Vascular endothelial growth factor synthesis in the acute phase of experimental and clinical lung injury.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic and endothelial survival factor, which is abundantly expressed in the normal lung. Conceivably, VEGF may be released by numerous cell types found around the airspaces, including alveolar type 2 cells, alveolar macrophages, and polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Using a bacteria-induced lung injury model in rats, VEGF expression in lung was investigated. Both VEGF protein and VEGF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), 4 and 24 h after bacterial challenge (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), were decreased compared with sham rats. VEGF protein was also investigated in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from patients studied within 7 days of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) onset and in patients without ARDS. VEGF protein levels in BAL were decreased in patients with ARDS versus those without (14.3 +/- 11.1 pg x mL(-1) versus 76.8 +/- 51.1 pg x mL(-1), p = 0.03). In aggregate, these findings show that the initial phase of acute lung injury is associated with a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor in the lung. This downregulation may represent a protective mechanism aimed at limiting endothelial permeability, and may participate in the decrease in capillary number that is observed during early acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Maitre
B
B
INSERM Unité 492, Dépt de Physiologie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Créteil, France.
Boussat
S
S
Jean
D
D
Gouge
M
M
Brochard
L
L
Housset
B
B
Adnot
S
S
Delclaux
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; C111893:TGFBRAP1 protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors