Associations of circulating T cell subsets with endothelial function: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Abstract

Endothelial dysfunction has emerged as a risk factor for many age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. T-lymphocytes (T cells) have been identified as important regulators of endothelial function in multiple murine models, and proinflammatory and senescent T cell subsets have been associated with endothelial dysfunction in middle-aged adults with hypertension. However, there is little data on the relationships between T cell subsets and endothelial function in large, multi-ethnic, population-based cohorts free from cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether T cell subsets were associated with endothelial function in participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Endothelial function was assessed using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery by duplex ultrasound at the baseline examination. Baseline peripheral blood T cell subsets were measured using flow cytometry (