Expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor and vascularity in the nasal mucosa from allergic rhinitis

Background Angiogenesis plays critical roles in various pathological mechan isms. It has been hypothesized that the vascularity in allergic nasal mucos a is different from that in normal mucosa, and that changes in the vascular network contributes the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. Objective To determine whether hypervascularity and overexpression of the p latelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), an angiogenic fac tor, are found in allergic nasal mucosa and whether these two factors are a ssociated with the allergic reaction. Methods We investigated the expression of PD-ECGF and counted microvessels in 51 nasal mucosae (30 samples from patients with allergic rhinitis and 21 samples as control from normal subjects) using an immunohistochemical tech nique. Results PD-ECGF expression in allergic nasal mucosae was significantly high er than that in control mucosae at the interstitium of the lamina propria ( P = 0.0024) and nasal gland (P = 0.024). PD-ECGF positive areas were coinci dent with areas of high vascularity in the sections. The microvessel count in the lamina propria of allergic mucosae was higher than that of control m ucosae (P = 0.050). Regarding the correlation with various clinical factors , the total nasal symptom score was significantly associated with both the PD-ECGF expression in the interstitium of the lamina propria (P < 0.05) and in the nasal gland (P < 0.005), as well as with the number of vessels (P < 0.05). Conclusion PD-ECGF and hypervascularity in the nasal mucosa may be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.