INCREASED NITROTYROSINE PLASMA LEVELS IN RELATION TO SYSTEMIC MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION AND MYELOPEROXIDASE IN CHRONIC HEART FAILURE.

The presence of a reciprocal link between inflammation and oxidative/nitrosative stress has been postulated in chronic heart failure (CHF). We aimed to determine signs of nitrosative stress in serum/plasma of CHF patients. ELISA tests were used for quantification of serum/plasma levels of Nitrotyrosine (NT), H2O2, total NO, nitrite (NO2 −), myeloperoxidase (MPO), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα) and pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (proBNP) in 66 CHF patients (9 in NYHA I, 34 NYHA II, 23 NYHA III) and in 14 age-matched healthy subjects. NT levels were higher in NYHA III CHF patients compared to NYHA II (pb0.05), NYHA I (pb0.03) and controls (pb0.02), whereas NO2 − and total NO were higher in NYHA III compared to I (pb0.05 and pb0.04, respectively) and controls (pb0.004 and 0.002) and in NYHA II compared to controls (pb0.04 and pb0.009). NT levels correlated significantly with MPO (r=0.37, pb0.003), TNFα (r=0.32, pb0.01) and proBNP (r=0.32, pb0.01). These data demonstrate an increased NT plasma level in patients with moderate/severe CHF which is associated to increased levels of markers of systemic inflammation.