Linkage of Blood MALT1 with CD4+ T Cell Subset, Inflammation, Lipid, and Its Potency as a Biomarker for Predicting Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Coronary Heart Disease Patients.

OBJECTIVE

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) promotes CD4+ T cell differentiation, vascular inflammation, and atherogenesis to engage in coronary heart disease (CHD) progression. This study intended to explore the correlation of blood MALT1 with clinical characteristics, CD4+ T cell subset and prognosis in CHD patients.

METHODS

MALT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 258 CHD patients and 50 healthy controls (HCs) was determined by RT-qPCR. Additionally, blood T helper (Th)1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were measured through flow cytometry; major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded during the routine follow up in CHD patients.

RESULTS

Blood MALT1 was elevated in CHD patients compared to HCs. Interestingly, blood MALT1 positively associated with hyperlipidemia, triglyceride, C-reactive protein, and Gensini score in CHD patients. It also negatively linked with Th2 cells, Treg cells, and positively related to Th17 cells but not Th1 cells in CHD patients. More importantly, MACE-free survival was shortened in CHD patients with high blood MALT1 compared to those with low blood MALT1 (cut off by the median) while less significance was observed when cut off by quartiles. Separately, blood MALT1 was elevated in CHD patients occurred MACE within 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year duration compared to those who did not.

CONCLUSION

Blood MALT1 links with unbalanced CD4+ T-cell subset, elevated inflammation, and coronary-artery stenosis serving as a candidate biomarker for predicting MACE risk in CHD patients.