title: Association between levels of anti-angiogenic isoform of vascular endothelial growth factor A and pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure due to vasoconstriction and remodeling of the pulmonary microvasculature. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key contributor for angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. VEGF165b is recently identified as an anti-angiogenic splicing variant of VEGF. The aim of this study was to examine the association between circulating levels of VEGF165b in PH patients under consideration with classifications of PH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We measured plasma levels of VEGF165b in the PH group (pulmonary artery hypertension [PAH], n=26; chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension [CTEPH], n=13) and control group (n=30). Circulating levels of VEGF165b were higher in PH group than controls (97.1 vs. 53.3pg/ml, P<0.01). The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the independent factor to determine the plasma levels of VEGF165b was the presence of PH (P=0.04). Next, we focused on differences in VEGF165b levels and classifications of PH. Plasma VEGF165b level was higher only in idiopathic PAH (n=9) than in control (137.1 vs. 53.3pg/ml, P<0.01), but not in PH related to collagen disease (n=7), congenital heart disease (n=10) and CTEPH (n=13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated associations between circulating levels of VEGF165b and classifications of PH. VEGF165b, anti-angiogenic isoform, might contribute to the pathophysiology in PH, especially in idiopathic PAH. The level of plasma VEGF165b might be a novel marker that reflects the pathological conditions in patients with PH.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. Electronic address: yoshihis@fmu.ac.jp.
authors: Akiomi
authors: A
authors: Yoshihisa
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Tetsuro
authors: T
authors: Yokokawa
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Tomofumi
authors: T
authors: Misaka
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Sakamoto
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Sugimoto
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Takayoshi
authors: T
authors: Yamaki
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kunii
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Kazuhiko
authors: K
authors: Nakazato
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Shu-Ichi
authors: SI
authors: Saitoh
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Yasuchika
authors: Y
authors: Takeishi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D015415:Biomarkers; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension; Pulmonary hypertension; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular endothelial growth factor 165b