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Updated: Oct 3, 2026
A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
Published on: March 15, 2016
Serum vascular endothelial growth factor as a surveillance marker for cellular rejection in pediatric cardiac
Lisa P Abramson1, Elfriede Pahl, Lijun Huang
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Background:
Early detection and treatment of acute rejection in cardiac transplant recipients significantly improves long-term survival. Endomyocardial biopsy is used routinely for diagnosing allograft rejection; however, in young children, this procedure carries some risk. We evaluated serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a potential surveillance marker of acute cellular rejection.
Methods:
Blood samples (n=62) were analyzed from 23 patients and compared with controls (n=18) using an ELISA for VEGF. Results were correlated with endomyocardial biopsy rejection grades.
Results:
Mean baseline VEGF levels of the transplant population were consistently higher than controls. Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher during acute cellular rejection when compared with the non-rejecting transplant group (700.7+/-154 pg/ml vs. 190.5+/-29 pg/ml). VEGF decreased two- to eightfold after immunosuppressive therapy in 9 of 11 rejection episodes.
Conclusions:
These data suggest that VEGF may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute allograft rejection and it may serve as a reliable serologic surveillance marker.
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