This study determined the genotype effects of interleukin (IL)-6/IL-6R single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on circulating levels of different cytokines in healthy and coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with different allele frequencies. In the control patients, rs1800795 showed significant differences in IL-18 concentrations between CC and CG and CC and GG genotypes (P=0.003 and 0.004, respectively). Furthermore, circulatory IL-1β was significantly different between GC and GG genotypes from the same SNP (P=0.038). In the diseased patients, significance was determined only for IL-2 (P=0.021) between the C and G homozygote allele carriers of rs1800795. The diseased GC and GG genotype carriers were statistically different for IL-2 (P=0.049) from the rs1800796 and for IL-4 (P=0.049) from the rs2228044. IL-4 was also statistically significant between the GC and CC genotypes from the rs2228043 of the IL-6R gene (P=0.025). The last combination of genotypes in the same gene for the same SNP was statistically significant for IL-10 (P=0.036). According to the logistic regression, only gender (odds ratio [OR] =2.43) and triglycerides (OR =1.98) could be taken as determinants of CAD, while examined SNPs genotypes were not identified as risk factors for CAD. In general, the IL-6 polymorphism genotypes were mainly associated with inflammatory cytokines, while the IL-6R polymorphism genotypes were associated with anti-inflammatory cytokines.

PurposeThe present study investigated the influence of IL-18/18R genetic variants on cytokine expression in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).Materials and methodsThe polymorphisms rs1946518, rs187238, rs326, rs1169288, and rs183130 were determined in patients with and without CAD. Circulating cytokine levels were measured immunologically.ResultsThe rs1946518-GG genotype shows higher IL-18 concentration in the group with CAD, but still not significant. The TG genotype from rs1946518 in carriers with CAD showed a significant decrease in relation to the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18. The decreases of IL-6 and IL-8 were also specific for rs187238 CAD carriers with the GC genotype. The CAD carriers with the AA genotype from rs326 in the IL-18R gene showed significant increase in IL-8 and IL-18 in comparison with those without CAD. Regarding rs1169288 from the IL-18R gene, IL-8 showed a T allele-dependent increase. In the last rs183130 polymorphism of the IL-18R gene, the pro-inflammatory onset showed a C allele-dependent disease-associated decrease in IL-8 CC and IL-6 CT carriers. In contrast, the CAD CT carriers in relation to IL-8 showed significant increase.ConclusionsMost of the IL-18/18R single-nucleotide polymorphisms were mainly associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. It is surmised that these associations between some pro-inflammatory cytokines (mainly IL-8) and some IL-18R genotypes in the subjects with CAD from this study are most likely based on inflammatory-induced upregulation of IL-18R expression.

No abstract

No abstract

Depolarization of cardiomyocytes triggered by stretch and activation of mechanically gated ion channels can lead to serious arrhythmias. However, stretch-induced signaling activating these channels remain little studied. This study tested the hypothesis on implication of NO in shaping the electrical abnormalities provoked by stretch of the right atrial myocardium in rat via a mechanism engaging a signaling cascade, where NO plays a significant role. This approach showed that in isolated right atrial preparation, NO donor SNAP induces the electrical abnormalities similar to those provoked by stretch, and the latter results from activation of NO synthase.