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Analysis of institutional authors

Martin Ventura, Jose LuisAuthorLopez-Melgar BAuthorFuster VAuthor

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May 5, 2020
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Complement C5 Protein as a Marker of Subclinical Atherosclerosis

Publicated to:JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY. 75 (16): 1926-1941 - 2020-04-28 75(16), DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.02.058

Authors: Martinez-Lopez, Diego; Roldan-Montero, Raquel; Garcia-Marques, Fernando; Nunez, Estefania; Jorge, Inmaculada; Camafeita, Emilio; Minguez, Pablo; Rodriguez de Cordoba, Santiago; Lopez-Melgar, Beatriz; Lara-Pezzi, Enrique; Fernandez-Ortiz, Antonio; Ibanez, Borja; Manuel Valdivielso, Jose; Fuster, Valentin; Michel, Jean-Baptiste; Miguel Blanco-Colio, Luis; Vazquez, Jesus; Luis Martin-Ventura, Jose

Affiliations

Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III - Author
CIBER Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain - Author
CiberCV, Madrid, Spain - Author
CNIC, Madrid, Spain - Author
CSIC - Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas (CIB) - Author
Ctr Invest Biol, Madrid, Spain - Author
Hop Xavier Bichat, INSERM, U1148 X, F-75018 Paris, France - Author
Hosp Univ HM Monteprincipe CIEC, Madrid, Spain - Author
Hospital Universitario Fundacion Jimenez Diaz - Author
Icahn Sch Med Mt Sinai, New York, NY 10029 USA - Author
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai - Author
Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Lleida Fundacion Dr. Pifarre - Author
IRBLleida, Vasc & Renal Translat Res Grp, Lleida, Spain - Author
Laboratory for Vascular Translational Science - Author
Univ Autonoma, Fdn Jimenez Diaz, IIS, Madrid, Spain - Author
Univ CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain - Author
Univ Complutense, Hosp Clin San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain - Author
Universidad Complutense de Madrid - Author
Universidad San Pablo-CEU - Author
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Abstract

© 2020 The Authors Background: The mechanisms underlying early atherosclerotic plaque formation are not completely understood. Moreover, plasma biomarkers of subclinical atherosclerosis are lacking. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the temporal and topologically resolved protein changes taking place in human aortas with early atherosclerosis to find new potential diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets. Methods: The protein composition of healthy aortas (media layer) or with early atheroma (fatty streak and fibrolipidic, media and intima layers) was analyzed by deep quantitative multiplexed proteomics. Further analysis was performed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma levels of complement C5 were analyzed in relation to the presence of generalized (>2 plaques) or incipient (0 to 2 plaques) subclinical atherosclerosis in 2 independent clinical cohorts (PESA [Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis] [n = 360] and NEFRONA [National Observatory of Atherosclerosis in Nephrology] [n = 394]). Results: Proteins involved in lipid transport, complement system, immunoglobulin superfamily, and hemostasis are increased in early plaques. Components from the complement activation pathway were predominantly increased in the intima of fibrolipidic plaques. Among them, increased C5 protein levels were further confirmed by Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, and associated with in situ complement activation. Plasma C5 was significantly increased in individuals with generalized subclinical atherosclerosis in both PESA and NEFRONA cohorts, independently of risk factors. Moreover, in the PESA study, C5 plasma levels positively correlated with global plaque volume and coronary calcification. Conclusions: Activation of the complement system is a major alteration in early atherosclerotic plaques and is reflected by increased C5 plasma levels, which have promising value as a novel circulating biomarker of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Keywords

biomarkerscomplement systemproteomicsActivationBiomarkersComplement systemCoronaryDiscoveryInflammationMiddlePeptide identificationPrevalenceProgressionProteomicsResponsesSubclinical atherosclerosis

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position 4/142, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 3.04. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 3.19 (source consulted: FECYT Feb 2024)
  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 21.33 (source consulted: Dimensions Aug 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-08-02, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 43
  • Scopus: 45

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-08-02:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 65.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 64 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 35.8.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 27 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 3 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://repositorio.uam.es/handle/10486/693219

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: France; United States of America.