Interleukin-1 beta, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND Several inflammatory mediators have been proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quantitative expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in un-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) gene expression were evaluated in angiography confirmed patients with and without CAD in a case-control study using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS A significant increase (P = 0.030) in IL-1β gene expression was found in patients with CAD [median interquartile range (IQR) = 4.890 (6.084)] compared to patients without CAD [median (IQR) = 1.792 (3.172)]. Despite the increase in IFN-γ gene expression in patients with CAD [median (IQR) = 1.298 (3.896)] versus patients without CAD [median (IQR) = 0.841 (2.79)], there was not statistically significant difference (P = 0.990). CONCLUSION Our results provide evidence for possible association between IL-1β and development of atherosclerosis as a crucial cytokine that induce a network of signaling pathways. This finding if proved in future would suggest IL-1β as a potent therapeutic target in CAD.