Correlation between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density in collagen-induced arthritis rats / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Vascular endothelial growth factor is found the strongest to promote angiogenesis, which show strong expression in synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the relation between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density in rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS:Col agen II and complete Freund’s adjuvant were used to induce experimental arthritis in Sprague-Dawley rats. Synovium expression of vascular endothelium growth factor and microvessel density were assayed at different time points using immunohistochemistry method, and changes in new vessels, vascular endothelial growth factor expression and arthritis index were observed along the time course. The correlations between vascular endothelial growth factor expression and number of new blood vessels as wel as between arthritis index and vascular endothelial growth factor expression were studied with linear correlation analysis and rank correlation analysis, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:With the time lasting, new blood vessels in the synovium proliferated, the synovium was thickened, and the arthritis index rose gradual y as wel as vascular endothelial growth factor expression and number of new microvessels were on the rise. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression was positively correlated with arthritis index (r=0.535, P<0.05) and significantly positively correlated with number of new microvessels (r=0.860, P<0.01). Vascular endothelial growth factor is involved in the course of synovium pannus response, and vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density may play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.