Expansion of the NKG2C+ natural killer-cell subset is associated with high-risk carotid atherosclerotic plaques in seropositive patients for human cytomegalovirus.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
; 33(11): 2653-9, 2013 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23968979
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a pathogen involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, promotes in some individuals a marked reconfiguration of the natural killer (NK)-cell compartment whose hallmark is a persistent expansion of a peripheral blood NK-cell subset expressing the CD94/NKG2C NK receptor. We aimed to evaluate whether the HCMV-associated NK-cell compartment reconfiguration is related to carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) instability. APPROACH ANDRESULTS:
NK receptor expression (ie, LILRB1, NKG2A, NKG2C, and killer immunoglobulin-like receptors [KIR]) by peripheral NK and T cells was evaluated in 40 patients with HCMV+ with CAP, including nonatherosclerotic strokes (n=15) and healthy subjects (n=11) as controls. High-risk CAP (n=16), defined as carotid stenosis >50% with ipsilateral neurological symptomatology in the previous 180 days, compared with non-high-risk CAP had higher %NKG2C+ NK cells (29.5 ± 22.4% versus 16.3 ± 13.2%; P=0.026; odds ratio, 1.053; 95% confidence interval, 1.002-1.106; P=0.042), with a corresponding reduction in the NKG2A+ NK subset (31.7 ± 17.8% versus 41.8 ± 15.8%; P=0.072). The proportions of NKG2C+ NK cells in high-risk CAP were inversely correlated with the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (R(Spearman)=-0.629; P=0.009) and directly with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (R(Pearson) = 0.591; P=0.012), consistent with higher subclinical systemic inflammation. The intraplaque inflammatory infiltrate, evaluated in 27 CAP obtained after endarterectomy, showed a higher presence of subintimal CD3+ lymphocytes in those patients with HCMV-induced changes in the peripheral NK- and T-cell compartments.CONCLUSIONS:
The expansion of NKG2C+ NK cells in patients with CAP seems to be associated with an increased risk of plaque destabilization in some patients with chronic HCMV infection.Palavras-chave
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Células Matadoras Naturais
/
Doenças das Artérias Carótidas
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Infecções por Citomegalovirus
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Citomegalovirus
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Espanha