title: Pigment epithelium-derived factor in ulcerative colitis: possible relationship with disease activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an endogenous most potential angiogenic inhibitor and increased expression of PEDF in intestinal mucosa specimens was shown in the course of ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum concentration of pigment epithelium-derived growth factor, a potent anti-angiogenic factor and its possible association with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concentrations of PEDF and VEGF were measured in sera of 33 patients (13 females and 20 males) with active UC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant increase of serum PEDF (32.3+/-2.9 vs. 20.6+/-4.7 ng/mL, P<0.05) as well as VEGF (326.4+/-58.1 vs. 110.9+/-15.7 pg/mL, P<0.05) in UC patients compared to healthy controls. Serum PEDF showed strong, positive correlation with endoscopic score (r=0.622, P<0.001), while such association was absent in respect to VEGF (r=0.05, P=0.77). In contrast serum VEGF decreased in severe UC comparing to patients with a mild course of disease, however the difference was not significant (274.9+/-64.9 vs. 360.4+/-103.4 pg/mL, P=0.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increase in serum PEDF during UC, especially in severe forms of disease suggests its involvement in UC pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia 14, 15-540 Bialystok, Poland. alicja@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiercinska-Drapalo
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaroszewicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parfieniuk
authors.forename: Tadeusz Wojciech
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Lapinski
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rogalska
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prokopowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D005136:Eye Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D015843:Serpins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor