Increased plasma concentrations of interleukin 35 in patients with coronary artery disease

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cardiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a chronic inflammatory condition linked to atherosclerosis.
• Interleukin 35 (IL-35), produced by regulatory T cells (Tregs), has shown associations with CAD in Asian populations.
• The relationship between IL-35 levels and lipid profiles, cardiac function, and menopausal status in Caucasian CAD patients remains unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine IL-35 levels in Caucasian patients with CAD compared to healthy controls.
• To analyze the correlation between IL-35 concentrations and lipid profiles (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL).
• To investigate the association of IL-35 with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), sex, and postmenopausal status in CAD patients.

Main Methods:

• Plasma IL-35 levels were quantified using ELISA in 31 CAD patients and 30 healthy controls.
• Transthoracic echocardiography was employed to assess LVEF.
• Immunoenzymatic methods were used to measure plasma cholesterol fractions and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Main Results:

• CAD patients exhibited significantly higher IL-35 levels than healthy controls (58.1 ±16.6 pg/ml vs. 5.35 ±3.35 pg/ml; p < 0.001).
• IL-35 levels showed a negative correlation with total and LDL cholesterol (R = -0.31, p < 0.01) and a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol in men (R = 0.53, p < 0.01).
• In women, IL-35 levels correlated negatively with LVEF (R = -0.29, p < 0.05) and positively with postmenopausal duration (R = 0.55, p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Elevated IL-35 levels are potentially associated with the presence of CAD in a Caucasian cohort.
• IL-35 may play a role in the complex pathophysiology of CAD, influencing lipid metabolism and cardiac function differently in men and women.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying the association between IL-35 and CAD.