• M Heesen, B Blömeke, B Schlüter, N Heussen, R Rossaint, and D Kunz.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany. M.Heesen@amc.uva.nl
• Intensive Care Med. 2001 Nov 1;27(11):1770-5.

ObjectiveCD14 is a receptor for endotoxin and binds components of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. CD14-bearing monocytes respond to stimulation with the increased synthesis and release of cytokines. The recently described -260 C-->T promoter polymorphism of the CD14 gene has been found to be related to a risk of myocardial infarction. This study evaluated the role of this polymorphism in the expression of monocyte and soluble CD14. Moreover, the effect of the CD14 -260 genotypes for the ex vivo TNF-alpha response to endotoxin was analyzed in whole blood.Patients And ParticipantsNinety-five healthy blood donors were studied.Measurements And ResultsCD14 -260 genotyping was performed by means of a real-time PCR with fluorescence labeled hybridization probes. CD14 expression on human monocytes (mCD14) was assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis with anti-CD14 monoclonal antibodies. Plasma levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14) were measured by ELISA. The TNF-alpha synthesis was determined by chemiluminescence in whole blood after endotoxin stimulation. There were no differences in mCD14 density, sCD14 levels, or the tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations between individuals with the three different CD14 -260 genotypes CC, CT, and TT.ConclusionsThe CD14 -260 polymorphism does not affect the CD14 expression of unstimulated circulating monocytes or soluble CD14 plasma levels.

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