Relation between LRG1 and CD4+ T cells, cognitive impairment and neurological function in patients with acute

Xiao Cheng1,2, Hongen Wei1,2, Yi Liu1

  • 1Department of Neurology, The Fifth Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University (Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University), Taiyuan, 030009, China.

Biomarkers in Medicine
|February 21, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) levels correlate with specific T cell populations and predict cognitive impairment and poor neurological recovery in acute ischemic stroke patients. Higher LRG1 indicates worse outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

  • Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) poses significant challenges to neurological function and cognitive health.
  • T cell subsets, including Th17, Th2, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), play critical roles in the inflammatory response following stroke.
  • Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is a protein implicated in various biological processes, but its role in AIS is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between LRG1 levels and CD4+ T cell subsets in patients with AIS.
  • To determine the relationship between LRG1 and cognitive impairment and neurological function recovery post-AIS.

Main Methods:

  • Plasma LRG1 concentrations were measured using ELISA in 175 AIS patients at multiple time points (baseline, day 1, day 7, month 1, and month 3).
  • T cell subsets (Th17, Th2, Treg) were analyzed in relation to LRG1 levels.
  • Cognitive function and neurological status were assessed at 3 months post-stroke.

Main Results:

  • LRG1 levels showed a negative correlation with Th2 and Treg cells and a positive correlation with Th17 cells (p < 0.05).
  • LRG1 concentrations exhibited a dynamic pattern, increasing from baseline to day 1, then decreasing through month 3 (p < 0.001).
  • Elevated LRG1 levels at all measured time points were significantly associated with the presence of cognitive impairment and poorer neurological function at 3 months (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • LRG1 is significantly associated with altered T cell profiles, specifically decreased Th2 and Treg cells and increased Th17 cells, in AIS patients.
  • LRG1 serves as a potential biomarker for predicting cognitive impairment and suboptimal neurological recovery following acute ischemic stroke.
  • These findings highlight LRG1's role in the immunopathology of AIS and its implications for patient outcomes.

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