Rafaqat S, Azam A, Hafeez R, Faseeh H, Tariq M, Asif M, Arshad A, Noshair I. Role of interleukins in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease: A literature review. World J Cardiol 2025; 17(3): 103947 [DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v17.i3.103947]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Saira Rafaqat, PhD, Department of Zoology (Molecular Physiology), Lahore College for Women University, Jail Rd, Near Wapda Flats, Lahore 54000, Pakistan. saera.rafaqat@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Cardiol. Mar 26, 2025; 17(3): 103947 Published online Mar 26, 2025. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v17.i3.103947
Role of interleukins in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease: A literature review
Saira Rafaqat, Azeem Azam, Ramsha Hafeez, Hamza Faseeh, Maria Tariq, Muhammad Asif, Amber Arshad, Iqra Noshair
Saira Rafaqat, Ramsha Hafeez, Amber Arshad, Iqra Noshair, Department of Zoology (Molecular Physiology), Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Azeem Azam, Institute of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Hamza Faseeh, Department of Zoology, Govt. Islamia Graduate College Civil Lines, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Maria Tariq, Muhammad Asif, Department of Zoology, University of Education, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Author contributions: Rafaqat S, Azam A, and Faseeh H conceived the study design and conducted the data collection; Hafeez R, Tariq M, Asif M, Arshad A, and Noshair N wrote the manuscript; Rafaqat S edited the manuscript; All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Saira Rafaqat, PhD, Department of Zoology (Molecular Physiology), Lahore College for Women University, Jail Rd, Near Wapda Flats, Lahore 54000, Pakistan. saera.rafaqat@gmail.com
Received: December 5, 2024 Revised: January 22, 2025 Accepted: February 10, 2025 Published online: March 26, 2025 Processing time: 106 Days and 16 Hours
Abstract
Interleukins (ILs), a subset of cytokines, play a critical role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD) by mediating inflammation. This review article summarizes the role of ILs such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, and IL-10 in the pathogenesis of CHD. Individuals with mild coronary artery disease (CAD) and angina who have ischemic heart disease have higher serum concentrations of IL-1b. Larger studies are needed to verify the safety and assess the effectiveness of low-dose IL-2 as an anti-inflammatory treatment. IL-3 is found more often in patients receiving coronary angioplasty compared to patients with asymptomatic CAD or without CAD. Serum levels of IL-4 are reliable indicators of CAD. An independent correlation between IL-5 and the incidence of CAD was demonstrated. IL-6 helps serve as a reliable biomarker for the degree of CAD, as determined by the Gensini score, and is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Also, variants of IL-7/7R have been linked to the Han Chinese population's genetic susceptibility to CHD. IL-8 plays a role in the progression of CAD occurrences. By interacting with conventional risk factors for CAD, IL-9 may contribute to the development of CAD and offer an innovative approach to its prevention and management. There was a 34% increased risk of a CHD incident for every standard deviation rise in baseline IL-10 levels.
Core Tip: Cytokines play a role in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Interleukins (ILs) are integral to the pathogenesis of CHD through their roles in promoting inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, plaque formation, and thrombosis. The review reports the role of ILs such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, and IL-10 in the pathogenesis of CHD and therapeutic strategies, identifies knowledge gaps, and highlights future research directions to improve the understanding and management of CHD.
