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Biological activity of VEGF in plasma from patients with pre‐eclampsia
Author(s) -
Bates David O,
Bills Victoria,
Soothill Peter,
Harper Steven J
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.774.6
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , eclampsia , vascular permeability , receptor , vascular endothelial growth factor , vegf receptors , biological activity , chemistry , biology , pregnancy , in vitro , biochemistry , genetics
In pre‐eclampsia VEGF‐A, a potent endothelial activator is upregulated as measured by radio and competitive‐enzyme immunoassays, and PlGF is reduced. However, the biological activity of VEGF in pre‐eclamptic plasma is not clear. To determine if circulating VEGF levels in pre‐eclampsia are biologically active, plasma from pre‐eclamptic (n=17) and normotensive (n=10) pregnant women was perfused into Rana mesenteric microvessels, and microvascular permeability measured using the Landis micro‐occlusion technique. Pre‐eclamptic but not normotensive plasma induced a mean±SEM 5.25±0.8 fold acute increase in vascular permeability (p=0.0003). This rise was blocked by bevacizumab, an antibody to VEGF (n=7, p=0.012), and by VEGF receptor inhibition by SU5416 at doses specific to VEGF receptor‐1, but not by the VEGF receptor‐2 inhibitor, ZM323881. There was no difference in VEGF levels in the pre‐eclamptic compared with the normal plasma measured by ELISA, but PlGF levels were significantly reduced. These findings suggest that circulating VEGF levels in pre‐eclampsia are biologically active and a lack of PlGF may be involved in the increased vascular permeability of pre‐eclampsia.