23 May 2013 - 23 May 2013 - US cardiovascular biomarkers developer Critical Diagnostics said Wednesday study findings had shown its novel biomarker, ST2, could predict organ rejection and death in heart transplant patients.

ST2 is a member of the interleukin (IL)-1 receptor family, whose expression in cardiomyocytes is upregulated in response to stress. The membrane-bound form of ST2 interacts with IL-33 (released from fibroblasts), thus causing anti-hypertrophic and anti-fibrotic effects in the myocardium.

The study monitored 241 transplant patients over a period of seven years, during which time about 25% of the participants died. The prognostic capability of ST2 was evaluated for both rejection and death and its concentrations were measured one month following transplantation. The biomarker demonstrated high predictive ability of short-, intermediate-, and longer-term outcomes, the company added.