Deficiency of Tregs in hypertension‐associated left ventricular hypertrophy

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the most common target organ damage in hypertension. Abnormal numbers or functions of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) can cause immune disorders, which participates in LVH. This study aimed to explore the role of Tregs in LVH by investigating circulating Tregs and associated cytokine levels in hypertensive patients with or without LVH. Blood samples were collected from 83 hypertensive patients without LVH (essential hypertension group, EH), 91 hypertensive patients with LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy group, LVH), and 69 normotensive controls without LVH (control group, CG). Tregs and cytokines were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. We found that circulating Tregs were significantly lower in hypertensive patients than in CG subjects. It was lower in LVH than in EH patients. No correlation between blood pressure regulation and Tregs was found in EH or LVH patients. Furthermore, Tregs in older females were lower than those in older males among LVH patients. Additionally, serum interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) decreased in hypertensive patients, and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) increased in LVH patients. Tregs were negatively correlated with creatine kinase, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, apoprotein B, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) values. In general, our study demonstrates significantly decreased circulating Tregs in hypertensive LVH patients. Decreased circulating Tregs in LVH is independent of blood pressure regulation. IL‐6, IL‐10, and TGF‐β1 are related with LVH in hypertension.