Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor and active renin concentrations and prostaglandin E2 urinary excretion in patients with adrenal tumours.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and active renin levels in patients with hormonally active adrenal tumours.


METHODS
The study was comprised of 16 patients with primary aldosteronism, 13 patients with active Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenomas, 8 patients with adrenal carcinomas, 19 patients with phaeochromocytoma and 19 healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Active renin in plasma was determined by a two-site immunoradiometric assay. VEGF in sera samples and PGE(2) in 24-h urine were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
VEGF was significantly elevated in all the four groups of patients as compared with the controls. VEGF levels in patients with Cushing's syndrome were higher than those in patients with primary aldosteronism. Patients with adrenal carcinomas had the highest VEGF levels and the differences reached significance as compared with patients with primary aldosteronism and phaeochromocytoma. PGE(2) levels were not significantly different among groups. Active renin was significantly the lowest in patients with primary aldosteronism and significantly the highest in patients with phaeochromocytoma compared with the controls. Active renin in patients with primary aldosteronism was significantly lower than in those with Cushing's syndrome, phaeochromocytoma and adrenal carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicated that the mean level of VEGF in patients with all investigated adrenal tumours was significantly higher than in healthy controls. The cortisol-producing tumours appear to have increased angiogenic potential. Angiogenesis is probably associated not only with malignancy but also with functional activity of the adrenal tumors.
Zacharieva
Sabina
S
Clinical Centre of Endocrinology and Gerontology, Sofia Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria. zacharieva@uheg.medicalnet-bg.org
Atanassova
Iliana
I
Orbetzova
Maria
M
Nachev
Emil
E
Kalinov
Krassimir
K
Kirilov
Georgy
G
Shigarminova
Rositza
R
Ivanova
Radina
R
Dashev
Georgy
G
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D012083:Renin; D015232:Dinoprostone