異常な免疫細胞が心筋梗塞後の潜在的炎症を引き起こすことを発見(Dysregulated Immune Cells Cause Silent Inflammation After Heart Attack)

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2026-08-12 リンショーピング大学

スウェーデンのリンシェーピング大学の研究チームは、心筋梗塞後に生じる慢性的な「サイレント炎症(無症候性炎症)」の原因として、免疫細胞の制御異常が重要な役割を果たしていることを明らかにした。通常、心筋梗塞後には損傷組織の修復のため炎症反応が起こり、その後速やかに収束する。しかし研究では、一部の免疫細胞が適切に機能せず、炎症を抑制できない状態が続くことで、低レベルながら持続的な炎症が引き起こされることが判明した。この慢性炎症は心筋の修復を妨げ、心機能低下や心不全の発症リスクを高める可能性がある。研究チームは免疫細胞の遺伝子発現や機能変化を解析し、炎症制御に関わる新たな分子機構を特定した。今回の成果は、心筋梗塞後の長期予後を改善するための新たな治療標的の発見につながるものであり、循環器疾患と免疫応答の関係理解を深める重要な知見となる。

<関連情報>

慢性冠症候群患者における好中球の自発的アポトーシスの遅延および制御性T細胞誘導性アポトーシスに対する抵抗性―短報 Neutrophils Exhibit Delayed Spontaneous Apoptosis and Resistance to Regulatory T-Cell–Induced Apoptosis in Patients With Chronic Coronary Syndrome—Brief Report

Maike Schneider, Camilla Skoglund, Rosanna W.S. Chung, and Lena Jonasson
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology  Published: 25 June 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.126.324652

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Persistent inflammation is linked to poor outcomes in patients with a history of myocardial infarction. The inflammatory state has been associated with activation of neutrophils as well as with regulatory T-cell (Treg) deficiency. The role of Tregs in the regulation of neutrophil survival has been postulated recently. Here, we investigated neutrophil apoptosis along with the potential impact of Tregs on neutrophil apoptosis in patients with postmyocardial infarction chronic coronary syndrome, compared with healthy controls.

METHODS:
Twenty patients and 19 controls were included. Neutrophil apoptosis was assessed after 5-hour culture with or without IL (interleukin)-10, TNF (tumor necrosis factor), or lipopolysaccharide. Neutrophil phenotype was evaluated through flow cytometry analysis of surface receptors (CD66b [cluster of differentiation] and CXCR4 [C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4]) and ex vivo release of cytokines and proteins. The ability of Tregs to induce neutrophil apoptosis was examined in autologous neutrophil-Treg cocultures.

RESULTS:
Spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis was significantly delayed in patients compared with controls (10.3% versus 19.2%, P=0.025). Also, neutrophils from patients overexpressed CD66b and CXCR4 and were more prone to release proinflammatory mediators. Notably, Tregs induced neutrophil apoptosis in healthy subjects, but not in patients, indicating a loss of Treg-mediated regulation in the latter. There was no evidence that IL-10 had any influence on neutrophil apoptosis. However, cell-to-cell contact was found essential for Treg-induced neutrophil apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS:
Patients with postmyocardial infarction chronic coronary syndrome display delayed neutrophil apoptosis and a proinflammatory neutrophil phenotype that is resistant to Treg-mediated apoptosis. Neutrophil dysfunction may contribute to persistent inflammation in patients with postmyocardial infarction chronic coronary syndrome, and as such constitutes a novel therapeutic target.

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