Association between angiogenesis soluble factors and disease progression markers in chronic hepatitis C patients.

OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to compare angiogenesis soluble factor (ASF) levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and healthy individuals, and to investigate potential associations between ASF levels and both histological and biochemical markers of disease progression. METHOD: Thirty-six patients (69% males) positive for HCV-RNA by PCR analysis were included in the study. All patients underwent liver biopsy before treatment. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble Flt-1 and Flk-1 receptors, placental growth factor (PlGF), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and soluble Tie-2 receptor were determined by ELISA. Fifteen healthy subjects were used as controls. RESULTS: In comparison to healthy individuals, CHC patients showed significantly increased serum levels of proangiogenic factors PlGF (22 +/- 5 vs. 18 +/- 8 pg/ml; p < 0.05), Ang-2 (1265 +/- 385 vs. 833 +/- 346 pg/ml; p < 0.005) and sFlt-1 (95 +/- 22 vs. 72 +/- 14 pg/ml; p < 0.0001). Interestingly, in CHC patients serum levels of VEGF and Tie-2 correlated with grade of inflammation, PlGF correlated with stage of fibrosis, and Flt-1 and Flk-1 correlated with serum transaminase levels (p < 0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: CHC patients showed increased serum levels of ASF, and a significant correlation was shown between serum levels of selected ASFs and grade of inflammation, stage of fibrosis, and transaminase levels.

Asociación entre factores angiogénicos solubles y marcadores de progresión de la enfermedad en pacientes con hepatitis crónica C / Association between angiogenesis soluble factors and disease progression markers in chronic hepatitis C patients

Objetivos: el objetivo fue comparar los niveles de los factoressolubles de angiogenesis (FSA) en pacientes con hepatitis crónicaC (HCC) con individuos sanos, e investigar la asociación entre losniveles de FSA y los marcadores histológicos y bioquímicos de laenfermedad.Método: treinta y seis pacientes (69,4% hombres) positivospara el ARN-VHC fueron incluidos; a todos se les realizó biopsiahepática antes del tratamiento. Los niveles séricos del factor decrecimiento endotelial vascular (VEGF), de la forma soluble de susreceptores Flt-1 y Flk-1, del factor de crecimiento placentario(PlGF), de la angiopoyetina-2 (Ang-2) y de la forma soluble de sureceptor Tie-2 fueron determinados por ELISA. Se analizarontambién 15 controles sanos.Resultados: al comparar los pacientes con HCC y los controlesse observó una elevación significativa en los niveles de PlGF(22 ± 5 vs. 18 ± 8 pg/ml; p < 0,05), Ang-2 (1265 ± 385 vs. 833± 346 pg/ml; p < 0,005) y sFlt-1 (95 ± 22 vs. 72 ± 14 pg/ml; p< 0,0001). Se observó una correlación entre el VEGF y el Tie-2con el grado de inflamación; entre PlGF y el estadio de la fibrosis;y entre Flt-1 y Flk-1 y los niveles de transaminasas (p < 0,05 entodos los casos).Conclusiones: en pacientes con HCC se observó una elevaciónsignificativa de los FSA demostrándose una correlación significativaentre los niveles séricos de ciertos FSA y el grado de inflamación,el estadio de fibrosis y los niveles de transaminasas

Objectives: our objectives were to compare angiogenesis solublefactor (ASF) levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients andhealthy individuals, and to investigate potential associations betweenASF levels and both histological and biochemical markersof disease progression.Method: thirty-six patients (69% males) positive for HCVRNAby PCR analysis were included in the study. All patients underwentliver biopsy before treatment. Serum levels of vascularendothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble Flt-1 and Flk-1 receptors,placental growth factor (PlGF), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) andsoluble Tie-2 receptor were determined by ELISA. Fifteen healthysubjects were used as controls.Results: in comparison to healthy individuals, CHC patientsshowed significantly increased serum levels of proangiogenic factorsPlGF (22 ± 5 vs. 18 ± 8 pg/ml; p < 0.05), Ang-2 (1265 ±385 vs. 833 ± 346 pg/ml; p < 0.005) and sFlt-1 (95 ± 22 vs. 72± 14 pg/ml; p < 0.0001). Interestingly, in CHC patients serumlevels of VEGF and Tie-2 correlated with grade of inflammation,PlGF correlated with stage of fibrosis, and Flt-1 and Flk-1 correlatedwith serum transaminase levels (p < 0.05 in all cases).Conclusions: CHC patients showed increased serum levels ofASF, and a significant correlation was shown between serum levelsof selected ASFs and grade of inflammation, stage of fibrosis,and transaminase levels