We are constantly looking for new parameters and markers that can help in the assessment of patients with various diseases, including cardiac disorders; this can translate into better care and improved prognosis. Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) has recently gained interest as a potential biomarker in many fields: it is involved in many inflammatory diseases and allergies, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, and it participates in cardiovascular pathophysiology. Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 is being investigated as a promising biomarker in heart diseases. The interaction of interleukin 33 (IL-33) and ST2L is part of a cardioprotective pathway that prevents fibrosis and inhibits inflammatory response, hypertrophy and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. In this review, we try to summarize the current knowledge about the usefulness of soluble ST2 (sST2) in cardiology. Clinical data show promising results for the possibility of using sST2 in various diseases, such as arrhythmia, hypertension, myocarditis, acute aortic syndrome, and coronary artery disease (CAD). This novel biomarker may also play a role in heart transplantation and perioperative care.
Keywords: ST2; biomarker; cardiac biomarkers; heart; sST2.