Association of monocyte subset counts with coronary fibrous cap thickness in patients with unstable angina pectoris.
OBJECTIVE
We examined whether distinct monocyte subsets relate in specific ways to coronary fibrous cap thickness (FCT) in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP).


METHODS
Forty patients with UAP who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled in this study. The changes in the non-culprit FCT were assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) at baseline and after 9 months. The distinct monocyte subsets (CD14+CD16-CCR2+ and CD14+CD16+CX3CR1+) were measured by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The percent change in FCT showed significantly negative correlation with the percent changes in CD14+CD16+CX3CR1+ monocytes, but not CD14+CD16-CCR2+ monocytes. In addition, the percent change in CD14+CD16+CX3CR1+ monocytes was significantly decreased in the group of patients who received statin treatment compared with the group of patients who did not. Of interest, there was a close relationship between CD14+CD16+CX3CR1+ monocytes and levels of C-reactive protein, but not lipid profiles, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
CD14+CD16+CX3CR1+ monocytes may have a role in coronary plaque vulnerability.
Imanishi
Toshio
T
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan. t-imani@wakayama-med.ac.jp
Ikejima
Hideyuki
H
Tsujioka
Hiroto
H
Kuroi
Akio
A
Ishibashi
Kohei
K
Komukai
Kenichi
K
Tanimoto
Takashi
T
Ino
Yasushi
Y
Takeshita
Tatsuya
T
Akasaka
Takashi
T
D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D054390:Receptors, CCR2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; C095235:CX3CR1 protein, human; D008055:Lipids; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D017452:Receptors, IgG