title: Effects of the Sympathetic Nervous System on Regulatory T Cell and T Helper 1 Chemokine Expression in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of sympathetic overactivity on the immune system involved in the imbalance of T helper (Th) lymphocytes, we investigated the correlation between autonomic dysregulation and the generation of regulatory T (Treg) and Th1 chemokines in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples obtained from patients with coronary artery disease and controls were analyzed for levels of Th1 and Treg cells and their associated cytokines by flow cytometry. In addition, the activity of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), the levels of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI) and serum cytokines, and the activity of protein kinase A (PKA) were analyzed by Western blot, radioimmunoassay, high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunoassay, respectively. All subjects were evaluated for heart rate variability (HRV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of Th1 cells and T-bet (a T-box transcription factor), NE, EPI, cAMP and PKA significantly increased (all p < 0.01) whereas HRV and levels of Treg cells and STAT5 decreased (all p < 0.01) in ACS patients compared to patients with stable angina and controls. The disorder of Th1 and Treg cells is closely related to the activation of cAMP-PKA induced by hyperactivity of the sympathetic system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that the abnormalities in specific subsets of CD4+ T cells are associated with sympathetic hyperactivity in ACS patients. It may provide surprising insights into the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis, involving the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system on immune inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiuqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yujiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xianbing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome; D018925:Chemokines; D006801:Humans; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D018417:Th1 Cells
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines