Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor in sera of patients with rheumatic diseases

• Published in: Modern rheumatology 2003-06, Vol.13 (2), p.129
• Main Authors: Hashimoto, Naoaki, Iwasaki, Tsuyoshi, Kitano, Masayasu, Ogata, Atsushi, Hamano, Teruaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autoimmune diseases; Comparative analysis; Medical research; Rheumatoid arthritis; Viruses
• ISSN: 1439-7595; 1439-7609
• DOI: 10.1007/s10165-002-0211-8

Angiogenesis plays an important role in the progression of rheumatic disease. We measured the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in sera from patients with rheumatic diseases and investigated whether these angiogenic factors would be useful in the evaluation of rheumatic diseases. Serum VEGF and HGF levels were determined using ELISA in 128 patients with rheumatic diseases and in 11 healthy controls. Serum VEGF and HGF levels were significantly higher in patients with rheumatic diseases compared to healthy controls [VEGF, 312 plus minus 20 pg/ml versus 61 plus minus 8pg/ml (mean plus minus SE), P < 0.001; HGF, 935 plus minus 36 pg/ml versus 413 plus minus 49 pg/ml, P < 0.01]. Serum VEGF and HGF levels were significantly elevated in patients with adult Still's disease (VEGF, 1021 plus minus 258 pg/ml; HGF, 1500 plus minus 295 pg/ml) and were relatively increased in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (VEGF, 359 plus minus 94 pg/ml) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) (VEGF, 356 plus minus 43 pg/ml; HGF, 1294 plus minus 224pg/ml). HGF levels correlated with the clinical course and disease severity in rheumatic disease patients. VEGF levels correlated with the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon (P < 0.05), interstitial lung disease (ILD) (P < 0.05), and serum KL-6 levels (P < 0.01), whereas HGF levels correlated with cryoglobulinemia (P < 0.05), ILD (P < 0.05), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (P < 0.05), thrombomodulin (P < 0.05), and KL-6 levels (P < 0.05) in rheumatic disease patients. VEGF levels correlated with the skin scores and KL-6 levels in SSc patients and also correlated with the disease activity of RA patients. These data suggest that serum VEGF and HGF levels are related to rheumatic disease activity and the presence of complications. Analysis of VEGF and HGF may be useful in the clinical evaluation of rheumatic disease patients. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]