CD14+CD16+ monocytes in coronary artery disease and their relationship to serum TNF-alpha levels.
Monocytes play a central role in the inflammatory disease atherosclerosis. CD14+CD16+ monocytes are considered proinflammatory monocytes, as they have an increased capacity to produce proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, and are elevated in various inflammatory diseases. We hypothesized that patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have increased levels of CD14+CD16+ monocytes, and that CD14+CD16+ monocytes are associated with inflammation markers. We investigated CD14+CD16+ monocytes in 247 patients with CAD and 61 control subjects using flow cytometry. In addition serum concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and Hs-CRP were assessed. Patients with CAD had higher levels of CD14+CD16+ monocytes than controls (13.6% versus 11.4%; p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis including quartiles of CD14+CD16+ monocytes showed that CD14+CD16+ monocytes were associated with prevalence of CAD (OR 4.9, 95% CI 2.5-19.1, for subjects in the fourth quartile in comparison to subjects in the first quartile). The association between CD14+CD16+ monocytes and CAD remained independently significant after adjustment for most potential confounders (OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.2-20.0). Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha were elevated in subjects within the highest quartiles of CD14+CD16+ monocytes (p=0.018). Our study showed that increased numbers of CD14+CD16+ monocytes are associated with coronary atherosclerosis and TNF-alpha. In accordance, recent animal studies suggest a possibly important role of these monocytes in the development of atherosclerosis.
Department of Medicine II and Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. axelschlitt@gmx.net
Axel
A
Schlitt
Gunnar H
GH
Heine
Stefan
S
Blankenberg
Christine
C
Espinola-Klein
Joern F
JF
Dopheide
Christoph
C
Bickel
Karl J
KJ
Lackner
Mete
M
Iz
Juergen
J
Meyer
Harald
H
Darius
Hans J
HJ
Rupprecht
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002469:Cell Separation; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha