title: mRNA expression of interleukins and Th1/Th2 imbalance in patients with pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Few studies have investigated the changes of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in pulmonary embolism (PE) patients. In this study, the gene expression of interleukins and the balance of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PE patients and controls were investigated. A total of 20 PE patients and 20 gender- and age-matched controls were included in the study. Human cDNA microarray analysis was used to detect the differences in cytokine gene expression between the two groups and a random variance model corrected t-test was used to analyze the statistical data. In comparison with the controls, 12 genes were found to be downregulated, specifically IL1A, IL9, IL17B, IL19, IL23A, IL25 (p<0.05), IL2, IL3, IL13, IL22, IL24 and IL31 (p<0.01), and 2 genes were found to be upregulated, specifically IL10 and IL28A, in the PE patients. The expression levels of IFN-γ and IL2 mRNA in the PE patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.01), while the IL20 mRNA expression levels were significantly upregulated (p<0.01). We conclude that there are significant differences in interleukin gene expression between the PE patients and the control group. A shift of the Th1/Th2 balance comprising enhanced Th2 activity and reduced Th1 activity in the PE patients is also demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, PR China.
authors.forename: Qianglin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Lemin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Haoming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger