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Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
Increased Th17 cells in coronary artery disease are associated with neutrophilic inflammation
Zikuan Wang1, Jun Lee, Ye Zhang
1Department of Cardiology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, PR China.
Insights
T helper 17 (Th17) cells and their cytokine, interleukin-17 (IL-17), are elevated in coronary atherosclerosis patients. These findings link T cell activity to inflammation in the development of this cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis involves arterial inflammation.
- T helper 17 (Th17) cells are pro-inflammatory immune cells.
- Th17 cells are implicated in various inflammatory diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Th17 cells and human coronary atherosclerosis.
- To determine if Th17 cell frequencies and their cytokine levels are altered in patients with coronary artery disease.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry to quantify Th17 cell frequencies.
- ELISA and real-time RT-PCR to measure protein and mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8.
- Comparison of Th17 cells and cytokine levels between patients and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher Th17 cell frequencies in coronary atherosclerosis patients versus controls.
- Elevated protein and mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8 in patients.
- Correlation between IL-17, IL-8 mRNA levels, and peripheral neutrophil counts.
Conclusions:
- Th17 cells and IL-17 are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
- Th17 cells may bridge T cell responses and neutrophilic inflammation in atherogenesis.
Objective:
Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by a series of inflammatory responses in the large and medium arteries. Th17 cells, a distinct T cell lineage which has recently been identified, have a proinflammatory role and are implicated in many inflammatory conditions in humans and mice. The present study was designed to assess whether Th17 cells are associated with human coronary atherosclerosis.
Design:
Flow cytometry was used to examine Th17 cell frequencies in patients with coronary atherosclerosis and in healthy individuals. ELISA and real-time RT-PCR were performed to investigate circulating interleukin (IL)-17 (the signature cytokine of Th17 cells) and IL-8 (the cytokine induced by IL-17) protein and mRNA levels.
Results:
Significantly increased Th17 cell frequencies are observed in patients with coronary artery disease compared to healthy controls. The protein and mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8 are also significantly elevated in patients with atherosclerosis compared to healthy volunteers. Furthermore, mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8 are correlated with each other and with peripheral neutrophil counts.
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that Th17 cells and their signature cytokine are involved in the process of atherogenesis. These data suggest that Th17 cells link T cell activity with neutrophilic inflammation in atherosclerosis.
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