Pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokine imbalance in acute coronary syndromes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of an imbalance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators in patients affected by acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We considered two groups of 26 and 28 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina (UA) respectively, compared with a group of 30 patients with stable angina and 30 healthy volunteers. We evaluated the production in cultured and stimulated lymphomonocytes of interferon (IFN)gamma and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, which are well known to possess proinflammatory effects, and of interleukin (IL)10, which has been shown to have a protective anti-inflammatory activity. We also assessed the clinical characteristics of groups and, particularly, we evaluated the circulating levels of C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). We found a significant increase of IFNgamma and TNFalpha production (P<0.01) and a significant decrease of IL10 production (P<0.05) in cultures of lymphomonocytes taken from patients with AMI and UA compared with SA patients and controls. No significant changes where found between AMI and UA patients and SA patients and controls. Circulating levels of hs-CRP were significantly increased (P<0.01) in patients with ACS compared with the other control groups. Our data showed an increased production of proinflammatory mediators in ACS that may be detectable both in circulating blood and in cell cultures where it is possible to evaluate in a better way the functional state of cells; this finding was associated with a reduced production of the antiinflammatory cytokine IL10. In conclusion, a relevant imbalance is present in ACS and this fact could contribute to plaque instability and clinical manifestations.