Cardio-Cerebrovascular Control and Research Center, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250062, China.
Atherosclerosis. 2012 Mar;221(1):232-41. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.12.026. Epub 2011 Dec 27.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease regulated by T lymphocyte subsets. Th17 cells reportedly play important roles in the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated the contributions of circulating Th17 cells and plasma Th17-associated cytokines to carotid artery plaques.
Based on carotid artery ultrasonography, 280 atherosclerosis patients were categorized both by: (1) 4 levels for extent and severity of plaques (Level 1=least severe; Level 4=most severe) and (2) 5 groups for ultrasound features of carotid artery plaques (none, flat, soft, hard, ulcerated). Peripheral blood Th17 cell frequencies and plasma concentrations of Th17-associated cytokines (IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α) were also determined.
For groups categorized by the extent and severity of carotid artery plaques, Th17 cell frequencies, common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), and Crouse scores were significantly increased in higher level groups (Levels 3 and 4) than in lower level groups (Levels 1 and 2), and plasma concentrations of IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α increased with increased levels of plaque severity. The same pattern was found for groups categorized by ultrasound features of carotid artery plaques. The results of Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses showed that both CCA-IMT and Crouse scores for carotid artery plaques were significantly and positively correlated with Th17 cell frequencies and plasma Th17-associated cytokine concentrations.
These results suggest that increased frequencies of circulating Th17 cells and Th17-associated cytokines are correlated to the severity and progression of carotid artery plaques.
动脉粥样硬化是一种受 T 淋巴细胞亚群调控的慢性炎症性疾病。据报道，Th17 细胞在炎症性和自身免疫性疾病的发展中发挥重要作用。在本研究中，我们研究了循环 Th17 细胞和血浆 Th17 相关细胞因子对颈动脉斑块的贡献。
根据颈动脉超声检查，将 280 例动脉粥样硬化患者分为以下 4 个等级：（1）斑块的程度和严重程度（1 级=最不严重；4 级=最严重），（2）颈动脉斑块的超声特征分为 5 组（无、扁平、软、硬、溃疡）。还测定了外周血 Th17 细胞频率和血浆 Th17 相关细胞因子（IL-17、IL-6 和 TNF-α）浓度。
根据颈动脉斑块的程度和严重程度分组的结果显示，Th17 细胞频率、颈总动脉内膜中层厚度（CCA-IMT）和 Crouse 评分在较高水平组（3 级和 4 级）明显高于较低水平组（1 级和 2 级），且血浆 IL-17、IL-6 和 TNF-α浓度随斑块严重程度的增加而增加。在根据颈动脉斑块超声特征分组的结果中也观察到了相同的模式。Pearson 相关和多元线性回归分析的结果表明，颈动脉斑块的 CCA-IMT 和 Crouse 评分与 Th17 细胞频率和血浆 Th17 相关细胞因子浓度呈显著正相关。
这些结果表明，循环 Th17 细胞和 Th17 相关细胞因子的频率增加与颈动脉斑块的严重程度和进展有关。
