PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon on Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, discussed the PhD dissertation submitted by student Murtadha Adel Aboud Al-Khatib, titled:
“Study of Vitamin K2 and Peripheral Matrix Gla Protein (MGP) Levels and Genetic Polymorphisms in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Their Association with Certain Abnormal Echocardiographic Indicators in Babylon Province.”
The dissertation was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Abdul-Sami Hassan Al-Taie and Prof. Dr. Uday Jassim Al-Salihi.
The defense was attended by the Dean of the College, Prof. Dr. Muhannad Abbas Al-Shallah, the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ashraf Mohammed Ali Hussein, the Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prof. Dr. Tareq Hussein Mughair, along with several faculty members and postgraduate students.
In his dissertation, the researcher explained that acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is among the most serious global cardiac conditions, typically resulting from plaque rupture and thrombus formation due to arterial calcification, which reduces arterial elasticity. Vascular smooth muscle cells contribute to this process by transforming into osteoblast-like cells. Matrix Gla Protein (MGP) is a natural inhibitor of vascular calcification and plays a protective role, which is activated by Vitamin K2, thereby preserving arterial health.
The study aimed to assess the relationship between the total and inactive forms of MGP, Vitamin K2 levels, and specific genetic polymorphisms (rs1800801 and rs4236) in the MGP gene, in relation to certain echocardiographic indicators in patients with ACS in Babylon Province.
The results of the biochemical analyses, including measurements of Vitamin K2, total and inactive MGP, and genetic variation analysis, revealed:
• A significant increase in the inactive form of MGP, reflecting a deficiency in Vitamin K2, supporting its potential use as a biomarker for arterial calcification.
• Vitamin K2 was shown to play an important role in improving cardiac function, particularly through its positive association with ejection fraction.
• The genetic analysis revealed that the distribution of rs4236 genotypes showed statistically significant differences between patients and healthy individuals, suggesting a possible role in increasing the risk of ACS.
• However, there were no significant differences in the distribution of rs1800801 genotypes.
These findings provide new insights into the biochemical and genetic factors involved in acute coronary syndrome and highlight the potential diagnostic and therapeutic relevance of Vitamin K2 and MGP.