Elevated Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Behcet's Syndrome

Hong, Ji Hyun; Kim, Hyun Sook; Kim, Hae Rim; Park, Mi Kyung; Yoon, Chong Hyeon; Lee, Sang Heon; Kim, Ho Youn; Park, Sung Hwan

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent endothelium-specific cytokine and stimulates inflammation and angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial dysfunction is one of the characteristic features of Behcet's syndrome. We previously demonstrated the possible involvement of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-15, MIF) and chemokines (IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1alpha) in the etiopathogenesis of Behcet's syndrome and its association with disease activity. In this study, we assesed VEGF levels in patients with Behcet's syndrome and its relation with disease activity.
METHODS
Serum VEGF levels of 65 patients with Behcet's syndrome and 35 healthy control volunteers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of MIF and IL-8 were also measured in 41 pateints. Among the 65 patients, 18 patients were in active state of disease which was classified according to clinical finding.
RESULTS
The mean serum VEGF levels were higher in patients of Behcet's syndrome than control subjects (332.7 pg/mL vs. 234.4 pg/mL, p=0.004) and patients with active disease hadsignificantly higher level of VEGF than inactive disease (377.8 pg/mL vs. 265.0 pg/mL, p<0.05). There is no difference in the mean serum level of VEGF between Behcet's syndrome with vascular complication and without vascular complication. Serum level of VEGF showed strong positive correlation with MIF (r=0.57, p=0.001).
CONCLUSION
Serum VEGF levels are elevated in patients with Behcet's syndrome, particularly in active state and have positive correlation with MIF. These results suggest that the increased VEGF levels in serum of Behcet's syndrome patients may participate, like other proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, in the pathogenesis of Behcet's syndrome.