We have previously shown that colchicine reduces the local cardiac production of cytokines in ACS patients (PMID: 26304941). To expand on this, we are investigating the effects of colchicine on chemokine production and the resulting immune cell migration.
The infiltration of immune cells, specifically monocytes, is a hallmark feature of atherosclerosis and is necessary for its progression. Our preliminary data suggests that colchicine suppresses monocyte migration via a reduction in chemokine and chemokine receptor expression.
Therefore, this study aims to confirm our findings in humans and potentially provide a novel therapy to reduce plaque burden.