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Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in coronary artery thrombi
1Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University, Japan.
Insights
In acute myocardial infarction (MI), pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 are released from occluded coronary arteries. These findings confirm that inflamed artery sites contribute to MI pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Acute myocardial infarction (MI) involves inflammation.
- Pro-inflammatory cytokines are implicated in cardiovascular disease.
- The origin of these cytokines in MI is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if artery sites occluded with thrombi release pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- To measure levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in acute MI patients.
Main Methods:
- Collected samples from infarct-related coronary artery thrombi and atherosclerotic plaque using a transluminal extraction catheter (TEC).
- Measured IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- Compared levels in 15 acute MI patients (group I) with 10 control patients (group II).
Main Results:
- IL-6 and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in infarct-related coronary artery samples from group I compared to group II (P<0.01).
- Mean IL-6 levels were 15.3+/-4.5 pg/ml in group I vs. 3.8+/-1.2 pg/ml in group II.
- Mean IL-8 levels were 44.0+/-2.4 pg/ml in group I vs. 15.6+/-0.6 pg/ml in group II.
Conclusions:
- Pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, originate from occluded coronary arteries in acute MI.
- Inflamed artery sites are a source of cytokines during myocardial infarction.
- This supports the hypothesis linking thrombus-associated inflammation to MI progression.
Abstract:
To validate the hypothesis that artery sites occluded with thrombi release pro-inflammatory cytokines, we measured concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in infarct-related coronary artery thrombi and atherosclerotic plaque specimens obtained with a transluminal extraction catheter (TEC) from cases of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Fifteen patients (group I) were enrolled in the study and four sets of samples were obtained (taken from the right atrium both before and after angioplasty, from infarct-related coronary artery thrombi and atherosclerotic plaque aspirated with a TEC and from the thoracic aorta aspirated with a TEC). Ten patients undergoing elective TEC served as controls (group II). IL-6 and IL-8 were measured in all patients by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both IL-6 and IL-8 levels of infarct-related coronary artery samples in group I were significantly higher than in group II (mean +/- SEM, 15.3+/-4.5 vs. 3.8+/-1.2 pg/ml; P<0.01 and 44.0+/-2.4 vs. 15.6+/-0.6 pg/ml; P<0.01, respectively). The results suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines originate from occluded coronary arteries in acute MI.