Overactivation of IL6 cis-signaling in leukocytes is an inflammatory hallmark of deep vein thrombosis

Inflammation is a protective response of the body to various injuries, which is strictly regulated by a variety of factors, including immune cells and soluble mediators. However, dysfunction of this defensive mechanism often results in inflammation-driven diseases, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The complex relationship between inflammatory cell activity and DVT has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the role of interleukin-6 (IL6) signaling transduction in DVT. To this aim, the expression levels of transmembrane isoforms of the IL6 receptor (IL6R) and the glycoprotein 130 responsible for the IL6 cis-signaling were evaluated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with DVT and of healthy controls. The results indicated that leukocytes from patients with DVT exhibited overexpression of both IL6R and gp130 membrane isoforms and that these were strongly associated with the occurrence of DVT. Overall, the present findings indicated that IL6 cis-signaling may have a direct involvement in the leukocyte activation in DVT and may serve as a predictive biomarker of DVT development.