The Relationship Between Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics and Th-cell Drift in the Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Aim To determine serum levels of interferon-γ(INF-γ),interleukin-4(IL-4),interleukin-2(IL-2) and interleukin-10(IL-10) in the patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS) and stable angina(SA),so as to investigate the relationship between plaque morphology characteristics and serum levels of INF-γ,IL-4,IL-2,and IL-10.Methods This study enrolled 37 patients with ACS and 33 patients with SA.The serum INF-γ,IL-4,IL-2 and IL-10 levels were determined by ELISA.Coronary artery plaques were divided into type I,II and Ⅲ through plaque morphology characteristics according to coronary angiography.Carotid artery plaques were divided into vulnerable plaque and unstable plaque according to ultrasound characteristics.The changes of INF-γ,IL-4,IL-2 and IL-10 levels in the patients with different plaque types were compared.Results The serum INF-γ,IL-2 levels were significantly higher in the ACS group than those in the SA group(P0.05),but IL-4 and IL-10 levels had no significant difference.Coronary artery plaque was the main type Ⅱ and carotid artery plaque was vulnerable plaque in the ACS patients.Coronary artery plaque was the main type Ⅰ and Ⅲ and carotid artery plaque was unstable plaque in the SA patients.The plasma levels of INF-γ,IL-4,IL-2,IL-10 in different types of plaque were significantly different.The serum INF-γ,IL-2 levels in the patients of type Ⅱ coronary plaque were significantly higher than those in the patients of type Ⅰand Ⅲ coronary plaque.The serum INF-γ,IL-2 levels in the patients of carotid artery vulnerable plaque were significantly higher than those in the patients of carotid artery unstable plaque,but IL-4 and IL-10 levels had no significant difference.Conclusion Th cell drift and plaque characteristics were associated with plaque stability,and they can be used for predicting cardiovascular events.