Investigation of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with dyslipidemia

Abstract

Objective: In order to evaluate the effect of dyslipidemia on cellular or humoral immunity in patients, changes in the absolute number of lymphocyte subsets were detected. Methods: Flow cytometry was applied to determine the absolute value of lymphocyte subsets: B cell, NK cell, CD4+ T cell including the functional subset (CD4+CD28+), native subset (CD4+CD45RA+CD62L+), memory T cell subset (CD4+CD45RA−), CD8+ T cell including the functional subset (CD8+CD28+) and activated subsets (CD8+CD38+ and CD8+DR+). The relationship between lymphocyte subsets and hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia was analyzed. Results: The absolute values of CD19+ B cell, CD3+ T cell, CD4+ Th cell, CD4+CD28+ cell, naive CD4+ T cell and memory CD4+ T cell in patients with dyslipidemia were markedly higher than those in healthy controls (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between healthy controls and dyslipidemia patients in other lymphocyte subsets (P>0.05). The absolute values of CD3+ T cell and naive CD4+ T cell were significantly positively correlated with hypercholesterolemia in peripheral blood (r=0.291 and 0.306, respectively, all P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between hypertriglyceridemia and lymphocyte subsets (P>0.05). Conclusion: Dyslipidemia has potential effects on immune profiles in lymphocytes subsets, and changes in lymphocyte subsets in dyslipidemia patients may lead to immune dysfunction.