Characterization of lymphocyte subpopulations and cardiovascular markers in pericardial fluid of cardiac surgery patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Composition of pericardial fluid (PF) may reveal immunological processes influencing oxidative stress and microcirculation of different tissues of the heart and may play a role in the course of myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and aortic stenosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS:We investigated lymphocyte populations, cardiovascular markers and immunoglobulin composition in PF and blood samples of patients undergoing CABG operation and compared them to those who had aortic valve surgery. RESULTS:The amount of CD8 + T, NK, memoT and activated T-cytotoxic cells were elevated in PF compared to blood, but naiveT and activated T-helper cell ratio were lower in PF. Amount of activated T-helper cells and regulatory T-lymphocytes were elevated in CABG participants in both PF and blood. INKT cells represented the only regulatory lymphocyte population reaching significantly higher concentration in PF than in blood. IL-6 and MCP1 level were elevated in PF compared to blood and MCP1 plasma level was markedly elevated in CABG group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study describes a comprehensive immunological analysis of PF in humans for the first time. We showed that the investigated lymphocyte populations and cardiovascular markers in PF have significantly different distribution compared to blood, and lymphocyte populations show different compartmentization in coronary disease and aortic stenosis.

Accumulation of Inflammatory Mediators in the Normal Pericardial Fluid

“…However, Liu and colleagues reported higher levels of INF-α in pericardial effusions in patients with pericarditis [ 23 ]. In relation to adhesion molecules, only P-selectin levels were previously studied with similar findings to our present study (higher in serum than in pericardial fluid) [ 18 ]. From one side, the molecular weight and structure of the proteins determine their ability to diffuse from the cardiac interstitial space into the pericardial sac via the visceral epicardial layer [ 24 ].…”

“…In fact, in our study, the cellular population of the pericardial fluid was characterized by the abundance of macrophages and mesothelial cells. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that epicardial mesothelial cells under normal conditions are able to synthesize IL-6 [ 12 ] while the T lymphocytes present in the pericardial fluid are capable of synthesizing IL-6, IL-10, and INF-γ [ 18 ].…”

“…There are previous studies that measured levels of some inflammatory mediators in the pericardial fluid obtained during cardiac surgery. While pericardial levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and MCP-1 were reportedly higher in pericardial fluid than in serum, there was no significant difference in the levels of IL-1β [ 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

Evaluation Of the Effect of New Generation Quinolone Antibiotics and Immunepotent CRP on The Immune System

“…Furthermore, our results showed that when cells were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin, the percentage of Tlymphocyte subpopulations was decreased (Figure 4), which occurred regardless of treatment. This finding is not new since Fock, et al (2010) had already reported this phenomenon, which was later confirmed by Gilicze, et al (2019), who attributed it to the loss of expression of the surface marker CD3 due to activation of the Apoptotic mechanisms of lymphocytes caused by stimulation with phytohemagglutinin.…”