Rationale: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is characterized by defective thrombus resolution, pulmonary artery obstruction, and vasculopathy. TGFβ (transforming growth factor-β) signaling mutations have been implicated in pulmonary arterial hypertension, whereas the role of TGFβ in the pathophysiology of CTEPH is unknown.
Objective: To determine whether defective TGFβ signaling in endothelial cells contributes to thrombus nonresolution and fibrosis.
The pathomechanisms underlying the development of thrombofibrotic pulmonary artery occlusions in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to allocate distinct cellular processes playing a role in thrombus resolution, such as inflammation, hypoxia, proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis, to different stages of thrombofibrotic remodelling. A total of 182 pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) specimens were collected from 31 CTEPH patients.
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