title: Angiogenic factors in patients with current major depressive disorder comorbid with borderline personality disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major depression has been associated with endocrine and immune alterations, in particular a dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system with subsequent hypercortisolism and an imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Recent studies suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a cytokine involved in angiogenesis and neurogenesis, may also be dysregulated during stress and depression. These observations prompted us to examine VEGF and other angiogenic factors in patients with major depressive disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve medication-free female patients with a major depressive episode in the context of borderline personality disorder (MDD/BPD) and twelve healthy women were included. Concentrations of VEGF, VEGF receptors 1 and 2, basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), angiopoetin-2, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) were determined from serum profiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased concentrations of VEGF and FGF-2 were found in MDD/BPD patients compared to the healthy comparator group. No group differences were found concerning the other angiogenic factors examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive episodes in the context of borderline personality disorder may be accompanied by increased serum concentrations of VEGF and FGF-2. Similar findings have been observed in patients with major depression without a borderline personality disorder. A dysregulation of angiogenic factors may be another facet of the endocrine and immunologic disturbances frequently seen in patients with depressive episodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. kahl.kai@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Kai G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bens
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudolf
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kordon
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dibbelt
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schweiger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2