Serum CD121a (Interleukin 1 Receptor, Type I): A Potential Novel Inflammatory Marker for Coronary Heart Disease

Inflammation is now believed to be responsible for coronary heart disease (CHD). This belief has stimulated the evaluation of various inflammatory markers for predicting CHD. This study was designed to investigate the association between four inflammatory cytokines (CD121a, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-8, and IL-11) and CHD. Here, we evaluated 443 patients with CHD and 160 CHD-free controls who underwent coronary angiography. Cytokines were evaluated using flow cytometry, and statistical analyses were performed to investigate the association between cytokine levels and the risk of CHD. Patients with CHD had significantly higher levels of CD121a. The odds ratios for CHD according to increasing CD121a quartiles were 1.00, 1.47 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79–2.72], 2.67 (95% CI: 1.47–4.84), and 4.71 (95% CI: 2.65–8.37) in an age- and sex-adjusted model, compared to 1.00, 1.48 (95% CI: 0.70–3.14), 2.25 (95% CI: 1.10–4.62), and 4.39 (95% CI: 2.19–8.79) in a model that was adjusted for multiple covariates. A comparison of the stable angina, unstable angina, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) subgroups revealed that patients with AMI had the highest CD121a levels, although IL-1β levels were similar across all groups. IL-8 levels were also increased in AMI patients, and IL-11 levels were higher in CHD patients than in non-CHD patients. Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between CD121a, IL-8, and the Gensini score. Together, the significant increase in CD121a levels among CHD patients suggests that it may be a novel inflammatory marker for predicting CHD.