Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism Is a Disease Related to Infection and Immune Dysfunction

The characteristics of human genomics and cellular immune function between clinically symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and controls were systematically compared to explore the immunologic pathogenesis of VTE. Microarray assay showed the mRNA expressions of genes related to non-specific cellarer immune and cytokines were significantly down-regulated. Abnormal expressions of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, NK marker CD16+56+, CD19 and aberrant CD4+/CD8+ ratio were detected in 54 among 56 patients. In PE patients, microarray assay revealed the imbalance in the expressions of genes related to the immune system. The expressions of genes related to non-specific immune cells and cytokines were markedly up-regulated and those associated with cellular immune were dramatically down-regulated. In VTE patients, cytological examination indicated the functions of NK cells were significantly compromised, and the antigen recognition and killing function of T cells markedly decreased. The consistence between genomic and cytological examination suggests the symptomatic VTE is closely associated with the infection and immune dysfunction.