Levels of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 are elevated in the exudative pleural effusions.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role in the production of malignant pleural effusions. In the present study, we examined the levels of soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), as possible regulators of VEGF activity, in transudative and exudative pleural effusions.


METHODS
Forty-two patients were included in this study: 4 with transudative pleural effusions due to heart failure (HF), 38 with exudative pleural effusions (lung cancer [LC], 22; other malignant diseases [MD], 10; tuberculosis [TB], 6). The levels of VEGF, Ang-2, and sVEGFR-1 in the pleural effusions were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The levels of VEGF, Ang-2, and sVEGFR-1 in exudative effusions were higher than those in transudative effusions. Interestingly, the levels of VEGF and Ang-2 in bloody effusions were significantly higher than those in non-bloody effusions (p < 0.05), but the level of sVEGFR-1 in bloody effusions was lower than that in non-bloody effusions. The levels of VEGF and Ang-2 were significantly higher in the malignant effusions, compared with effusion from HF and TB (p < 0.05). In addition, sVEGFR-1 was significantly higher in the effusion from LC, MD, and TB compared with effusion from HF (p < 0.05). In the malignant effusions, direct correlations were observed among VEGF, sVEGFR-1, and Ang-2.


CONCLUSIONS
The sVEGFR-1 levels were elevated in exudative pleural effusions, and were lower in bloody effusions than in non-bloody effusions, thus suggesting the regulatory role of sVEGFR-1 in the exudative pleural effusions.
Tomimoto
Hideki
H
Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Therapeutics, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
Yano
Seiji
S
Muguruma
Hiroaki
H
Kakiuchi
Soji
S
Sone
Saburo
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000737:chemistry; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology
C467630:ANGPT1 protein, human; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1