Influence of vascular endothelial growth factor on neutrophil activation in asthmatics

Abstract

Introduction Asthma is a complex syndrome associated with heterogeneity in the type of inflammation that modulates airway hyperresponsiveness and remodelling. Airway inflammation with neutrophils, cytokines like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and various gene polymorphisms might be relevant for asthma pathogenesis. Aim To investigate the expression of CD69 and CD11b markers on peripheral neutrophils after VEGF in vitro stimulation in asthmatics. Furthermore, the possible influence of a genetic factor (del/ins genotype at -2549 -2567 position in the VEGF-promoter gene) was taken into account. Material and methods 122 subjects (82 asthmatics and 40 controls) participated in our study. CD69 and CD11b presence on peripheral blood neutrophils was detected using the flow cytometric method without exogenous stimulation (negative control), after N-formyl-methionine-leucyl-phenylalanine stimulation (fMLP – positive control) and after VEGF stimulation. Genotyping for the VEGF-promoter region was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results Peripheral neutrophil stimulation with VEGF enhances the activity of these cells and induces CD69 and CD11b expression in a dose-dependent manner compared with unstimulated neutrophils ( p > 0.05). CD69 and CD11b markers were slightly presented ( p = 0.05 and p = 0.07, respectively) on neutrophils stimulated with fMLP in asthmatics with the ins genotype variant in the VEGF-promoter region. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that VEGF might insignificantly activate neutrophils in asthmatics. In addition, the modulated expression of CD69 and CD11b on peripheral neutrophils is not related to potential contribution of the VEGF gene polymorphism.

Effect of VEGF Stimulation on CD11b Receptor on Peripheral Eosinophils in Asthmatics

“…Interestingly, previously it has been shown that increased VEGF serum concentration applies to patients with asthma, especially with irreversible bronchoconstriction [33]. Other papers suggested basophils or neutrophils VEGF-activation in asthmatics [34,35].…”

Protective Effects of Herba Houttuyniae Aqueous Extract against OVA-Induced Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Inflammation in Asthmatic Mice

“…p38 MAPK/Akt activation activates factors such as VEGF, which promotes the proliferation of airway structural cells, including alveolar epithelial cells, bronchial endothelial cells, fbroblasts/myofbroblasts, and bronchial smooth muscle cells, can contribute to infammation and angiogenesis in various pulmonary infammatory diseases, making the lumen narrower and participating in airway remodeling [46,47]. Moreover, VEGF accelerated M2 macrophage infltration and disrupted the airway epithelial barrier in lung tissues of asthmatic animals [48][49][50][51]. Emerging evidence also displayed that VEGF has associations with thromboembolism and tissue injury/repair in COVID-19 and viral infection, indicating the promotion of secondary airway infammation [52][53][54].…”