High MAPK p38 activity and low level of IL-10 in intermittent claudication as opposed to stable angina.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present pilot study was to relate the activity of MAPK p38 with the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in a small cohort of patients with either stable angina (N=5) or intermittent claudication (N=5) compared to healthy controls (N=10).


METHODS
The activity of MAPK p38 was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, isolated from whole blood by western blot using phospho-specific anti-MAPK p38 antibodies. Cytokine levels of 11 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were determined from the serum using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
We found a significant elevation of the MAPK p38 activity in the intermittent claudication group (P=0.0027) compared with the healthy control group whereas the stable angina group showed similar MAPK p38 activity as the healthy control group. The IL-10 level in serum found in the stable angina group was significantly higher compared with both the healthy control group (P=0.0116) and the intermittent claudication group (P=0.0317).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results imply that there is a casual relationship between increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and IL-4 and the activity of the MAPK p38. Possibly has IL-10 a protective role that down-regulates the activity of MAPK p38 and thereby further inflammatory processes in stable angina patients.
El Marghani
A M
AM
School of Science and Technology, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden.
Abuabaid
H M
HM
Hurtig-Wennlöf
A
A
Sirsjö
A
A
Norgren
L
L
Kjellen
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013548:Sweden; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; C508598:IL4 protein, human; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases