Investigation of Lymphocyte Subsets in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Dyslipidemia.

Abstract

ObjectiveIn order to evaluate the effect of dyslipidemia on cellular or humoral immunity in patients, changes in the absolute number of lymphocyte subsets were detected.MethodsFlow cytometry was applied to determine the absolute value of lymphocyte subsets: B cell, NK cell, CD4+ T cell including the functional subset (CD4+CD28+), native subset (CD4+CD45RA+CD62L+), memory T cell subset (CD4+CD45RA−), CD8+ T cell including the functional subset (CD8+CD28+) and activated subsets (CD8+CD38+ and CD8+DR+). The relationship between lymphocyte subsets and hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia was analyzed.ResultsThe absolute values of CD19+ B cell, CD3+ T cell, CD4+ Th cell, CD4+CD28+ cell, naive CD4+ T cell and memory CD4+ T cell in patients with dyslipidemia were markedly higher than those in healthy controls (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between healthy controls and dyslipidemia patients in other lymphocyte subsets (P>0.05). The absolute values of CD3+ T cell and naive CD4+ T cell were significantly positively correlated with hypercholesterolemia in peripheral blood (r=0.291 and 0.306, respectively, all P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between hypertriglyceridemia and lymphocyte subsets (P>0.05).ConclusionDyslipidemia has potential effects on immune profiles in lymphocytes subsets, and changes in lymphocyte subsets in dyslipidemia patients may lead to immune dysfunction.