Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to be linked to retinal ischemia-associated
neovascularization. It was recently found that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)
enhances VEGF gene expression. In this study we investigated whether plasma VEGF levels
are increased in patients with acromegaly, a disease in which plasma IGF-I levels
are elevated, and whether plasma VEGF levels are correlated with plasma IGF-I levels
in these patients. We retrospectively analyzed plasma samples from 13 active acromegalic
patients (7 males and 6 females) aged 33 to 66 years, with a mean age of 52.3 ± 10.8
years. The results were compared with plasma VEGF levels in 16 age- and sex-matched,
healthy subjects (9 males and 7 females) aged 22 to 66 years, with a mean age of 52.4
± 11.5 years. Plasma VEGF levels were not higher in the acromegalic patients than
in the healthy subjects (253 ± 61 vs. 197 ± 30 pg/mL, P = 0.39). In 5 patients plasma
VEGF levels were rather slightly increased after pituitary adenomectomy while one
patient showed a reduced plasma VEGF level. In addition there was no correlation between
plasma VEGF and GH or IGF-I levels. These data indicate that plasma VEGF levels are
not increased in patients with acromegaly and that serum VEGF may play a less important
role in the neovascularization in the carcinogenesis and/or disturbances of the cardiovascular
system in patients with acromegaly.
Key words
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor - Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I - Acromegaly
