Vascular endothelial growth factor insertion/deletion gene polymorphism in West Indian patients of type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetes. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent multi-functional cytokine which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of DN. In this study, we evaluated the possible association of the VEGF gene (I/D) polymorphisms with DN in type 2 diabetes patients in West Indian population. Genotyping (I/D) of the VEGF gene polymorphism was done by the polymerase chain reaction. A total of 103 patients with type 2 diabetes, 102 patients with DN, 108 patients with non-diabetic nephropathy and 143 healthy controls were genotyped. The frequency of VEGF genotype distribution and biochemical parameters like creatinine and HbA1c were compared in diabetic, diabetic nephropathy, non diabetic nephropathy and control groups. We found significant difference in creatinine level in DN and NDN groups on comparison with control group. Our study suggests that I/D polymorphism in the promoter region of the VEGF gene is not associated with DN in type 2 diabetes patients, but might have a role in development of non-diabetic nephropathy.

Genetic variability of vascular endothelial growth factor and prognosis of head and neck cancer in a Brazilian population

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent endothelial cell mitogens and plays a critical role in angiogenesis. Polymorphisms in this gene have been evaluated in patients with several types of cancer. The objectives of this study were to determine if there was an association of the -1154G/A polymorphism of the VEGF gene with head and neck cancer and the interaction of this polymorphism with lifestyle and demographic factors. Additionally, the distribution of the VEGF genotype was investigated with respect to the clinicopathological features of head and neck cancer patients. The study included 100 patients with histopathological diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with treated tumors were excluded. A total of 176 individuals 40 years or older were included in the control group and individuals with a family history of neoplasias were excluded. Analysis was performed after extraction of genomic DNA using the real-time PCR technique. No statistically significant differences between allelic and genotype frequencies of -1154G/A VEGF polymorphism were identified between healthy individuals and patients. The real-time PCR analyses showed a G allele frequency of 0.72 and 0.74 for patients and the control group, respectively. The A allele showed a frequency of 0.28 for head and neck cancer patients and 0.26 for the control group. However, analysis of the clinicopathological features showed a decreased frequency of the A allele polymorphism in patients with advanced (T3 and T4) tumors (OR = 0.36; 95 percentCI = 0.14-0.93; P = 0.0345). The -1154A allele of the VEGF gene may decrease the risk of tumor growth and be a possible biomarker for head and neck cancer. This polymorphism is associated with increased VEGF production and may have a prognostic importance.

Relationship between genetic polymorphism of VEGF and risk factor to lung cancer / 中国癌症杂志

Background and purpose:Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a potent angiogenic mediator and angiogenesis has important effects on tumor growth and metastasis.The present study was to investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphism of VEGF and heredity risk factor of lung cancer.Methods:VEGF genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP method in 171 patients with lung cancer and 172 healthy controls.Software PHASE 1.0 was used to construct the haplotypes of every individual.Unconditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the statistical association of genotypes or haplotypes in the two groups adjusted by gender and age. Results:Individuals with at least one-2578A allele had a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer compared with those carrying-2578CC genotype.When the analyses were stratified by gender,the combined-2578 CA and AA genotype,were associated with a considerably reduced risk of lung cancer(P=0.001,OR=0.303,95%CI=0.15 3-0.601).The distribution of the two haplotypes(936C/-2578C and 936C/-2578A) among overall lung cancer cases was significantly different from that among the controls(P=0.016,0R=0.317,95%CI=0.124-0.809 and P=0.018,OR=0.547, 95%CI=0.331-0.903).When the cases were categorized by tumor histology,the distribution of C-C haplotype in the adenocarcinoma(AC) group was associated with a substantially lowered risk of AC(P=0.004,0R=0.237,95%CI=0.090- 0.627),compared with the reference haplotypes.Conclusion:VEGF polymorphism may be a critical risk for the genetic risk factor to lung cancer.

Analysis of C(-634)G polymorphism in the promotor region of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene in Korean women with endometriosis / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the association between C(-634)G polymorphism in the promotor region of vascualr endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endometriosis. METHODS: The genomic DNA was extracted from 100 patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis and 100 control group from July 2003 to June 2004. Following extraction of genomic DNA, genotyping of C(-634)G polymorphism of VEGF gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency of CC genotype between the patients with endometriosis (21%) and the control group (19%). No significant difference in the frequency of allele of -634C was noted between the two groups (43.5% vs 44%), either. CONCLUSION: The C(-634)G polymorphism in the promotor region of VEGF gene is not associated with susceptibility to endometriosis in Korean women.