Increased concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor in cyst fluid of enlarging and recurrent thyroid nodules.
Human thyrocytes produce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic factor, also known as vascular permeability factor (VPF), which increases vascular permeability. Based on the assumption that VEGF/VPF is involved in fluid accumulation in thyroid cysts, we determined the VEGF/VPF concentration in cyst fluids of thyroid nodules from 79 patients. VEGF/VPF was found to be abundantly present in the cyst fluids (0.02-183 ng/mL). There was no significant difference of VEGF/VPF concentration in the cyst fluid obtained from thyroid adenoma or from adenomotous goiter with cystic degeneration. Immunoreactive VEGF/VPF in cyst fluid was eluted mainly at 45 kDa, and stimulated endothelial cell proliferation, which was partially blocked by anti-VEGF/VPF antibody. The VEGF/ VPF concentration in the cyst fluid obtained from patients who required repeated aspiration or underwent surgical resection because of recurrent accumulation (84.8 +/- 58.3 ng/mL, mean +/- SD, n = 18) was significantly higher than that in the cysts that regressed or disappeared after a single aspiration (4.3 +/- 4.4 ng/mL, n = 12, P < 0.001). These in vitro and clinical findings suggest that VEGF/VPF is at least partly involved in the accumulation of cyst fluid in thyroid nodules, and that a high VEGF/VPF concentration predicts rapid accumulation of the cyst fluid, possibly necessitating interventional treatment.
Sato
K
K
Department of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Endocrinology, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Shinjuku-ku, Japan.
Miyakawa
M
M
Onoda
N
N
Demura
H
H
Yamashita
T
T
Miura
M
M
Kasajima
T
T
Yamazaki
K
K
Obara
T
T
D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism*; D003560:Cysts / Q000378:metabolism*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors