Evaluating the inflammatory axis of IL-2, endothelin-1, and TNF-α in cardiovascular disease: Correlation with lipid profile alterations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the leading global health challenge, encompassing a range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, collectively accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide. Aim of the Study: This study aimed to evaluate the roles of interleukin-2 (IL-2), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in cardiovascular diseases, and to investigate their associations with lipid profile parameters. A total of 120 individuals aged 45–70 years participated in this case-control study, including 60 patients with cardiovascular diseases and 60 healthy controls. Serum levels of IL-2, endothelin-1, and TNF-α were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Lipid profiles-including total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were assessed using spectrophotometric analysis. The levels of IL-2, endothelin-1, and TNF-α were significantly elevated in the patient group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Similarly, lipid profile parameters, including cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C, were significantly higher in patients (P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed between endothelin-1 and TNF-α, total cholesterol, and LDL-C. In contrast, IL-2 showed a significant negative correlation with HDL-C. Moreover, TNF-α demonstrated significant positive correlations with both total cholesterol and LDL-C.