Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Title abbreviation: Adv Clin Exp Med
JCR Impact Factor (IF) – 2.1 (5-Year IF – 2.0)
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ISSN 1899–5276 (print)
ISSN 2451-2680 (online)
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Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

2019, vol. 28, nr 9, September, p. 1243–1248

doi: 10.17219/acem/108627

Publication type: original article

Language: English

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The influence of statin monotherapy and statin-ezetimibe combined therapy on FoxP3 and IL 10 mRNA expression in patients with coronary artery disease

Paulina Jackowska1,A,B,C,D, Maciej Chałubiński1,A,C,E, Emilia Łuczak1,B, Katarzyna Wojdan1,B, Paulina Gorzelak-Pabis1,B, Małgorzata Olszewska-Banaszczyk1,B, Marlena Broncel1,A,E,F

1 Department of Internal Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland

Abstract

Background. FoxP3 is a marker of human T regulatory cells (Tregs), which are supposed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with pleiotropic, immunoregulatory properties, produced mostly by Tregs and B regulatory cells. Due to their anti-inflammatory action, both Tregs and IL-10 are believed to inhibit plaque development and decrease atherosclerosis progression. The effect of hypolipidemic drugs – statins or ezetimibe – on FoxP3-positive Tregs and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10, is still unclear.
Objectives. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of 3 different therapies of equivalent hypolipidemic activity: atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, and combination therapy of atorvastatin and ezetimibe on FoxP3–Tregs transcription factor and IL-10 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).
Material and Methods. Sixty-five patients with diagnosed CAD participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to 3 therapeutic groups: atorvastatin at a dose of 40 mg/day (A40 group); rosuvastatin 20 mg/day (R20 group); and atorvastatin 10 mg/day combined with ezetimibe 10 mg/day (A10+E10 group). After 1 month and 6 months of therapy, the mRNA expression for FoxP3 and IL-10 in PBMCs was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and lipid parameters.
Results. An improvement in lipid parameters was observed in each of the groups studied; however, hypolipidemic treatment did not induce any change in FoxP3 and IL-10 mRNA expression. After 6 months, an increase in FoxP3 mRNA expression was noted in A40 group as compared to R20 group.
Conclusion. None of the therapies of equal hypolipidemic efficacy affected FoxP3 and IL-10 mRNA expression in patients with stable CAD.

Key words

statins, ezetimibe, FOXP3, IL-10, regulatory T cells

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