Objective: To study the effectiveness of RANTES in the pathogenesis of venous ulceration.
Methods: 40 Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) individuals were enrolled in the study and separated into the ulceration group (n=20) and non-ulceration group (n=20), according to CVI with or without ulceration, 10 healthy individuals were enrolled as control group. The expression of RANTES mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in blood. Immunohistochemical staining of RANTES were carried in normal skin, in the tissue at the brim of ulceration and in the tissue of cured or curing ulceration.
Results: In ulceration group, the expression of RANTES mRNA in blood increased obviously. Compared with the other two groups, they were significant different (P < 0.05). The difference was also significance in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The average number of RANTES positive expression in normal skin is 28 +/- 13, in the tissue at the brim of ulceration is 107 +/- 44, and in the tissue of cured or curing ulceration is 35 +/- 20. There are significant difference between normal skin and the tissue at the brim of ulceration (P < 0.05). The average number of RANTES positive expression in the tissue of cured or curing ulceration is lower than that's in the tissue at the brim of ulceration.
Conclusion: The high expression of RANTES may be one of the important mechanisms of varicose ulcer.