Investigation of the AgNOR (Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizing Region) Protein Levels in Patients with Coronary Artery Diseases: The Prognostic Role of AgNOR Proteins in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizing Region (AgNOR) proteins in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine their potential role in predicting the extent of myocardial damage. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 20 AMI patients and 17 healthy controls. Peripheral blood samples were stained to assess AgNOR protein levels. The AgNOR parameters, such as the number of AgNORs and the total AgNOR area to total nuclear area (TAA/NA) ratio, were analyzed using ImageJ software. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS to assess differences between groups and correlations with clinical markers. Results: The study revealed a significant increase in both the mean AgNOR number and TAA/NA ratio among AMI patients compared to controls (p < 0.01). These parameters also correlated with known cardiac damage markers such as Troponin I level. Sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) analysis indicated that these AgNOR parameters could effectively differentiate between AMI patients and healthy individuals. Conclusion: AgNOR proteins emerge as a promising and dependable biomarker for evaluating myocardial damage and predicting patient prognosis in cases of AMI. Their remarkable sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing AMI cases underscore their potential clinical utility. However, further studies with larger cohorts are imperative to validate these findings.