Different cytokine patterns induced by Helicobacter pylori and Lactobacillus acidophilus extracts in PBMCs of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a degenerative inflammatory disease with unknown etiology. AAA is characterized by abdominal aortic dilatation more than 3 cm and is often asymptomatic, but the rupture of aneurysm can lead to death. Age, smoking and male sex are major predisposing factors of AAA. This study compares the effect of Helicobacter (H.) pylori and Lactobacillus (L.) acidophilus on the cytokine profile of PBMCs of 5 men with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and 5 men with normal/insignificant angiography, CT-Scan and ultrasonography results in the single-culture and in the co-culture with HUVECs. IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-17 F, IL-21, IL-22, IFN-γ and TNF-α were measured in culture supernatants using a commercial fluorescent-labeled-bead assay. In general, CagA+ H. pylori-extract induced higher production of IFN-γ, IL-13 and IL-21 by PBMCs. Treatment of patients' PBMCs with CagA+H. pylori-extract induced Th2 cytokines while treatment of controls' PBMCs with CagA+H. pylori-extract increased Th1 cytokines. In the co-culture, however, patients' PBMCs produced Th1 cytokines irrespective of extract treatment, while controls' PBMCs produced Th2 cytokines and decreased IL-10. CagA+ H. pylori- as well as L. acidophilus-extract induced higher levels of IL-9 by controls' PBMCs in co-culture with HUVECs than patients (P = 0.05 and P = 0.01). The cytokine pattern of PBMCs induced by CagA+ H. pylori- and L. acidophilus-extracts in the co-culture with HUVECs shows differences in AAA patients and in comparison to controls. Decreased secretion of IL-9, IL-21 and IL-22 by PBMCs of patients treated with CagA+ H. pylori extract in co-culture, as opposed to non-AAA controls may indicate the active role ECs play in AAA. Simultaneous production of IL-10 and Th1 cytokines in patients and pronounced Th2 cytokines in controls in response to both bacteria may point to the inherent differences between patients and controls, which need further investigation.