Atomic force microscopy as a tool to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases in patients

• Published in: Nature nanotechnology Vol. 11; no. 8; pp. 687 - 692
• Main Authors: Guedes, Ana Filipa, Carvalho, Filomena A., Malho, Inês, Lousada, Nuno, Sargento, Luís, Santos, Nuno C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.08.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 147/3; 631/61/350/1056; 639/925/352; Atomic force microscopy; Binding; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular diseases; Erythrocytes; Fibrinogen; Health risks; Heart diseases; Heart failure; Ischemia; letter; Materials Science; Microscopy; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Patients; Pharmacists; Risk; Risk factors; Spectrum analysis; Lisbon Portugal; Portugal
• ISSN: 1748-3387; 1748-3395
• DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2016.52

Measuring the binding force between red blood cells and fibrinogen — the protein that helps in the formation of blood clots — using an atomic force microscope can help identify patients at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The availability of biomarkers to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases is limited 1 . High fibrinogen levels have been identified as a relevant cardiovascular risk factor, but the biological mechanisms remain unclear 2 , 3 . Increased aggregation of erythrocytes (red blood cells) has been linked to high plasma fibrinogen concentration 2 , 4 . Here, we show, using atomic force microscopy, that the interaction between fibrinogen and erythrocytes is modified in chronic heart failure patients. Ischaemic patients showed increased fibrinogen–erythrocyte binding forces compared with non-ischaemic patients. Cell stiffness in both patient groups was also altered. A 12-month follow-up shows that patients with higher fibrinogen–erythrocyte binding forces initially were subsequently hospitalized more frequently. Our results show that atomic force microscopy can be a promising tool to identify patients with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.