title: Relationship between CD40 ligand expression and B type natriuretic peptide levels in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation plays a pathogenic role in the development of chronic heart failure (CHF). Increasing evidence shows that CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction plays a pathogenic role in inflammatory disorders. We assessed whether CD40 ligand expression was abnormal in patients with CHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty normal controls and 86 patients with CHF were investigated. The expression of CD40L on platelets was analyzed by indirect-immunofluorescence flow cytometry, and the soluble CD40L (sCD40L) level was determined by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). B type natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients with CHF showed a significant increased expression of CD40L (32.3+/-13.9 MFI) on platelets and sCD40L levels (20.5+/-8.6 microg/l) compared with controls(p<0.0001). CD40L expression on platelets and sCD40L levels positively correlated with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction and BNP levels in CHF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with CHF showed increased expression of CD40L system, which may create a pathogenic role in the development and progression of CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of JiangSu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China. yanjinchuan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jin-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Pei-Jing
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rong-Zeng
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Gen-Shan
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D015539:Platelet Activation; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D023201:CD40 Ligand