Inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides in acquired heart diseases.

INTRODUCTION: One of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease is inflammation. The role that it plays in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease remains a topic of ongoing research. The aim of this study was to identify the appearance and distribution of inflammatory markers, interleukins 1α (Il-1α) and 10 (Il-10) and β defensins 2 (βD2), 3 (βD3), and 4 (βD4), in the right atrial tissue from different acquired heart diseases.

METHODS: During cardiac surgery, right atrial tissue fragments were taken from 23 patients with acquired heart diseases. Tissue fragments were stained for immunohistochemical detection of Il-1α, Il-10, βD2, βD3 and βD4.

RESULTS: Few to a moderate number of Il-1α-positive cells and a moderate to great number of Il-10-, βD2- and βD3-positive cells were detected in right atrial tissue. There was a positive correlation between the level of CRP and the number of βD3-positive cardiomyocytes (r(s) 0.463; p .026). We found a negative correlation between the left ventricular ejection fraction and the number of βD2-positive cells in connective tissue (r(s) -0.524; p 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS: The rich expression of antimicrobial peptides and its association with CRP support the idea that an inflammatory process is involved in the pathogenesis of acquired heart diseases. The worst preoperative condition is associated with increased antimicrobial peptide expression in the right atrial cells.