Compromised natural killer cells in pulmonary embolism.
OBJECTIVE
The high morbidity, mortality and misdiagnosis rate render pulmonary embolism (PE) as a worldwide health problem. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease have not been well characterized. Increasing studies indicate infection and immunity play a crucial role in PE. Natural killer (NK) cells act as a bridge between the innate immune and acquired immune. This study aimed to investigate the possible function of NK cells in PE.


METHODS
Human cDNA microarray analysis was employed to detect genes associated with NK cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Random variance model corrected t-test was used for statistical analysis of differential gene expression. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the CD16+CD56+ NK cells.


RESULTS
In the present study, based on gene expression microarray analysis, we showed four inhibitory receptors (KLRB1, KLRD1, KLRF1, KLRG1) and four activating receptors (KLRC1, KLRC3, KLRK1 and NCR1) on NK cells were remarkably down-regulated and the cytological experiment demonstrated the proportion of CD16+CD56+ NK cells among PBMCs decreased in the PE group.


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed the presence of reduced expression of critical activating as well as inhibitory NK cell receptors and low proportion of CD16+CD56+ NK cells in PE. The consistence between genomic and cytological examination suggests compromised NK cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of PE.
Department of Rheumatology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Xiaoyu
X
Zhang
Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Qiang
Q
Wang
Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Yuqin
Y
Shen
Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Haoming
H
Song
Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Zhu
Z
Gong
Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
Lemin
L
Wang
D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic
Pulmonary embolism; gene; natural killer cell