Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis

Clinical Benefits of the Classification of Cardiovascular Patients based on the Polymorphisms of Natriuretic Peptide Receptor Genes

Abstract

Jing Zhang Wang, Xin-Hua Guo and Ting Zhang

Natriuretic peptides (NPs NP) are supposed to be important biomarkers as well as therapeutic medicines for cardiovascular diseases, however, there are still some controversies blocking the clinical application of NPs. Especially, natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs) greatly interfere with the indicative efficiency, therapeutic effectiveness, clinical dosage, and medication time of NPs. Herein, we propose that the classification of cardiovascular patients will effectively promote the clinical utilization of NPs as either biomarkers or medicines. Generally, NPs bind to natriuretic peptide receptor A and B (NPRA and NPRB) to activate cellular signalings, but natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPRC) is mainly responsible for the clearance of NPs. So, it is expected that high NPs-sensitivity group includes individuals carrying the alleles that result in higher activity of NPRA and NPRB and lower activity of NPRC, while low NPs-sensitivity group is the opposite. Theoretically, the classification will improve the diagnostic accuracy of NPs for cardiovascular patients, and personalized administration of NPs-related medicines will benefit more individuals in order to achieve both of the maximum therapeutic efficacy and the minimum side effects.