Abstract
BackgroundViral and bacterial infections have been considered as a risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). NK cells, as a first line of defense against those infections, may play a role in CHD development. Thus, the main aim of our study was to determine NK cell compartment in patients with CHD undergoing coronary artery by-pass grafting.ResultsNinety three patients with CHD were included into the study; the control group consisted of 49 healthy volunteers. As compared to controls, CHD patients had lower NK cytotoxic activity. CHD group had also a decreased absolute number and percentage of total NK cells and CD3-CD56dim cytotoxic NK subset. In addition, we observed tendency toward lower percentage of the CD3-CD56bright regulatory NK subset and CD3-CD56+IFN-γ+ cells in CHD patients.ConclusionThese data indicate that CHD is associated with an impairment of NK cells compartment.
Highlights
Viral and bacterial infections have been considered as a risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
We found that the CHD patients had lower NK cytotoxic activity, decreased absolute number and percentage of total NK cells as well as the CD3-CD56dim cytotoxic NK subset and, CD3-CD56bright regulatory NK subset
The percentage of people with a smoking history as well as individuals suffering from hypertension was higher in the group with coronary heart disease
Summary
Viral and bacterial infections have been considered as a risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). NK cells, as a first line of defense against those infections, may play a role in CHD development. NK are a component of nonspecific immune response involved in the defense against viral and bacterial infections [1]. It is well-proved that these cells play an important regulatory role in the innate immune response. The CD56dim cells comprise about 90% of CD56 positive NK cells [3] They exert the cytotoxic effect through perforins and granzymes [1]. These cells possess the ability to form conjugates with appropriate target cells [4]. The CD56bright NK cells are less cytotoxic than CD56dim NK cells
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