Background: Currently available evidence suggests a potentially protective role for interleukin (IL)-10 in atherosclerosis. Reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, and hydroxyl radical, seem to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion injury. The aim of this study was to assess whether a rise in lipid peroxidation (LPx), as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4 hydroxyalkenal (4-HNE), during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with serum concentrations of IL-10.
Methods: A total of 50 patients diagnosed with AMI and 50 control subjects were studied. Primary angioplasty was performed in the 50 patients with an indication for reperfusion. Serum IL-10 and LPx (MDA + 4-HNE) concentrations were measured using commercially available enzyme-immunoassays. The venous blood samples were taken 90 +/- 35 min after having obtained a TIMI III flow in patients with AMI. In control subjects, blood samples were taken at the time of admission to hospital.
Results: IL-10 concentrations were higher in patients with AMI compared with control subjects (32.45 +/- 2.17 vs. 22.10 +/- 2.40 pg/ml; P = 0.03). Serum LPx concentrations were higher in the AMI group (22.20 +/- 3.63 vs. 11.90+/-1.26 microM; P=0.01). IL-10 levels in patients with AMI were significantly correlated with the concentrations of LPx (Pearson's r =0.49, P = 0.02).
Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that (1) IL-10 is increased in a human model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and (2) reperfusion injury and elevated IL-10 levels are related in patients with AMI treated with primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.