The association of TNF-alpha secretion and mtDNA copy number in CD14+ monocytes of patients with obesity and CHD

Abstract Monocytes are key cells in the pathogenesis of inflammation. They migrate from the blood to the tissues where the inflammatory process occurs and differentiate into activated macrophages, which play an important role at all stages of the development of chronic inflammation. Mitochondrial dysfunction may be one of the causes of inflammatory activation of monocytes and macrophages, which leads to a violation of the inflammatory response, excessive secretion of inflammatory mediators and the development of chronic inflammation. Among inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is key in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory status of circulating monocytes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and obesity. In particular, the study was aimed at studying the secretion profile of inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the primary culture of monocytes/macrophages, as well as to analyze the relationship between this profile and the number of copies of mitochondrial DNA in the blood of patients with coronary heart disease and obesity.