Oncostatin M was associated with thrombosis in patients with atrial fibrillation

The mechanism underlying thrombosis in atrial fibrillation (AF) is not yet clearly understood. Oncostatin M (OSM), as a member of IL-6 family, is involved in atherosclerosis-mediated thrombosis. The present study hypothesizes that OSM and its downstream factors play a role in thrombogenesis in AF. The specimens of left atrial appendages collected from patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis who underwent valve replacement were divided into 3 groups: sinus rhythm, AF(+)/thrombus(−), and AF(+)/thrombus(+) group. The macrophage infiltration in atrial tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and the amount of OSM, tissue factor (TF), and tissue factor pathway inhibitors (TFPIs) was detected by Western blot. The infiltration of the M1 macrophages was significantly increased in the AF with thrombus group compared with the sinus rhythm group (P = .03). Moreover, the expression of OSM and TF was much higher in the AF with thrombus group compared with the sinus rhythm group (P = .02, .009, respectively) while the TFPI was decreased in the AF with thrombus group (P = .04). OSM might be correlated with thrombosis in patients with AF mediated by TF and TFPI.