K. Lashkari et al., Vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor levels aredifferentially elevated in patients with advanced retinopathy of prematurity, AM J PATH, 156(4), 2000, pp. 1337-1344
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Although the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatoc
yte growth factor (HGF) in angiogenesis are well described, the putative ro
les of these factors in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remain unknown We
evaluated VEGF and HGF protein levels in subretinal fluid of eyes with ROP,
and expression of their corresponding receptors in retrolental membranes a
ssociated with stage 5 ROP, We examined subretinal fluid samples from eyes
using rhegmatogenous retinal detachment as a control. VEGF and HGF were dif
ferentially elevated in eyes with ROP, In Stage 5 ROP (n = 22), the mean VE
GF and HGF levels were 14.77 +/- 14.01 ng/ml and 16.56 +/- 9.62 ng/ml, resp
ectively. Interestingly, in patients with active stage 4 ROP, mean VEGF lev
els were highly elevated (44.16 +/- 18.72 ng/ml), whereas mean HGF levels r
emained very low (4.77 +/- 2.50 ng/ml). Next, we investigated is vivo expre
ssion of VEGF receptor-2 and HGF receptor in retrolental membranes from 16
patients with stage 5 ROP. Both VEGF receptor-2 and HGF receptor proteins w
ere detected mainly in posterior portions of the membrane as well as in ves
sel walls and along the retinal interface where angiogenesis was active. Th
ese findings together suggest that VEGF and HGF play important roles in the
pathogenesis of ROP.