Elevated serum vascular endothelial growth factor in children and young adults with Crohn's disease

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a cytokine released by fibrobl asts, epithelial cells, and leukocytes that potentiates vascular permeabili ty and growth of new capillaries. Because of these multiple effects, VEGF h as been postulated to;play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease , as well as in wound healing. We hypothesized that VEGF was potentially im portant in mediating the vascular permeability and angiogenesis seen in Cro hn's disease, and therefore that VEGF would be increased in the serum of ch ildren with Crohn's disease. Serum was obtained from 73 children and young adults with Crohn's disease, 47 with ulcerative colitis, and 29 controls. V EGF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mean VEGF le vels were significantly higher in patients with Crohn's disease (436.4 +/- 37.2 pg/ml) than in ulcerative colitis (306 +/- 41.1 pg/ml) or control (167 .8 +/- 29.6 pg/ml) patients. Serum VEGF also correlated significantly with disease activity, being elevated in patients with moderate/severe Crohn's d isease and ulcerative colitis. We conclude that serum VEGF is released by i nflamed tissues in children with Crohn's disease. This multifunctional cyto kine could promote inflammation by increasing vascular permeability or prom ote wound healing by mediating capillary growth.