EXPRESSION OF LEUKOCYTES ADHESION MOLECULES IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY SYNDROME

Objective To study examining the expression of neutrophil and monocyte adhesion molecules CD11b and CD18 antigens in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Methods The study population included 54 patients with acute coronary syndromes. Among them, 25 patients were diagnoses as acute myocardial infarction, 29 patients were unstable angina. 12 healthy members served as control group. Patients with unstable angina were divided into three groups: group 1 ( n =9, Braunwald′s classⅠ ); group 2( n =8, Braunwald′s class Ⅱ ); group 3(n =12, Braunwald′s class Ⅲ). The expression of CD11b and CD18 antigens was determined by flow cytometry. Results The patients with acute coronary syndromes had significantly higher concentration of CD11b and CD18 antigens on the surface of peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes compared with the control group ( P0.001). The expression of CD11b and CD18 on the surface of peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes in patients with unstable angina increased from group 1 through 2 to 3, the concentration of CD11b and CD18 in patients of group 3 was significantly higher than that of group 1 ( P 0.05). Conclusion The presence of increased concentration of CD11b and CD18 suggests that circulating leukocytes are activated in patients with coronary artery disease; The activation of leukocytes is related with the severity of unstable angina; This activation probably reflects the presence of an inflammatory response involving the atherosclerotic lesion.