissue damage (LDH), fibulin-1 (as ECM biomarker), and ROS.

Methods: We included 316 black and 305 white South Africans and determined the above-mentioned biomarkers along with additional cardiometabolic risk factors.

Results: LDH associated positively with fibulin-1 (β = 0.23; p < 0.001) and ROS (β = 0.11; p = 0.30) in blacks only.

Conclusion: Our finding suggests that increased circulating levels of LDH may be due to early ECM remodeling and oxidative stress in blacks that are subjected to detrimental and uncontrolled lifestyle risk factors.

• Cardiovascular disease
• ethnicity
• extracellular matrix remodeling
• sex
• tissue damage

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful towards the participants; supporting staff, colleagues of the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), and postgraduate students. The conclusions of this study are those of the authors and not NRF.

Declaration of interest

The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors would also like to thank the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) [GUN 2073040] and the North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. The SAfrEIC study was granted ethics approval from the Human Research Ethics Council of the North-West University (NWU-00038-14-S1). The authors have nothing to disclose.

Supplementary material available online

Supplementary Table 1