Soluble gp130– a serum marker for vascular remodelling?

Introduction: An increased pressure load can elicit remodeling of the cardiovascular system. Experimental data has implicated gp130, a subunit of the receptor for IL-6-related cytokines, in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). We investigated whether gp130 is involved also in humans in the vascular adaptation to elevated blood pressure. Methods: Three populations were included in this study. A group of 48 patients with acute stroke, a group of 48 elderly control patients, and a third group of 200 healthy blood donors with an age of 18 to 66 year…