Effect of immune modulation therapy on cardiac function and T-bet/GATA-3 gene expression in aging male patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency. (February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, Li-Na; Guo, Shu-Li; Li, Tie-Ling; Ding, Guo-Lei; Zhang, Ya-Jing; Ma, Jin-Ling
• Is Part Of: Immunotherapy. Volume 5:Number 2(2013:Feb.)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 153
• Publication Date: 2013-02
• Subjects: chronic cardiac insufficiency -- GATA-3 -- immune modulation -- T-bet -- T-lymphocyte subset; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.37
• DOI: 10.2217/imt.12.139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-743X

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the role of immune modulation therapy in regulating the imbalance of Th1/Th2, serum IFN-γ, IL-4 and the T-cell-specific transcription factors T-bet / GATA-3 in peripheral blood in aging male patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency (CCI).Patients & methods: In total, 156 participants were divided into three groups: the CCI intervention group, which received regular therapy and thymopetidum (20 mg intramuscular injection, once every other day for 3 months; n = 70), the CCI control group, which received regular therapy (n = 56) and 50 healthy individuals older than 57 years of age, who served as normal controls.Results: Before therapy, in comparison with the control group, levels of left ventricular end diastolic diameter, NT-proBNP, C-reactive protein (CRP), Th1, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ, and T-bet mRNA and T-bet / GATA-3 mRNA all increased, and the level of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6MWT, Th2, IL-4, and GATA-3 mRNA also decreased in both the CCI intervention and control groups. Linear correlation analysis indicated that LVEF was inversely correlated with serum NT-proBNP, CRP, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ and T-bet mRNA/ GATA-3 mRNA, and was positively correlated with plasma IL-4. After 3 months of therapy, levels of left ventricular end diastolic diameter, NT-proBNP, CRP, Th1, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ, T-bet mRNA and T-bet / GATA-3 mRNA decreased in the two CCI subgroups, but levels in the CCI intervention group were lower in comparison to the control group. Levels of LVEF, 6MWT, Th2 and GATA-3 mRNA increased in the two CCI subgroups, while levels in the CCI intervention group were higher in comparison with the control group. Plasma levels of IL-4 showed no change after treatment.Conclusion: Immune modulation improved cardiac function of CCI patients and was associated with amelioration of T-helper superficial transcription factor polarization and its related cytokine imbalance. Immune modulation might be a new treatment strategy for aging CCI patients.