@article {8658, title = {Natural killer cells, gamma delta T cells and classical monocytes are associated with systolic blood pressure in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).}, journal = {BMC Cardiovasc Disord}, volume = {21}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 Jan 22}, pages = {45}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major source of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence from mouse models, genetic, and cross-sectional human studies suggest increased proportions of selected immune cell subsets may be associated with levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP).

METHODS: We assayed immune cells from cryopreserved samples collected at the baseline examination (2000-2002) from 1195 participants from the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). We used linear mixed models, with adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking, exercise, body mass index, education, diabetes, and cytomegalovirus titers, to estimate the associations between 30 immune cell subsets (4 of which were a priori hypotheses) and repeated measures of SBP (baseline and up to four follow-up measures) over 10~years. The analysis provides estimates of the association with blood pressure level.

RESULTS: The mean age of the MESA participants at baseline was 64 {\textpm} 10~years and 53\% were male. A one standard deviation (1-SD) increment in the proportion of γδ T cells was associated with 2.40~mmHg [95\% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.42] higher average systolic blood pressure; and for natural killer cells, a 1-SD increment was associated with 1.88~mmHg (95\% CI 0.82-2.94) higher average level of systolic blood pressure. A 1-SD increment in classical monocytes (CD14CD16) was associated with 2.01 mmHG (95\% CI 0.79-3.24) lower average systolic blood pressure. There were no associations of CD4 T helper cell subsets with average systolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the innate immune system plays a role in levels of SBP whereas there were no associations with adaptive immune cells.

}, issn = {1471-2261}, doi = {10.1186/s12872-021-01857-2}, author = {Delaney, Joseph A C and Olson, Nels C and Sitlani, Colleen M and Fohner, Alison E and Huber, Sally A and Landay, Alan L and Heckbert, Susan R and Tracy, Russell P and Psaty, Bruce M and Feinstein, Matt and Doyle, Margaret F} }