BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Heart Failure and Transplantation
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1581056
This article is part of the Research TopicExploring the impact of Inflammatory processes on the course of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Pathways and TherapiesView all articles
Alpha-CGRP as a specific response mediator during acute myocardial infarction in humans: findings from an observational longitudinal study
Provisionally accepted
Gabriel Garate1,2,3*
Lara Gangas1,2,3Jose María de la Torre Hernandez3María Muñoz San-Martín1,3Julio Pascual1,2,3Vicente González-Quintanilla1,3- 1Marqués de Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
- 2University of Cantabria, Santander, Cantabria, Spain
- 3Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander, Cantabria, Spain
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Introduction: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), particularly its alpha isoform, might play a role in restoring physiological cardiovascular functioning. While its involvement in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) pathophysiology has been suggested, human data remain scarce. This study analyzed circulating alpha-CGRP levels during AMI, comparing them to healthy controls (HC) and post-AMI resolution levels.Methods: A total of 26 AMI patients and 26 age-and sex-matched HC were recruited. Blood samples were collected from patients within four hours of AMI onset and, when possible, six months postevent. Alpha-CGRP serum concentrations were measured using a validated ELISA assay.Results: Alpha-CGRP levels were significantly higher in AMI patients at admission (mean ± SD: 96.0±77.4 pg/mL) compared to HC (42.0±25.8 pg/mL, p<0.0001), with an average increase of 129%. Among nine patients available for follow-up, levels normalized to the HC range (45.1±26.7 pg/mL, p=0.011). Patients with poor outcomes had numerically lower alpha-CGRP levels (72.6±37.2 pg/mL) than those with a satisfactory resolution (100.3±82.5 70.6 pg/mL; p=0.241).Discussion: Alpha-CGRP is acutely elevated during AMI, likely as a compensatory vasodilator response to ischemia. Its post-AMI normalization suggests a transient protective mechanism. Further research is needed to explore its role in AMI-related pathophysiology and usefulness as a therapeutic agent.
Keywords: alpha-CGRP, biomarker, myocardial infarction, Cardiac cephalgia, response mediator
Received: 21 Feb 2025; Accepted: 31 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Garate, Gangas, de la Torre Hernandez, Muñoz San-Martín, Pascual and González-Quintanilla. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Gabriel Garate, Marqués de Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
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