Method: From 39 smokers and 101 non-smokers, levels of total white blood cells (WBCs) and its subpopulations, plasma cytokines/chemokines/proteins and miRNAs were analysed. For three biomarkers, C-reactive protein (CRP), MCP-1 and IFN-γ that were affected by smoking, the influence of SNPs was analyzed.
Result: Elevated levels of total WBCs, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, CRP, MCP-1, IFN-γ and lower levels of miR-21 were detected in smokers. The elevated levels of IFN-γ in smokers was only statistically significantly associated with rs2069705 AG/GG SNP-genotype.
Conclusions: A lower level of oncomir miRNA-21 and a higher level of immune modelling cytokine IFN-γ detected in smokers could be a protective immune response to cigarette smoke. The higher level of IFN-γ in smokers with a specific SNP genotype also suggests that a genetic interaction with smoking might predict the pathobiology of smoking related disease. 相似文献