Title | Natural killer cells, gamma delta T cells and classical monocytes are associated with systolic blood pressure in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2021 |
Authors | Delaney, JAC, Olson, NC, Sitlani, CM, Fohner, AE, Huber, SA, Landay, AL, Heckbert, SR, Tracy, RP, Psaty, BM, Feinstein, M, Doyle, MF |
Journal | BMC Cardiovasc Disord |
Volume | 21 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 45 |
Date Published | 2021 Jan 22 |
ISSN | 1471-2261 |
Abstract | <p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Hypertension is a major source of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence from mouse models, genetic, and cross-sectional human studies suggest increased proportions of selected immune cell subsets may be associated with levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP).</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>We assayed immune cells from cryopreserved samples collected at the baseline examination (2000-2002) from 1195 participants from the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). We used linear mixed models, with adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking, exercise, body mass index, education, diabetes, and cytomegalovirus titers, to estimate the associations between 30 immune cell subsets (4 of which were a priori hypotheses) and repeated measures of SBP (baseline and up to four follow-up measures) over 10 years. The analysis provides estimates of the association with blood pressure level.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>The mean age of the MESA participants at baseline was 64 ± 10 years and 53% were male. A one standard deviation (1-SD) increment in the proportion of γδ T cells was associated with 2.40 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.42] higher average systolic blood pressure; and for natural killer cells, a 1-SD increment was associated with 1.88 mmHg (95% CI 0.82-2.94) higher average level of systolic blood pressure. A 1-SD increment in classical monocytes (CD14CD16) was associated with 2.01 mmHG (95% CI 0.79-3.24) lower average systolic blood pressure. There were no associations of CD4 T helper cell subsets with average systolic blood pressure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>These findings suggest that the innate immune system plays a role in levels of SBP whereas there were no associations with adaptive immune cells.</p> |
DOI | 10.1186/s12872-021-01857-2 |
Alternate Journal | BMC Cardiovasc Disord |
PubMed ID | 33482725 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC7821496 |
Grant List | R01HL120854 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States R01HL135625 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States R00HL129045 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States |