The Study Of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In Acute Leukemia

Objective: Angiogenesis and neovascularization have been considered to be related to the growth, dissemination and infiltration of malignant tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most important growth factor in the proliferation of the endothelial cells. Leukemia cells not only express and secret VEGF, which causes the vascular endothelial cells to proliferate and secret hematopioetin, but also express VEGF receptors in their membranes. Under the irritation of VEGF, leukemia cells proliferate faster and lose apoptosis partly. The VEGF produced by the leukemia cells is secreted to the extracellular fluids, and then enters the circulation. It would be useful to investigate the role of serum VEGF (sVEGF) concentration and to study the relation between sVEGF levels and the disease condition.Method The sEVGF concentration of 70 serum samples of 38 acute leukemia patients is detected by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay [ELISA]. The differences of sVEGF levels in the subtypes of acute leukemia patients, relationship between the sVEGF levels and the white blood cell count(WBC),hemoglobin and proliferative degree in the bone marrow are also analysed.Results .The sVEGF level in 28 primary patients with primary leukemia is 262.3± 183.7pg/ml ,significantly higher than that in the control group (127.4±83.2 pg/ml) (p<0.01);and is reduced to 151.6±64.1 pg/ml in the 22 patients with complete remission, no significant difference to the control group. The sVEGF concentration of the 7 relapse patients is 254.8±149.2 pg/ml and 331.8±198.0 pg/ml in complete remission phase and after relapse respectively, the difference is significant : The sVEGF level in refractory leukemia patients is 452.4±188.3pg/L, not only higher than that in control group, but also higher than that in the primary patients. The sVEGF levels are related to the white blood cell count(WBC)(r=0,854, p<0.01) and proliferative degree of bone marrow, but not related to the percentages of leukemia cells in the bone marrow, the ages, FAB classification and hemoglobin concentration in the blood.Conclusion The level of sVEGF in primary patients with acute leukemia is muchhigher than that in control group; It is reduced to the normal level after complete remission. It rise again when relapsed. Even before relapse, the sVEGF level is significantly higher than that in the complete remission of primary patiets; The sVEGF level in the refractory leukemia patients is even much higher than that in the primary patients . The levels of sVEGF are well corresponded with WBC, proliferative degree in born marrow . It is significant to detect sVEGF concentration in the diagnosis, evaluating disease condition, predicting relapse, assessing prognosis, and directing therapy of acute leukemia.