Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Samah, Nazirah; Mohd Nor, Faridah; Wan Razali, Wan Mohammad Hafiz; Mohamad, Shawal Faizal; Cong, Beh Boon; A. Hamid, Adila; Ugusman, Azizah; Aminuddin, Amilia

doi:10.3390/ijms27114757

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Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome

by

Nazirah Samah

¹

,

Faridah Mohd Nor

²,

Wan Mohammad Hafiz Wan Razali

^2,3

,

Shawal Faizal Mohamad

⁴,

Beh Boon Cong

⁴

,

Adila A. Hamid

¹,

Azizah Ugusman

¹

and

Amilia Aminuddin

^1,*

¹

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia

²

Forensic Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia

³

Department of Forensic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sungai Buloh Campus, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh 47000, Selangor, Malaysia

⁴

Cardiology Unit, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(11), 4757; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114757

Submission received: 3 April 2026 / Revised: 20 May 2026 / Accepted: 21 May 2026 / Published: 25 May 2026

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Biology)

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Abstract

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a severe manifestation of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) caused by the rupture of unstable atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in reduced myocardial blood flow. Smoking is a major risk factor for ACS and has been associated with increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, which contributes to the degradation of the plaque fibrous cap. However, the molecular alterations associated with smoking in ACS remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the expression of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, and c-FOS genes, together with MMP protein levels in atherosclerotic plaque tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CAD patients. A total of 41 atherosclerotic plaque samples (26 smokers, 15 non-smokers) and 180 clinical subjects [n = 30 per group: ACS, chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), and controls; smokers and non-smokers] were included. Gene expression of ⍺1nAChR, ERK 1/2, and c-FOS was analyzed by RT-qPCR, while protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP 3 were measured using ELISA. The expression of ERK 1/2 and c-FOS were significantly higher in plaque tissues of smokers compared with non-smokers (1.671- and 1.327-fold; p < 0.05). In PBMCs, α1nAChR expression was higher in CCS smokers (1.383-fold), while ERK 1/2 expression was higher in ACS smokers (1.355-fold). MMP-9 levels were significantly elevated in ACS and CCS compared with controls (p < 0.001). In conclusion, smoking CAD patients demonstrated increased expression of α1nAChR, ERK and MMP-9, indicating smoking-associated alterations in ⍺1nAChR-ERK signaling-related biomarkers in ACS.

Keywords: acute coronary syndrome; matrix metalloproteinases; atherosclerotic plaque; peripheral blood mononuclear cells

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MDPI and ACS Style

Samah, N.; Mohd Nor, F.; Wan Razali, W.M.H.; Mohamad, S.F.; Cong, B.B.; A. Hamid, A.; Ugusman, A.; Aminuddin, A. Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 4757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114757

AMA Style

Samah N, Mohd Nor F, Wan Razali WMH, Mohamad SF, Cong BB, A. Hamid A, Ugusman A, Aminuddin A. Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(11):4757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114757

Chicago/Turabian Style

Samah, Nazirah, Faridah Mohd Nor, Wan Mohammad Hafiz Wan Razali, Shawal Faizal Mohamad, Beh Boon Cong, Adila A. Hamid, Azizah Ugusman, and Amilia Aminuddin. 2026. "Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 11: 4757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114757

APA Style

Samah, N., Mohd Nor, F., Wan Razali, W. M. H., Mohamad, S. F., Cong, B. B., A. Hamid, A., Ugusman, A., & Aminuddin, A. (2026). Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(11), 4757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114757

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Expression Profiles of α1nAChR, ERK1/2, c-FOS and Matrix Metalloproteinases Among Male Smokers with Acute Coronary Syndrome

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