Department of Pediatrics, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010 Jan;104(1):36-41. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2009.11.012.
Airway hyperresponsiveness, which is a characteristic feature of asthma, is usually measured by means of bronchial challenge with direct or indirect stimuli. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increases vascular permeability and angiogenesis, leads to mucosal edema, narrows the airway diameter, and reduces airway flow.
To examine the relationships between serum VEGF level and airway responsiveness to methacholine and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in children with asthma.
Peripheral blood eosinophil counts, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentrations, and serum VEGF concentrations were measured in 31 asthmatic children and 26 control subjects. Methacholine and AMP bronchial challenges were performed on children with asthma.
Children with asthma had a significantly higher mean (SD) level of VEGF than controls (361.2 [212.0] vs 102.7 [50.0] pg/mL; P < .001). Blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP levels significantly correlated inversely with AMP provocation concentration that caused a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 20% (PC20) (r = -0.474, P =.01; r = -0.442, P =.03, respectively), but not with methacholine PC20 (r = -0.228, P = .26; r = -0.338, P =.10, respectively). Serum VEGF levels significantly correlated with airway responsiveness to AMP (r = -0.462; P = .009) but not to methacholine (r = -0.243; P = .19).
Serum VEGF levels were increased in children with asthma and were related to airway responsiveness to AMP but not to methacholine. Increased VEGF levels in asthmatic children may result in increased airway responsiveness by mechanisms related to airway inflammation or increased permeability of airway vasculature.
气道高反应性是哮喘的一个特征，通常通过直接或间接刺激的支气管挑战来测量。血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）增加血管通透性和血管生成，导致黏膜水肿，气道直径变窄，气道流量减少。
研究哮喘患儿血清 VEGF 水平与乙酰甲胆碱和单磷酸腺苷（AMP）气道反应性的关系。
检测 31 例哮喘患儿和 26 例对照者外周血嗜酸性粒细胞计数、血清嗜酸性粒细胞阳离子蛋白（ECP）浓度和血清 VEGF 浓度，对哮喘患儿进行乙酰甲胆碱和 AMP 支气管激发试验。
哮喘患儿的 VEGF 水平明显高于对照组（361.2[212.0]比 102.7[50.0]pg/ml；P<0.001）。血嗜酸性粒细胞计数和血清 ECP 水平与引起一秒用力呼气容积下降 20%的 AMP 激发浓度（PC20）呈显著负相关（r=-0.474，P=0.01；r=-0.442，P=0.03），但与乙酰甲胆碱 PC20 无相关性（r=-0.228，P=0.26；r=-0.338，P=0.10）。血清 VEGF 水平与 AMP 气道反应性呈显著负相关（r=-0.462；P=0.009），与乙酰甲胆碱无相关性（r=-0.243；P=0.19）。
哮喘患儿血清 VEGF 水平升高，与 AMP 气道反应性相关，与乙酰甲胆碱无关。哮喘患儿 VEGF 水平升高可能通过与气道炎症或气道血管通透性增加相关的机制导致气道反应性增加。
