Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal: Cytokine

Volume number: 130

ISSN: 1043-4666

eISSN: 1096-0023

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155053

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Myocarditis is characterized by infiltration and activation of cytokine as well as chemokine receptors frequently producing heart failure. Causes are often infections triggering inflammatory and immune responses but these initial lines of defense might be finally disastrous. To identify mediators we screened various receptors by confocal microscopy and identified cardiac interleukin-7 (IL-7) receptor-alpha (IL-7R alpha) expressing cells in patients with myocarditis. IL-7R alpha(+) cells were analyzed by markers for leukocytes (CD45), B cells (CD19), T cells (CD3, CD4, CD8) and macrophages (CD68, CD163, CD206). Immune cells were hardly detected in controls. In patients with myocarditis main inflammatory populations consisted of macrophages and T cells. B cells were hardly present. 90% of CD68(+) macrophages but less than 20% of CD3(+) T cells were IL-7R alpha(+). This was surprising since T and B lymphocytes are generally regarded as the major IL-7R alpha(+) cells. Since IL-7 acts as a chemokine, the expression of its receptor might orchestrate cardiac macrophage infiltration. In contrast, consumption of IL-7 by IL-7R alpha(+) cardiac macrophages might potentially prevent a certain overshooting immune reaction and sepsis by reducing proliferation and survival of lymphocytes. Our data suggest a participation of IL-7R alpha+ macrophages in the development of myocarditis and heart failure.

Harvard Citation style: Kubin, N., Richter, M., Sen-Hild, B., Akintuerk, H., Schoenburg, M., Kubin, T., et al. (2020) Macrophages represent the major pool of IL-7Ra expressing cells in patients with myocarditis, Cytokine, 130, Article 155053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155053

APA Citation style: Kubin, N., Richter, M., Sen-Hild, B., Akintuerk, H., Schoenburg, M., Kubin, T., & Cetinkaya, A. (2020). Macrophages represent the major pool of IL-7Ra expressing cells in patients with myocarditis. Cytokine. 130, Article 155053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155053