Elevated vascular endothelial growth factor in systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to search for relationships between its serum levels and the clinical manifestations.


METHODS
Serum levels of VEGF in patients with SSc and healthy controls were determined by ELISA. At the time of blood sampling, individual organ involvement was assessed, and a video microscope and PC based image processing were used to visualize nailfold capillaries and to quantify capillary density.


RESULTS
Serum levels of VEGF in 48 patients with SSc were significantly higher than in 30 controls (432 +/- 356 vs 91 +/- 64 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (n = 21) had higher levels of serum VEGF than those with limited cutaneous SSc (n = 27) (432 +/- 356 vs 135 +/- 127 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Serum VEGF levels correlated well with the extent of skin sclerosis, as determined by modified Rodnan skin score (r = 0.656, p < 0.001) and serum TGF-beta levels (r = 0.530, p < 0.001). In particular, serum VEGF levels were inversely correlated with the capillary density of nailfold (r = -0.649, p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found in the serum levels of VEGF between patients with systemic organ involvement and those without.


CONCLUSIONS
The extent of skin sclerosis may contribute to the elevation of serum VEGF and high VEGF levels may serve as a surrogate indicator of capillary damage in SSc.
Choi
Jin-Jung
JJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, St. Mary's Hospital, Research Institute of Immunobiology, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Min
Do-June
DJ
Cho
Mi-La
ML
Min
So-Youn
SY
Kim
Seon-Joon
SJ
Lee
Shin-Seok
SS
Park
Kyung-Su
KS
Seo
Young-Il
YI
Kim
Wan-Uk
WU
Park
Sung-Hwan
SH
Cho
Chul-Soo
CS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002196:Capillaries / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors