Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor And Its Soluble Receptor SFlt-1 In The Serum Of Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective:To investigate the serum concentration of Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and its soluble receptor 1(sFlt-1)in the patients with systemic Lupus Erythematosus(SLE)and correlate them with clinic and pathologic parameters. Methods:serum levels of VEGF and sFlt-1 in a group of 60 patients with SLE and 30 healthy controls were assessed by ELISA.Results:The VEGF and sFlt-1 serum levels were higher in SLE group than the contorl group(P＜0.01);They had no difference between the lupus nephritis(LN)group and the SLE patients without LN and no difference among the WHO classâ…¡,â…£,â…¤LN groups.But the VEGF/sFlt-1 ratio positively increased in SLE group compared to the control group,especially the WHO classâ…¤LN group(P＜0.05);the serum level of sFlt-1 was correlated to proteinuria(rs=0.6244,P＜0.01)and ESR(rs=0.4235,P＜0.01);the serum levels of VEGF and sFlt-1 were correlative to the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activation index(SLEDAI)(rs=0.5046,P＜0.01 and rs=0.5152,P＜0.01,respectively);the serum level of VEGF had correlation with renal tissue activation index(RAI)(rs=0.3386,P＜0.05);the serum levels of VEGF and sFlt-1 were not correlative to blood pressure,serum creatine,blood urea nitrogen,C₃,C₄,C-reative protein.The multi-factors stepwise regression analysis indicated that serum VEGF was positively correlated with SLEDAI(R²=0.175,P＜0.05),serum sFlt-1 was positively correlated with ESR and proteinurine(R²=0.497,P＜0.05). Conclusions:serum VEGF and sFlt-1 were elevated in patients with active SLE and they can reflect the activity of the disease.The overexpression of serum VEGF might be correlative to the proliferative glomerulonephritis;and the overexpression of sFlt-1 will lead to proteinuria;The imbalance between these two factors may act an important role in SLE pathogenesis.