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Published on: July 20, 2022
Increased IL-17A in atrial fibrillation correlates with neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio
Mohammad Hossein Nikoo1, Seyed Rahmatollah Taghavian, Hossein Golmoghaddam
1Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Insights
Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), indicating a link between inflammation and AF. This study highlights the involvement of immune cells and cytokines in AF pathology.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and a significant risk factor for stroke in the elderly.
- Inflammation is recognized to play a role in atrial remodeling, AF development, and recurrence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) levels in patients with different types of AF and healthy individuals.
- To investigate the relationship between IL-17A, other inflammatory markers (CCL5, CCL18), and clinical factors in AF patients.
Main Methods:
- Serum IL-17A levels were quantified using ELISA in 112 AF patients and 107 healthy controls.
- CCL5 and CCL18 were measured in a subset of patients with elevated IL-17A.
- Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) was analyzed in relation to IL-17A levels.
Main Results:
- IL-17A levels were significantly higher in AF patients compared to controls (p=0.001).
- No significant differences in IL-17A were observed between different AF types.
- Elevated IL-17A correlated positively with CCL18 and was associated with increased NLR.
- Male patients with elevated IL-17A showed distinct patterns in NLR, CCL5, and CCL18 compared to females.
Conclusions:
- Increased IL-17A levels are associated with AF pathology, potentially mediated by neutrophils and monocytes.
- The study underscores the significant role of immune cells and cytokines, such as IL-17A, in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation.
Background:
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and an independent risk factor for stroke among the elderly. A role for inflammation in the atrial remodeling as well as development and recurrence of AF is known.
Objective:
To compare IL-17A between patients with different types of AF and healthy individuals.
Methods:
IL-17A was measured in sera of 112 patients and 107 healthy age/sex-matched controls using ELISA assay. In sera of 26 patients with elevated IL-17A (>1 Pg/ml), CCL5 and CCL18 levels were also measured.
Results:
IL-17A was significantly increased in patients with AF compared to controls (1.28 ± 3.5 vs. 0.19 ± 0.64 Pg/ml, p=0.001). There was no significant difference in the level of IL-17A between different types of AF. IL-17A was significantly higher in patients with a history of coronary artery bypass graft compared to other patients (p=0.01). A significant positive correlation between IL-17A and CCL18 concentration was found (p=0.001). An increase in the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was observed in patients with elevated serum IL-17A compared to other patients (p=0.006). Male patients showed higher increase in NLR (p=0.007) which was accompanied by a decrease in CCL5 (p=0.000) and a marginal increase in CCL18 (p=0.085) compared to females. There was an increase in CCL5 levels in patients receiving Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA) therapy (p=0.046).
Conclusions:
The increase in IL-17A levels is related to the AF pathology mediated by neutrophils and monocytes. The current study signifies the role of immune cells and cytokines in the pathology of AF.
