Comparison of cytokine expressions in acute myocardial infarction and stable angina stages of coronary artery disease.

Objective: To investigate the differential gene expression of cytokines and compare their impacts on the immune functions among the acute myocardial infarction patients (AMI), the stable angina patients (SA) and the controls.

Methods: 20 patients with AMI, 20 patients with SA and 20 healthy volunteers were recruited into the study. Whole human genome microarray analysis was used to detect the gene expression differences in interferons, interleukins, chemokines, tumor necrosis factors and associated receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) among three groups.

Results: Compared with SA patients and the controls respectively, in AMI patients, IFNα2, IFNαR1, IFNαR2, IFNγR1, IFNγR2, L1β, IL16, IL18, Cxcl1, Cxcl2, Cxcl6, CxcR2, CxcR4, LIGHT, TNFR1, LT-βR, CD137, TRAILR, and TWEAKR mRNA expressions were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05), while Ccl5, Ccl24, Ccl28, CcR5, TWEAK, CD40, CD27, and BAFFR mRNA expressions were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05). But, there was no significant difference in cytokine expression between the SA patients and the controls.

Conclusion: In AMI patients, mRNA expression levels of cytokines were imbalanced, indicating the dysfunction of the immune system. Together with no significant change of cytokines was observed between the SA and controls, showing the different cytokine related immune activity in the AMI and SA patients.