[Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor is related to microvessel injury of renal interstitium in children with Henoch Schönlein purpura nephritis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and microvessel injury of renal interstitium in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN).


METHODS
Thirty-two children with HSPN and who had not received glucocorticoid or immunodepressants treatment before hospitalization were enrolled. Five children undergoing nephrectomy due to renal trauma were used as the control group. Renal samples were stained by hematoxylin and eosin and renal pathological changes were evaluated semi-quantitatively. CD34 and VEGF expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. CD34 was used as the marker for endothelial cells of renal microvessels. The microvessel density (MVD) was calculated by CD34 immunostaining.


RESULTS
Compared with the control and the renal pathological grade II HSPN groups, MVD in the grade III and above HSPN groups decreased significantly, with an obvious reduction in MVD with the increased renal pathological grade (p<0.05). The renal microvessel score in the grades IIIa, IIIb, IV, and V HSPN groups decreased obviously compared with that in the control group. The renal microvessel score decreased with the increased renal pathological grade (p<0.05). VEGF expression in the grade II HSPN group was higher (p<0.05), while that in the grades IV and V HSPN group was lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). VEGF expression in the HSPN group showed a significant reduction with the increased renal pathological grade (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between VEGF expression and MVD in renal tissue in the HSPN group (r=0.935, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The decreased expression of VEGF may be responsible for the renal pathological damage and microvessel injury in HSPN.
Zeng
Xue-Qi
XQ
Pediatric Nephropathy Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University/Clinical Center of Pediatric Renal Disease in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011 China.
Xu
Zi-Chuan
ZC
Dang
Xi-Qiang
XQ
He
Xiao-Jie
XJ
Yi
Zhu-Wen
ZW
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011695:IgA Vasculitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D009393:Nephritis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A