Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) is a widespread clinical condition widely spread in the western
countries, with a prevalence ranging from 10% in adults younger than 30 years of age to
nearly 80% for individuals >70 years of age. CVD clinical manifestations vary from mild
clinical signs, including varicose veins, to more advanced and severe signs such as chronic
venous leg ulcers (CVLUs) which significantly impact the quality of life (QoL) of affected
patients. Several genetic and molecular alterations have been studied so far to understand
the onset, progression, and complications of CVD, including Chronic Venous Insufficiency
(CVI) states in which CVLUs may develop. The appearance of CVLUs is generally preceded by
skin changes of the lower limbs such as lipodermatosclerosis, that is a chronic inflammatory
condition due to CVI, characterised by an inflammatory skin condition. This pathological
event leads to subcutaneous fibrosis and hardening of the affected skin, resulting in tissue
hypoxia essential for venous ulceration.Gene expression profile studies, present in the
current literature, allow us to hypothesize several mechanisms underlying the development of
CVLU, highlighting a wide variety of genetic-molecular interconnections. Nevertheless, none
to date is able to provide a genetic and cellular model linking the pathogenetic events that
lead to the onset of CVLU or the progression of these lesions.T helper 17 (Th-17) cells are a
subtype of pro-inflammatory T helper (CD4+) cells defined by the production of a cytokine
signature of which IL-17 represents the progenitor. The development and differentiation and
expansion of Th-17 depends on differentiation factors (TGF- β ), growth factors (IL-23/IL23R)
and several transcription factors (ROR-γt, STAT3 ).
Interestingly, the Th-17 axis has been implicated in several autoimmune diseases including
rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, and
autoimmune encephalitis among others. In addition, an increasingly strong role of the Th-17
axis in tumor drug resistance and in the progression and radicalization of HIV infection is
recently emerging.
Our study aims at evaluation Th17- Gene Expression profile in patients with CVD and CVLUs.
