Investigation of Lymphocyte Subsets in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Dyslipidemia

Objective: In order to evaluate the effect of dyslipidemia on cellular or humoral immunity in patients, changes in the absolute number of lymphocyte subsets were detected. Methods: Flow 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. Results: The 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). Conclusion: Dyslipidemia has potential effects on immune profiles in lymphocytes subsets, and changes in lymphocyte subsets in dyslipidemia patients may lead to immune dysfunction. Keywords: dyslipidemia, lymphocyte subsets, flow cytometry