Serum levels of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in patients with systemic sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A/VEGF receptor 2 (KDR) signalling may play a major role in the microangiopathy of systemic sclerosis (SSc), serum levels of soluble KDR (sKDR) in this disease have not yet been determined.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the possibility that serum sKDR levels can be a specific disease marker of SSc.


METHODS
Serum sKDR levels of 42 patients with SSc, 10 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and 22 healthy controls were measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine KDR mRNA levels.


RESULTS
In females, the serum sKDR levels were significantly higher in patients with SSc, especially limited cutaneous SSc, than in patients with RP or healthy controls. Quantitative real-time PCR with RNA from skin sections revealed that KDR mRNA levels were also increased in the skin of patients with SSc with elevated serum sKDR levels. A significantly lower prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis, higher percentage vital capacity, and a higher incidence of telangiectasia were seen in female patients with SSc with elevated serum sKDR levels than those with normal levels.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the skin can be one of the sources of elevated serum sKDR levels, and that serum sKDR levels are useful for diagnosis and may be a marker of microangiopathy in patients with SSc, especially females. The VEGF-A/KDR signalling system may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Jinnin
M
M
Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. mjin@kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Makino
T
T
Kajihara
I
I
Honda
N
N
Makino
K
K
Ogata
A
A
Ihn
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2