OBJECTIVETo compare the peripheral dendritic cell subpopulation changes in patients with or without coronary artery disease.

METHODSA total of 60 patients with angiographic documented coronary artery disease (CAD) were recruited in this study, including 20 cases with acute myocardial infarction (AMI group), 20 cases with unstable angina(UA group) and 20 patients with stable angina (SA group). Eleven patients with chest pain and without coronary stenosis served as chest pain control (CPS group). Ten cases without heart diseases served as normal control (Normal control group). Numbers of peripheral myeloid dendritic cell (mDC) and plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) precursors were determined by FACS.

RESULTThe proportions of mDC precursors were significantly lower in UA group and AMI group (4.7% +/- 2.6%, 5.0% +/- 2.7%) than that in SA, CPS and control groups (11.0% +/- 6.4%, 12.0% +/- 3.9%, 12.3% +/- 3.3%, respectively, all P < 0.001). pDC numbers were similar among groups.

CONCLUSIONReduced circulating mDC subsets in patients with unstable angina and AMI might suggest enhanced mDC recruitment to vulnerable plaques in these patients.

Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; immunology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Count ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; immunology ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; immunology

No abstract available.
Angina, Unstable/*enzymology/*immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators/*blood ; Interleukins/*blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/*blood ; Myocardial Infarction/*enzymology/*immunology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/*blood

Inflammation and activation of immune cells have important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We analyzed the plasma levels of inflammatory markers and the degree of activation of peripheral blood monocytes and T-lymphocytes isolated from 12 unstable angina, 12 stable angina, and 12 normal subjects. In 20%-33% of patients, monocytes expressed high basal levels of IL-8, tissue factor, IL-1beta, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA. Furthermore, basal mRNA levels of these cytokines showed strong correlation with each other (p < 0.01 in all combination) but not with tumor necrosis factor-alpha or transforming growth factor-beta1. Plasma level of C-reactive protein was highest in the unstable angina patients (1.63+/-0.70 mg/l) and lowest in the control subjects (0.22+/-0.08 mg/l) (P = 0.03). We also observed a high correlation between C-reactive protein level and the occurrence of minor and major coronary events during 6 months of follow-up. Activation status of T-cells, assessed by the percentage of HLA-DR positive cells, was highest in the unstable angina patients (26.8+/-1.4%) compared with that in the control (14.7+/-1.2%) (P = 0.0053). Our data represent the first case showing that the circulating monocytes in angina patients are activated to a state express numerous proatherogenic cytokines. These results may help to diagnose angina patients according to the inflammatory markers and evaluate the prognosis of the disease.
Aged ; Angina Pectoris/immunology* ; Angina Pectoris/diagnosis ; Angina, Unstable/immunology* ; Angina, Unstable/diagnosis ; Biological Markers/blood ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Cytokines/blood* ; Female ; HLA-DR Antigens/immunology ; Human ; Interleukins/blood ; Lymphocyte Transformation ; Male ; Middle Age ; Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1/blood ; Monocytes/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/analysis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor/analysis

OBJECTIVE: To detect the levels of index related to inflammation such as soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), neutrophil collagenase-8 (MMP-8), and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) , lipid peroxidation and autoimmune indexes such as oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and its antibody (ox-LDL Ab) in patients with coronary heart disease, and to investigate its relationship with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Contents of sCD40L, MMP-8, PAPP-A, ox-LDL and ox-LDL Ab in the peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from 109 patients with coronary heart disease including 36 acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 38 unstable angina pectoris (UAP), and 35 stable angina pectoris (SAP) and 36 controls without coronary heart disease. RESULTS: The levels of each index in the peripheral blood of ACS patients (including AMI and UAP) were higher than those of SAP patients and controls (P < 0.05), and the difference of each index between UAP group and AMI group in ACS patients had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The levels of each index of SAP patients, except PAPP-A, were all higher than those of controls (P <0.05). All the indexes were helpful in diagnosis of ACS. The area under the ROC curve of each index is between 0.7 and 0.9. CONCLUSION The increase of sCD40L, MMP-8, PAPP-A, ox-LDL and ox-LDL Ab levels in peripheral blood may be related to the pathogenesis of ACS, and can be used as potential markers of unstable atherosclerosis plaque.
Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; immunology ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; immunology ; Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A ; metabolism

The role of autoantibody against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether autoantibodies against malondialdehyde (MDA)-modified LDL are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and clinical presentations of CAD in non-diabetic patients without acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We determined the serum levels of autoantibody against MDA-modified LDL by ELISA in 71 patients with angiographically significant CAD (> or = 50% diameter stenosis in at least 1 vessel) and 80 controls without angiographically significant CAD. Among the total 151 subjects, 30 subjects did not have any clinical ischemic event, 90 subjects had stable angina symptoms, and 31 subjects had unstable angina symptoms. The autoantibody titer, expressed mean optical density units, was significantly higher in patients with CAD than in controls (0.177+/- 0.014 versus 0.127+/- 0.011, respectively; p=0.006) and higher in unstable angina group than in stable angina group (0.240+/- 0.025 versus 0.145+/- 0.007, respectively; p < 0.001). By logistic regression analysis, the high autoantibody titer was associated significantly with CAD (P=0.008), independent of age, gender, body mass index, triglyceride concentration, and the ratio of total cholesterol-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In multiple regression analysis, presence of CAD, smoking history and low HDL-cholesterol level were independent factors associated with a increased anti-oxLDL Ab titer. The autoantibody titer was significantly lower in nonsmoker than smoker (p=0.019) and higher in low HDL- cholesterol (< or = 35 mg/dl) group than in high HDL-cholesterol group (p=0.012). Elevated autoantibody titer was associated with CAD and the unstable clinical presentation of CAD. Our results suggest that immune response to oxidized LDL may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and plaque instability.
Aged ; Angina, Unstable/*blood/*immunology ; Antibody Formation ; Autoantibodies/*analysis ; Coronary Disease/immunology ; Female ; Human ; Lipoproteins, LDL/*drug effects/*immunology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/*pharmacology ; Middle Age

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect of Compound Paeonol Dripping Pill (CPDP) and its effect on the levels of plasma inflammatory mediators, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1).

METHODSNinety patients with unstable angina were randomized by enveloping method into 3 groups equally, the conventional Western therapy group (A), the CPDP group (B), and the Tongxinluo group (C). The improvement of angina pectoris symptoms and electrocardiogram (ECG) was observed after 2 weeks of treatment and the levels of plasma CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and MCP-1 were measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in improving angina pectoris was 93.3% in Group B, significantly higher than that in Group A (73.3%, P <0.01) and Group C (76.7%, P <0.05), while no significant difference of ECG improvement rate was found between the three groups (P >0.05). Plasma total cholesterol and inflammation indexes were significantly lowered after treatment in Group B (P <0.05), showing a significant difference to those in the other two groups (P <0.05), but the indexes were unchanged in the other two groups (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONEffect of CPDP is better in relieving symptoms, depressing inflammatory reaction for treatment of unstable angina patients than that of Tonxinluo Capsule and conventional Western treatment.

Acetophenones ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Angina, Unstable ; drug therapy ; immunology ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Chemokine CCL2 ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Tablets ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo discussion the effects of Huoxue components of effective drug in treating unstable angina in patients with blood stasis WBC (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).

METHODone hundred and twenty cases of unstable angina were randomly divided into the conventional therapy group, component compatibility group, Pieces group and Xuesaitong group 4 groups, each with 30 cases. Observation of patients before and after treatment of clinical efficacy, blood lipid indicators and the indicators changes.

RESULTComponent compatibility group after treatment clinical marked improvement in conditions, and the WBC, CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, TC, TG levels lower than before treatment, there were significant differences (P < 0.05), and lower than the other three groups After treatment (P < 0.05). And HDL-C after treatment than before treatment increased, there were significant differences (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONHuoxue-effective component compatibility can be effective treatment of unstable angina blood stasis, and could inhibit the inflammatory level.

Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; C-Reactive Protein ; immunology ; Cardiotonic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; immunology ; Leukocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; immunology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is characterized by increased inflammatory processes and endothelial activation. We investigated the association between ACS and inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading enzymes. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 55 consecutive patients with ACS: 25 with unstable angina (UA) and 30 with non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). For comparison, 25 age- and sex-matched subjects with no significant coronary artery stenosis were included as the control group. Peripheral serum levels of interleukin (IL)-33, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, tissue inhibitor of MMP-1, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured on admission, and at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after the initial evaluation. RESULTS: Compared to serum levels in the control group, serum levels of IL-33 decreased in the NSTEMI group (p < 0.05), and levels of MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 increased in the UA group (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively) and NSTEMI group (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively). IL-33 levels were significantly lower on admission than at 12 hours after the initial evaluation (p < 0.05). IL-33 levels were negatively correlated with MMP-9 levels (r = -0.461, p < 0.05) and CRP levels (r = -0.441, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of MMP-9, TIMP-1, and decreased levels of IL-33 play a role in the development and progression of ACS.
Adult ; Angina, Unstable/blood/*enzymology/*immunology ; Biological Markers/blood ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators/*blood ; Interleukins/*blood ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/blood/*enzymology/*immunology ; Time Factors ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/*blood