Inverse Relationship between Serum Levels of Interleukin-1β and Testosterone in Men with Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the relationship between serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and testosterone in men with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Evidence supports a beneficial effect of testosterone upon objective measures of myocardial ischaemia in men with CAD, and in animal models of atherosclerosis. Inflammatory cytokines are involved in many stages of the atherosclerotic process, however, the effect of testosterone upon inflammatory cytokines within the cardiovascular system is largely unknown.

Methods: Serum was collected from 69 men (59±1 years) having >75% occlusion of 1, 2, or 3 coronary arteries. Levels of total testosterone (TT), bioavailable testosterone (BT), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-1-beta (IL-1β), IL-6 and IL-10 were measured and analysis made between men with 1, 2, or 3 vessel CAD, and between men with hypogonadal, borderline hypogonadal and eugonadal serum levels of testosterone.

Results: In patients with 1, 2, or 3 vessel CAD, significant stepwise increases were observed in levels of IL-1β: 0.16±0.03, 0.22±0.06, and 0.41±0.08 pg/ml (p=0.035), and IL-10: 0.93±0.11, 1.17±0.14, and 2.94±0.65 pg/ml (p=0.008). A significant stepwise increase in levels of IL-1β was also observed in eugonadal, borderline hypogonadal, and hypogonadal men: 0.19±0.05, 0.29±0.05, and 0.46±0.13 pg/ml (p=0.047).

Conclusion: Consequently this data implicates IL-1β and IL-10 in the pathogenesis of CAD and suggests that testosterone may regulate IL-1β activity in men with CAD.

Key words

IL-1β - IL-10 - testosterone - coronary artery disease - hypogonadism

References

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1 This project was funded by the National Heart Research Fund, UK and the Hallamshire Cardiology Research Fund, UK
There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Correspondence