Differential expression of immune markers in the patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome

To evaluate phenotypic changes of various immune cells in the peripheral blood in the patients with sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

This is a case-control study. The peripheral venous blood was collected. A subset of T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells was analysed using various markers and flow cytometry. Regression curve analysis was made to examine the correlation between the change of immune cells and aponea hypoxia index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation.

The percentage of CD3⁺/CD4⁺ T lymphocytes (P < 0.001) and CD19⁺ B cells (P < 0.001) and the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio (P < 0.001) in the OSAHS patients were significantly increased compared with those in the control group without OSAHS, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio positively correlated with aponea hypoxia index (r = 0.37, P < 0.001) but negatively correlated with the lowest SaO₂ (r = - 0.2, P < 0.001), whereas a greater reduction in the percentage of CD3⁺/CD8⁺ T cells (P < 0.001). Moreover, the ratios of CD3⁺/CD16⁺/CD56⁺ natural killer (NK)-like T cells (P < 0.05) and CD3^-/CD16⁺/CD56⁺ NKT cells (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the OSAHS group than those in the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in the percentage of CD3⁺ total T cells, CD8⁺/CD28⁺ T cells, CD8⁺/CD28^- T cells, DC1, DC2, and DC1/DC2 dendritic cells between the OSAHS and control groups.

Our study showed differential responses of various types of immune cells in the peripheral blood in patients with OSAHS and their correlation with severity of oxygen desaturation.