title: Angiopoietin-2: a potential novel diagnostic marker in multiple myeloma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple myeloma (MM) was the first hematological malignancy in which a prognostic relevance of bone marrow (BM) angiogenesis was reported. Microenvironment formed by reactive oxygen species, growth factors and chemokines initiates the process of BM angiogenesis. Among the angiopoietins, angiopoietin-1 is involved in vessel stability, whereas angiopoietin-2 is involved in vessel sprouting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Circulatory levels of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2 and VEGF in 62 MM patients and 50 healthy controls were determined using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant increase in VEGF and angiopoietin-2 level was observed in patients which correlated positively with the severity of the disease, whereas no alteration was observed in angiopoietin-1 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant elevation in angiopoietin-2 and VEGF levels and their correlation with severity of the disease indicate their utility as potential tumor markers along with β(2)- microglobulin and might also suggest new therapeutic target for anticancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110029, India.
authors.forename: Suhasini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Rehan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Alpana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000097:blood; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors