title: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor in the airway of asthmatic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent proangiogenic cytokine, and it also increases vascular permeability. It is well known that VEGF levels are increased in the airway of asthmatic patients. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) induces a rapid and strong increase in VEGF expression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between VEGF level and clinical characteristics and to determine whether VEGF expression is associated with HIF expression in asthmatic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bronchoscopy was performed on 30 asthmatic patients and 14 control subjects. The concentration of VEGF in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We measured VEGF, HIF-1alpha, and HIF-2alpha expression on biopsy specimens by means of immunoreactivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VEGF level in the BALF was significantly higher in asthmatic patients than in controls. The VEGF level correlated with eosinophil counts in the BALF in asthmatic subjects (r = 0.501; P < .01). However, the VEGF level did not correlate with percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second and airway hyperresponsiveness. Asthmatic patients exhibited higher VEGF, HIF-1alpha, and HIF-2alpha immunoreactivity in the submucosa than did controls. Furthermore, VEGF expression correlated significantly with HIF-1alpha (r = 0.614; P = .02) and HIF-2alpha (r = 0.881; P = .001) expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that VEGF may play an important role in inflammation and that VEGF level is related to HIF in bronchial asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. sooklee@catholic.ac.kr
authors.forename: Sook Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Kwan Hyoung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hwa Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jung Sup
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sung Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Kyoon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1