Plasma Concentrations of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Abstract

Angiogenesis plays a major role in the development and progression of haematological malignancies. In our study we measured plasma concentrations of key angiogenic activators vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) using comercially available sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 37 patients with lymphoid malignancies and 20 healthy donors. We found a statistically significant increase in bFGF concentrations in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL, n=18) compared to the control group (median 118.8 vs. 9.3 pg/ml, p<0.001). However, we didn’t find any significant difference in VEGF concentrations between B-CLL patients and the control group. There was also no significant increase in bFGF or VEGF in patients with multiple myeloma (n=7) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (n=12). Our pilot study shows that measurement of angiogenic activators in plasma is a feasible and reproducible method of angiogenesis assessment. Larger studies are needed for correlation between serum and plasma concentrations and detailed statistical evaluation including the impact on patients’ survival.

The effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on angiogenesis

“…It is well-established that in vivo angiogenesis was regulated by a variety of proangiogenic factors. Various proangiogenic factors were found to over-express in tumors, including VEGF, bFGF, and so on, which are involved in tumor angiogenesis through autocrine and/or paracrine pathways [21][22][23][24][25] . Our previous study [5] found that the levels of BDNF in plasma of MM patients are significantly increased, and it was associated with the level of VEGF.…”

Angiogenesis‐related growth factors and cytokines in the serum of patients with B non‐Hodgkin lymphoma; relation to clinical features and response to treatment

“…, 2004) or bFGF (Pazgal et al. , 2002) in NHL patients or could not find these molecules increased in NHL (Smolej et al. , 2005).…”

The importance of angiogenesis markers in the outcome of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma: a retrospective study of 97 patients

“…Several studies have recently suggested an important role in hematologic malignancies as well (Smolej et al 2005;Ribas et al 2004;Pedersen et al 2005;Singhal et al 1999;Dmoszynska et al 2005). There is evidence that angiogenesis, as measured by an increase in angiogenic factors and an increase in microvessel density (MVD), may be important in lymphomagenesis.…”