Correlation between expression levels of chemokine cytokine receptor 5 in CD4⁺ T cell subsets in peripheral blood and carotid stenosis

  Objective  To investigate whether there was a correlation between expression level of chemokine cytokine receptor 5 (CCR5) in CD4⁺ T cell subsets and degree of carotid stenosis.

  Methods  Eighty-four patients with carotid stenosis were selected as the carotid stenosis group. According to the carotid stenosis rate, they were divided into mild stenosis group with 30 cases, moderate stenosis group with 28 cases and severe stenosis group with 26 cases. Another 45 subjects with normal carotid artery were selected as the control group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression level of CCR5 in CD4⁺ T cells in peripheral blood of subjects.

  Results  There were no significant differences in terms of age, gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking and other general information in all groups (P>0.05); the expression levels of CD4⁺CCR5 in patients with carotid stenosis were higher than the controls (P < 0.05); its level in severe stenosis group was higher than mild stenosis group(P < 0.), but no significant differences were observed in CD4⁺CCR5 level(P < 0.). There were no statistically significant between-group difference in the proportions of CD4⁺ subgroups in T cells (P>0.05).

  Conclusion  The increase of CCR5expression in peripheral blood CD4⁺ T cells is closely related to carotid stenosis, which may have a certain role in judging the degree of carotid stenosis.