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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Isolation and Identification of Extravascular Immune Cells of the Heart
Published on: August 23, 2018
Unstable angina is accompanied by immune cells dysfunction
Monica Neagu1, Gina Manda, Carolina Constantin
1Victor Babes National Institute, Immunology Department, Romania. imunoc@vbabes.ro
Insights
Cellular immune parameters, including lymphocyte proliferation and CD4+ T-lymphocytes, are altered in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Unstable angina shows significant changes, indicating inflammation and increased risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular immunology
- Cellular immunology
- Inflammation research
Background:
- Inflammation is crucial in coronary heart disease (CHD) pathogenesis and prognosis.
- Cellular immune responses are implicated in coronary artery disease (CAD) progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cellular immune parameters in stable and unstable angina.
- To assess lymphocyte proliferative capacity and T-lymphocyte populations.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from stable and unstable angina patients.
- Lymphocyte proliferation was measured using tritiated thymidine incorporation.
- Flow cytometry was used to analyze CD4+ T-lymphocyte populations.
Main Results:
- Peripheral lymphocytes showed enhanced basal proliferation and lectin-induced stimulation (P = 0.02/ P = 0.001).
- Unstable angina patients exhibited significantly increased CD4+ T-lymphocytes (P = 0.0006).
- Altered cellular immune parameters correlate with acute coronary syndrome development.
Conclusions:
- Cellular immune alterations predict acute coronary syndrome development.
- Unstable angina indicates an inflammatory syndrome with increased CHD risk.
- These immune markers may predict plaque instability in coronary artery disease.
Abstract:
Inflammatory process has been found to play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD) and in the prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. The purpose of our study was to investigate some cellular immune parameters during the development of angina in the stable and the unstable stage. We have investigated the proliferative capacity of lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of stable and unstable angina patients. The proliferative capacity of peripheral lymphocytes was evaluated with the radioisotopic method of tritiated thymidine incorporation. The peripheral lymphocytes present an enhanced basal proliferation of cells and lectine induced stimulation (P = 0.02/ P = 0.001), especially in the unstable angina patients, correlated with an increased population of CD4+ peripheral T-lymphocytes (P = 0.0006). The cellular immune parameters announce the development of an acute coronary syndrome. The unstable angina presents alteration of some cellular immune parameters that indicate an inflammatory syndrome associated with an increased risk of CHD, having also a prediction value for the plaque instability.
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