Alterations of soluble TWEAK and CD163 concentrations in patients with chronic heart failure

• HF-REF patients present higher sTWEAK and sCD163 in comparison to healthy subjects.
• Higher increase of sTWEAK than CD163, suggests its bioavailability may be augmented.
• Patients with CV disease have higher sTWEAK and sCD163 than healthy subjects.
• HF-REF appears to lower sTWEAK when compared to patients with similar comorbidities.

Inflammatory activation plays a pivotal role in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF). A novel mediator from TNF family: soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) along its soluble decoy receptor CD163 (sCD163) recently has been investigated in other cardiovascular pathologies. We aimed to evaluate sTWEAK and sCD163 concentrations in HF-REF patients.The study enrolled 79 patients with stable HF-REF, EF < 35%. The control population without history of heart failure included two groups: 26 comorbidities matched patients and 27 healthy volunteers. sTWEAK and sCD163 serum concentrations were determined using ELISA kits. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess variables affecting concentration of sTWEAK and sCD163.HF-REF patients were characterized by higher sTWEAK (median 374 IQR: 321–429 vs 201 IQR: 145–412 pg/ml, P = 0.005), sCD163 (median 744 IQR: 570–1068 vs 584 IQR: 483–665 pg/ml, P = 0.03) concentrations and sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio (median 0.53 IQR: 0.32–0.7 vs 0.3 IQR: 0.22–0.37, P = 0.001) comparing to healthy volunteers. Comparing to comorbidities matched controls, HF-REF patients had lower sTWEAK levels (median 374 IQR: 321–429 vs 524 IQR: 384–652 pg/ml; P = 0.002), while sCD163 and sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio didn’t differ. Concentration of sTWEAK in HF-REF was affected by white blood cell count and aspirin intake, while sCD163 by exercise capacity, LV diastolic volume, CRP and presence of arterial hypertension.ConclusionsHF-REF patients present increased sTWEAK and sCD163 levels as well as sTWEAK/sCD163 ratio when compared to healthy subjects, however CHF itself appears to be associated with down-regulation of sTWEAK.