Objective: To investigate the gene expression difference of IFN and their receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of pulmonary embolism (PE) patients.
Methods: Twenty cases of PE patients and twenty sex and age matched controls were recruited into the study. Human cDNA microarray analysis was used to detect the gene expression difference of IFN associated genes between the two groups, and random variance model corrected t test was used to analyze the statistical data.
Results: In comparison with the control group, mRNA expression of type I IFN, including IFNα(5) mRNA, IFNα(6) mRNA, IFNα(8) mRNA, IFNα(14) mRNA, IFNκ mRNA, IFNω(1) mRNA, IFNε(1) mRNA in PBMC of PE patients were down-regulated (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in gene expression of type I IFN receptors IFNαR(1) and IFNαR(2) between the PE and control groups (P > 0.05). In comparison with the control group, mRNA expression of IFNγ gene was down-regulated (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of IFNγR(1) and IFNγR(2) genes were upregulated compared with the control (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: mRNA expression of type I and type II IFN in PE are significantly down-regulated, but not the IFN receptors. Reduced immune function may play an important role in the PE patients who are susceptible to virus, intracellular bacteria and parasites.