Role of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid cells in AGEs-induced myocardial injury in a mice model of acute myocardial infarction

Aims: Polymorph neutrophils are the predominant inflammatory cells and play a crucial role on the pathogenesis of myocardial injury at the early stage of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the precursors and the differentiation of neutrophils are not fully understood. Here we explored the role of CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) on myocardial injury in the absence and presence of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in a mice model of AMI. Methods and Results: Male C57BL/6J mice were selected. Fluorescent actived cell sortor (FACS) data demonstrated significantly increased CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ MDSCs both in peripheral blood circulation and in the ischemic myocardium at 24 hours post AMI. Quantitative-real-time PCR results also revealed significantly upregulated CD11b and Ly6G mRNA expression in the ischemic myocardium. AGEs treatment further aggravated these changes in AMI mice but not in sham mice. Moreover, AGEs treatment also significantly increased infarction size and enhanced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and iNOS2 was also significantly increased in AMI + AGEs group compared to AMI group. Conclusion: These data suggest enhanced infiltration of MDSCs by AGEs contributes to aggravated myocardial injury in AMI mice, which might be one of the mechanisms responsible for severer myocardial injury in AMI patients complicating diabetes.