Type 1 T helper /type 2 T helper imbalance accelerates vascular endothelial injury in coronary heart disease patients with hyperglycemia

Abstract

Objective To observe the changes of type 1 T helper cells (Th1)/type 2 T helper cells (Th2) in peripheral blood of the patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) under different blood glucose conditions, and to investigate the involvement of the changes of Th1/Th2 subsets under different blood glucose conditions on vascular endothelial injury. Methods Seventy-three CHD patients diagnosed in our hospital from January 2019 to April 2021 and 20 healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled in this study. According to the blood glucose level of the CHD patients, they were divided into diabetes group (group DM, n=25), impaired glucose tolerance group (group IGR, n=10) and normal blood glucose group (group N, n=38). The percentages of Th1/Th2 cell subsets and the concentration of Th1/Th2 related cytokines in the peripheral blood were measured. Cytotoxic activity of different cell subsets against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated. Results The percentage of Th1 cells and concentration of interferonγ (IFNγ) were significantly higher in the group DM than the groups IGR, N and Control [percentage of Th1 cells; (10.13±2.34) %vs (6.38±0.89)%, (6.13±1.19)% and (6.26±1.18)%, P < 0.05; IFNγ: 58.29±8.24vs 47.60±3.91, 47.69±5.08 and 39.18±4.34 pg/mL, P < 0.05]. While the concentration of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the group DM was obviously lower than that in the other 3 groups (20.74±3.61vs 23.83±4.23, 30.03±4.28 and 35.69±4.25 pg/mL, P < 0.05). Cytotoxic efficiency of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to HUVEC was significantly elevated in the group DM than the other 3 groups [(67.69±1.96)%vs (78.19±4.02)%, (77.78±2.78)% and (77.64±4.01)%, P < 0.05]. But there was no statistical difference in the elimination of CD4+ T cells in the group DM and the other 3 groups. Conclusion CHD patients with hyperglycemia present obvious imbalances of Th1/Th2 cells and cytokines in the peripheral blood, which promoting the damage of hyperglycemia to vascular endothelial cells.

Keywords

• atherosclerosis
• hyperglycemia
• t helper cell
• endothelial cells