Related Experiment Videos
Immunologic changes in circulating leukocytes in the presence of atherosclerotic disease
A Muscari1, A Nanni Costa, C Bozzoli
1Istituto di Patologia Speciale Medica e Metodologia Clinica, Università, Ospedale S. Orsola, Bologna.
Insights
Circulating monocytes increase in atherosclerosis, likely for lipid uptake. T lymphocyte activity decreases, potentially predisposing to or resulting from the disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by plaque buildup in arteries.
- Understanding immune cell alterations in atherosclerosis is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate numerical and functional changes in white blood cells in severe atherosclerosis.
- To compare leukocyte profiles between patients with significant atherosclerotic lesions and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Differential leukocyte counts and flow cytometry analysis were performed.
- Monocyte surface antigens, including beta 2-microglobulin, were assessed.
- Lymphocyte populations (CD8), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I, beta 2-microglobulin, and in vivo DNA synthesis were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Monocyte counts were significantly elevated in atherosclerotic subjects compared to controls.
- A decrease in beta 2-microglobulin on monocytes was observed in atherosclerotic patients.
- Atherosclerotic patients showed an increase in CD8+ T cells and decreased expression of HLA class I, beta 2-microglobulin, and in vivo DNA synthesis.
Conclusions:
- Elevated monocyte levels in atherosclerosis may relate to lipid phagocytosis within arterial walls.
- Reduced T lymphocyte replicative activity in atherosclerosis could be a contributing factor or consequence.
- These findings highlight distinct immune cell dysregulations in advanced atherosclerotic disease.
Abstract:
To assess the numeric and functional changes in circulating white blood cells in the presence of severe atherosclerosis, 25 subjects with marked, angiographically assessed, atherosclerotic lesions and 29 selected controls were studied. Of the differential leukocyte counts, only monocyte count was significantly higher in the atherosclerotic than in the control subjects (449.0 +/- 115.6 (1 S.D.) vs. 344.1 +/- 138.8/mmc; P = 0.0016). By flow-cytometry no significant differences concerning monocyte surface antigens were found, except a feeble decrease in beta 2-microglobulin in the atherosclerotic subjects. As to lymphocytes, an increase in the CD8 population (33.4 +/- 6.8 vs 28.6 +/- 6.5%; P = 0.0144) and decreases in class I HLA antigen (96.6 +/- 7.3 vs 99.4 +/- 0.7%; P = 0.0049), beta 2-microglobulin (97.9 +/- 2.1 vs 99.3 +/- 1.0%; P = 0.0055) and especially in vivo DNA synthesis (3.8 +/- 1.2 vs 5.3 +/- 2.1%; P = 0.0102) percent expressions were found in the atherosclerotic patients with respect to the controls. This study shows that circulating monocytes are increased in atherosclerotic disease, possibly due to their participation in the phagocytosis of lipids in the arterial wall, with no further immunologic involvement. Conversely, the replicative activity of T lymphocytes is decreased, which might be a consequence of or a factor predisposing to atherosclerosis.