Significance of costimulatory molecules B7∶CD28/ CTLA4 in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Objective:To investigate the alternation and significance of costimulatory molecules CD80, CD28 and CTLA4 expression on periphery monocytes in patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS) . Method:The costimulatory molecules CD80, CD28 and CTLA4 expression on CD4~+ and CD8~+ T lymphocytes of 23 ACS patients were detected with flow cytometry , and compared with those of 31 stable angina(SA) patients and 15 healthy persons(control). Result:Compared to those of normal controls, the molecules of CD28 on CD4~+ and CD8~+ T lymphocytes from patients with ACS and SA patients were significantly up-regulated (P0.01), no difference existed between ACS and SA. Compared with the control group, CTLA4 was down-regulated in ACS, but increased in SA. Conclusion :It is suggested that these molecules may play important immune effects in coronary heart disease; the sharp inflammatory reaction during ACS may be due to lower expression of CTLA4 in its peripheral T cells.