Vascular endothelial growth factor as a prognostic marker of lupus nephritis

Gene polymorphisms and serum levels of sVEGFR-1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Correlation between soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1) concentration, VEGFR1 gene polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) risk remains unclear. The present case–control study comprised 254 SLE patients, 385 other rheumatic diseases patients and 390 healthy controls. Serum levels of sVEGFR-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seven VEGFR1 genetic variants (rs2296188, rs9943922, rs2296283, rs7324510, rs9554322, rs9582036, rs9554320) were genotyped by KASP. Serum levels of sVEGFR-1 were up-regulated in SLE and positively correlated with disease activity. Furthermore, serum sVEGFR-1 presented a distinctive elevation in SLE in comparison with other rheumatic diseases. Frequencies of allele T of rs2296283 and allele G of rs9554322 were significant lower in SLE patients (P = 0.003, P = 0.004). Frequencies of genotypes TT of rs2296188 and rs2296283 were declined in patients compared with healthy controls (P = 0.039, P = 0.033). CC genotype of rs7324510 and rs9582036 was negatively correlated with SLE risk (OR = 0.538, OR = 0.508). Distribution of GG, GC, GG + GC genotypes of rs9554322 were different between SLE patients and healthy controls (P = 0.027, P = 0.036, P = 0.010). Moreover, frequency of TC genotype of rs7324510 was higher in SLE patients with lupus headache (χ² = 9.924, P = 0.039) and frequency of TC genotype of rs9943922 was lower in patients with cylindruriain (χ² = 7.589, P = 0.026). Frequencies of allele C of rs7324510 and allele T of rs9943922 were decreased in SLE patients with cylindruria and hypocomplementemia, respectively (χ² = 4.195, P = 0.041, χ² = 3.971, P = 0.046). However, frequency of allele C of rs9554322 was increased in SLE patients with pyuria (χ² = 11.702, P = 0.001). In addition, SLE patients carrying GG, GC, CC genotypes for rs9554322 had higher levels of serum sVEGFR-1. In conclusion, serum sVEGFR-1 was elevated in SLE patients and may be a disease marker. VEGFR1 gene polymorphisms related to risk of SLE in a Chinese Han population.

Immunohistochemical evidence of stress and inflammatory markers in mouse models of cutaneous leishmaniosis

Leishmanioses are chronic parasitic diseases and host responses are associated with pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines involved, respectively, in the control or exacerbation of infection. The relevance of other inflammatory mediators and stress markers has not been widely studied and there is a need to search for biomarkers to leishmaniasis. In this work, the stress and inflammatory molecules p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, cyclooxygenase-2, migration inhibitory factor, macrophage inflammatory protein 2, heat shock protein 70 kDa, vascular endothelial factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1α and HIF-2α), heme oxygenase and galectin-3 expression were assessed immunohistochemically in self-controlled lesions in C57BL/6 mice and severe lesions in Balb/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis. The results indicated that the majority of molecules were expressed in the cutaneous lesions of both C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice during various phases of infection, suggesting no obvious correlation between the stress and inflammatory molecule expression and the control/exacerbation of leishmanial lesions. However, the cytokine VEGF was only detected in C57BL/6 footpad lesions and small lesions in Balb/c mice treated with antimonial pentavalent. These findings suggest that VEGF expression could be a predictive factor for murine leishmanial control, a hypothesis that should be tested in human leishmaniosis.

Lupus nephritis: review of the literature

Physicians in practice should be knowledgeable regarding several aspects of autoimmune disorders, especially systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis. These disorders can present to the clinician's clinic and private office regardless of their specialty. This review will discuss various aspects of SLE, its mechanisms of disease, role of accelerated atherosclerosis, proinflammatory cytokines, and therapeutic approaches. The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in which and plasma levels have been associated with disease activity, classification of severity, and diagnosis of lupus nephritis is addressed. Current treatment options, prognosis, and future therapeutic approaches and common side effects are also discussed.

Soluble VEGF receptor 1 promotes endothelial injury in children and adolescents with lupus nephritis

BACKGROUND

Endothelial cell injury plays a key role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN) and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to identify factors involved in the process of endothelial damage in children and adolescents with LN.

METHODS

We evaluated the relationship between plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its soluble receptors sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2 and markers of endothelial inflammation and injury (angiopoietin-2 and thrombomodulin, respectively) in 23 children and adolescents with LN (active LN, n = 14; inactive LN, n = 9; mean age 15 years) and 20 healthy controls (HC; mean age 12 years).

RESULTS

VEGF, sVEGFR-1, angiopoietin-2 and thrombomodulin levels were significantly higher in children and adolescents with active LN than in patients in remission or HC. In active LN, however, VEGF was inversely related to sVEGFR-1 (r = -0.802, p < 0.001), angiopoietin-2 (r = -0.684, p = 0.007) and thrombomodulin (r = -0.697, p = 0.006). There was a significant positive correlation between sVEGFR-1 and thrombomodulin (r = 0.814, p < 0.0001), but sVEGFR-2 did not significantly differ between the patient groups and did not correlate with thrombomodulin (r = 0.046, p = 0.833).

CONCLUSIONS

sVEGFR-1 may play an important role in promoting endothelial damage in children and adolescents with active LN and could possibly be used to monitor disease severity.

The association of single nucleotide polymorphism within vascular endothelial growth factor gene with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis

There were no statistically significant difference in allele and genotype frequency of the polymorphisms within the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene (-460 and +405) between 193 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 234 healthy controls. However, the +405 GG was significantly associated with lupus nephritis (LN) patients with low VEGF mRNA expression and LN with end-stage renal disease.