title: Serum chemokine CCL17/thymus activation and regulated chemokine is correlated with coronary artery diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was recently reported that chemokine CC-motif ligand 17 (CCL17)-expressing dendritic cells drove atherosclerosis by restraining regulatory T cell homeostasis in an animal model. Our preliminary study has shown that serum CCL17 levels may be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to confirm the relationship between serum CCL17 levels and CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients presenting to our center for coronary angiography between January 2013 and December 2013 were recruited for the study. Serum CCL17 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Atherosclerosis severity was assessed in each patient according to the Gensini score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 971 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study, including 158 non-CAD patients and 813 CAD patients (238 with stable angina pectoris, 321 with unstable angina, 128 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and 126 with ST elevation myocardial infarction). CAD patients had higher serum CCL17 levels compared to patients without CAD [265.90 (170.80-376.65) pg/mL versus 218.35 (142.83-293.45) pg/mL, p < 0.001]. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, serum CCL17 levels remained associated with CAD. Meanwhile, there was a significant linear trend between serum CCL17 levels and the different CAD subtypes (p for linear trend = 0.002). Finally, serum CCL17 levels (per 100 pg/mL) were positively associated with the Gensini score (B 2.310; 95% CI 0.503-4.118; p = 0.012) even after adjusting for confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CCL17 levels are associated with CAD and atherosclerosis severity independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yicong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Xinglin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Xiliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Lianfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Hongzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zhujun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zhongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China. Electronic address: Zhangebmg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D060050:Angina, Stable / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000097:blood*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C106230:CCL17 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Chemokine CC-motif ligand 17; Coronary artery disease; Thymus activation and regulated chemokine