RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Opium may affect coronary artery disease by inducing inflammation but not through the expression of CD9, CD36, and CD68 JF Journal of Investigative Medicine JO J Investig Med FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP jim-2021-001935 DO 10.1136/jim-2021-001935 A1 Momeni-Moghaddam, Mohammad Amin A1 Asadikaram, Gholamreza A1 Masoumi, Mohammad A1 Sadeghi, Erfan A1 Akbari, Hamed A1 Abolhassani, Moslem A1 Farsinejad, Alireza A1 Khaleghi, Morteza A1 Nematollahi, Mohammad Hadi A1 Dabiri, Shahriar A1 Arababadi, Mohammad Kazemi YR 2021 UL http://jim.bmj.com/content/early/2021/12/05/jim-2021-001935.abstract AB The molecular mechanisms of opium with regard to coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been determined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of opium on the expression of scavenger receptors including CD36, CD68, and CD9 tetraspanin in monocytes and the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) in patients with CAD with and without opium addiction. This case–control study was conducted in three groups: (1) opium-addicted patients with CAD (CAD+OA, n=30); (2) patients with CAD with no opium addiction (CAD, n=30); and (3) individuals without CAD and opium addiction as the control group (Ctrl, n=17). Protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of CD9, CD36, and CD68 were evaluated by flow cytometry and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR methods, respectively. Consumption of atorvastatin, aspirin, and glyceryl trinitrate was found to be higher in the CAD groups compared with the control group. The plasma level of TNF-α was significantly higher in the CAD+OA group than in the CAD and Ctrl groups (p=0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). MDA levels significantly increased in the CAD and CAD+OA groups in comparison with the Ctrl group (p=0.010 and p=0.002, respectively). No significant differences were found in CD9, CD36, CD68, IFN-γ, and NOx between the three groups. The findings demonstrated that opium did not have a significant effect on the expression of CD36, CD68, and CD9 at the gene and protein levels, but it might be involved in the development of CAD by inducing inflammation through other mechanisms.Data are available upon reasonable request.