title: Increased Th17 cells in coronary artery disease are associated with neutrophilic inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by a series of inflammatory responses in the large and medium arteries. Th17 cells, a distinct T cell lineage which has recently been identified, have a proinflammatory role and are implicated in many inflammatory conditions in humans and mice. The present study was designed to assess whether Th17 cells are associated with human coronary atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow cytometry was used to examine Th17 cell frequencies in patients with coronary atherosclerosis and in healthy individuals. ELISA and real-time RT-PCR were performed to investigate circulating interleukin (IL)-17 (the signature cytokine of Th17 cells) and IL-8 (the cytokine induced by IL-17) protein and mRNA levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly increased Th17 cell frequencies are observed in patients with coronary artery disease compared to healthy controls. The protein and mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8 are also significantly elevated in patients with atherosclerosis compared to healthy volunteers. Furthermore, mRNA levels of IL-17 and IL-8 are correlated with each other and with peripheral neutrophil counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that Th17 cells and their signature cytokine are involved in the process of atherogenesis. These data suggest that Th17 cells link T cell activity with neutrophilic inflammation in atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, PR China.
authors.forename: Zikuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiongtao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fujun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Qiangsun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger