Circulating proangiogenic cytokines and angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin in untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

• Published in: Mediators of Inflammation Vol. 2003; no. 3; pp. 167 - 171
• Main Authors: Gora-Tybor, Joanna, Blonski, Jerzy Z, Robak, Tadeusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Hindawi Limiteds 01-06-2003; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Angiogenesis; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - blood; Angiogenic Proteins - blood; bFGF; Case-Control Studies; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Endostatin; Endostatins - blood; Female; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - blood; Humans; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell - blood; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; TGFβ1; Transforming Growth Factor beta - blood; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Angiogenesis; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; TGFβ1; bFGF; Endostatin
• ISSN: 0962-9351; 1466-1861
• DOI: 10.1080/0962935031000134888

The serum concentration of two pro-angiogenic cytokines: basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1), and anti-angiogenic factor endostatin in the serum of 80 never treated B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and 27 healthy volunteers was measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The serum levels of both bFGF and TGF-β1 were found to be significantly higher in the CLL group (median 40.5 pg/ml and 38.6 ng/ml respectively) when compared to the control group (median 9.4 pg/ml and 18.9 ng/ml, respectively) (P＜0.001). The levels of endostatin were not significantly different in CLL and control groups (median 12.3 ng/ml and 8.4 ng/ml, respectively) (P=0.09). In the group of CLL patients the level of bFGF was significantly higher in patients with progressive disease as compared with patients with stable disease (median 90.5 pg/ml and 40.5 pg/ml respectively) (P＜0.001). Patients in Rai stage III and IV also had significantly higher levels of bFGF than patients in Rai stage 0-II (median 100.1 pg/ml and 29.3 pg/ml respectively) (P＜0.001). The levels of both TGF-β1 and endostatin were lower in patients in Rai stage III and IV (median 28.9 ng/ml and 9.1 ng/ml respectively) than in patients in Rai stage 0-II (42.8 ng/ml and 13.1 ng/ml respectively) (P＜0.001 and P=0.002 respectively). The level of endostatin was also lower in the group of CLL patients with progressive disease (median 10.0 ng/ml) as compared to patients with stable disease (median 20.5 ng/ml)(P=0.008). In conclusion, the disturbance in the balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors may have an important influence on the course of CLL.