A new therapeutic method for minimising the risk of thrombosis has been discovered in a study.

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A blood clot, also known as a thrombus, forms in a blood vessel during thrombosis. This clot can impede or block blood flow in the affected region, as well as cause serious complications if it travels to a vital part of the circulatory system like the brain or lungs. Thrombosis is divided into two types: venous thrombosis and arterial thrombosis, depending on where the thrombus forms in the body. Arterial thrombosis, also known as atherothrombosis because of its connection to atheroma breakup, is a condition that affects the arteries. This type of thrombosis can be caused by blood stasis caused by atrial fibrillation.

Hypercoagulability, damage to the endothelial cells of the blood vessel wall, and irregular blood flow are the three primary causes of thrombosis. Hypercoagulability, also known as thrombophilia, is a condition in which the blood contains higher levels of coagulation factors, increasing the risk of thrombosis. Genetics or immune system defects are the most common causes. Injury to the epithelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels, such as from trauma, surgery, or infection, may cause coagulation and thrombosis.

A recent study led by a team of researchers from the Medical University of Vienna clarifies the critical role of immunoglobulin-M (IgM) antibodies in thrombosis prevention. These antibodies recognise microvesicles, which are membrane blebs shed by cells and known for their essential function in thrombosis, and thus prevent their pro-thrombotic effects, according to the research. These findings suggest that using IgM antibodies to reduce the risk of thrombosis is an innovative way to reduce the risk of thrombosis.

Natural antibodies, often of the immunoglobulin-M (IgM) type, are present from birth and play an important role in these processes. In the sense of thrombosis, previous research has shown that people with a low number of IgM antibodies are more likely to thrombose. Microvesicles, which are blebs shed from cells' membranes, are important mediators of blood coagulation and thrombus formation.

Media Contact:

Allison Grey

Journal Manager

Journal of Clinical chemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Email: clinchem@longdomjournal.org