Chemokines in patients with ischaemic heart disease and the effect of coronary angioplasty

Percutaneous coronary transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) may release inflammatory mediators such as chemokines. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and eotaxin (EOX) are monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemokines involved in the inflammation and pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis. A total of 28 patients undergoing elective PTCA, 20 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing coronary angiography and 28 healthy controls were studied. In PTCA patients before the procedure, MCP-1 plasma levels (441±64 pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (430±24 pg/ml), and significantly higher compared with controls (145±17 pg/ml, P<0.01). MCP-1 rose significantly after 3 and 6 months following PTCA (696±89 and 876±86 pg/ml, respectively, P<0.01 vs. before PTCA). EOX plasma levels (155±14 pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (157±14 pg/ml), but significantly higher compared with controls (83.2±10 pg/ml, P<0.05). EOX rose significantly 24 h (273±41 pg/ml, P<0.05) but not 3 months after PTCA (160±20 and 158±19 pg/ml, respectively). These findings indicate that chemokine-induced monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemoattraction is stimulated in patients with coronary artery disease. MCP-1 levels remain significantly elevated for at least 6 months following elective PTCA, suggesting an inflammatory stimulation.