title: [Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors KDR and Flt1 in acute myeloid leukemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors KDR and Flt1 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of VEGF and its receptors mRNA was assayed by RT-PCR, the plasma of VEGF by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 13 AML cell lines, the expression of VEGF, KDR and Flt1 mRNA were found in 13 (100%), 7 (53.8%) and 12 (92.3%), respectively. There were 21 (65.6%), 1 (3.1%), and 17 (53.1%) of 31 (AML) patients bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) expressing VEGF, KDR and Flt1 mRNA, respectively. None of BMMNCs from 3 normal donor and CD(34)(+) cells from 2 normal donor was found to express VEGF, KDR and Flt1 mRNA. The plasma level of VEGF of 39 patients (new diagnosed, relapsed and secondary-AML) before treatment was (135.3 +/- 87.9) ng/L which was significantly higher than that of 15 complete remission (CR) patients (80.6 +/- 36.9) ng/L and 12 normal donors (80.6 +/- 33.1) micro g/L (P = 0.028, 0.007). The plasma level of VEGF of 15 non-responsive patients was (188.2 +/- 118.6) ng/L after two cycles of chemotherapy which was higher than that of 20 CR patients [(104.2 +/- 30.9) ng/L] (P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF and its receptors KDR and Flt1 mRNAs were expressed in BMMNCs of AML patients. The plasma level of VEGF directly affected the response to chemotherapy in AML patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology, CAMS and PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ren-chi
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhong-chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2