Experimental venous thrombus resolution is driven by IL-6 mediated monocyte actions

Deep venous thrombosis and residual thrombus burden correlates with circulating IL-6 levels in humans. To investigate the cellular source and role of IL-6 in thrombus resolution, Wild type C57BL/6J (WT), and IL-6(−/−) mice underwent induction of VT via inferior vena cava (IVC) stenosis or stasis. Vein wall (VW) and thrombus were analyzed by western blot, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Adoptive transfer of WT bone marrow derived monocytes was performed into IL6(-/-) mice to assess for rescue. Cultured BMDMs from WT and IL-6(−/−) mice underwent quantitative real time PCR and immunoblotting for fibrinolytic factors and matrix metalloproteinase activity. No differences in baseline coagulation function or platelet function were found between WT and IL-6(−/−) mice. VW and thrombus IL-6 and IL-6 leukocyte-specific receptor CD126 were elevated in a time-dependent fashion in both VT models. Ly6C(lo) Mo/MØ were the predominant leukocyte source of IL-6. IL-6(−/−) mice demonstrated larger, non-resolving stasis thrombi with less neovascularization, despite a similar number of monocytes/macrophages (Mo/MØ). Adoptive transfer of WT BMDM into IL-6(−/−) mice undergoing stasis VT resulted in phenotype rescue. Human specimens of endophlebectomized tissue showed co-staining of Monocyte and IL-6 receptor. Thrombosis matrix analysis revealed significantly increased thrombus fibronectin and collagen in IL-6(−/−) mice. MMP9 activity in vitro depended on endogenous IL-6 expression in Mo/MØ, and IL-6(−/−) mice exhibited stunted matrix metalloproteinase activity. Lack of IL-6 signaling impairs thrombus resolution potentially via dysregulation of MMP-9 leading to impaired thrombus recanalization and resolution. Restoring or augmenting monocyte-mediated IL-6 signaling in IL-6 deficient or normal subjects, respectively, may represent a non-anticoagulant target to improve thrombus resolution.