ORIGINAL ARTICLE PERIPHERAL BLOOD IMMUNOLOGICAL FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH AORTIC VALVE DISEASE AND ASCENDING THORACIC AORTA ANEURYSM AND DILATION PERIPHERAL BLOOD IMMUNOLOGICAL FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH AORTIC VALVE DISEASE AND ASCENDING THORACIC AORTA ANEU

INTRODUCTION: Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a multi-factorial process in which histological modifications and immune-mediated inflammation are closely associated. The predominant role of a Th1-mediated response in influencing aortic wall remodeling, dilation, and aneurysm formation has been suggested by previous studies. Recently, the importance of chemokine receptors for Th1 cells recruitment into vascular inflammatory sites, as well as of the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory T-cell subsets in influencing the severity of coronary artery disease, have bee