Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease
Published on: June 30, 2018
Vascular endothelial growth factor in children with nephrotic syndrome treated with cyclosporine A
Anna Wasilewska1, Walentyna Zoch-Zwierz, Edyta Tenderenda
1First Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. annwasil@interia.pl
Insights
Long-term cyclosporine A (CyA) treatment for nephrotic syndrome in children increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in both plasma and urine. This suggests a potential link between CyA therapy and elevated VEGF levels during treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Immunosuppressive Therapy
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder characterized by proteinuria.
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) plays a role in vascular health and disease.
- Understanding the impact of immunosuppressive drugs on VEGF is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of cyclosporine A (CyA) on plasma and urinary vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in children with nephrotic syndrome.
- To investigate the relationship between CyA treatment duration, VEGF levels, and CyA concentration.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 15 children with nephrotic syndrome undergoing CyA treatment.
- Plasma and urinary VEGF levels were measured using ELISA at multiple time points during CyA therapy.
- Plasma CyA concentrations were assessed using immunofluorescence.
Main Results:
- Initial plasma VEGF was elevated in children with nephrotic syndrome compared to controls.
- Plasma VEGF normalized after proteinuria regression but increased with prolonged CyA treatment.
- Urinary VEGF excretion was consistently higher in treated children and correlated positively with CyA levels.
Conclusions:
- Long-term administration of cyclosporine A in pediatric nephrotic syndrome is associated with increased plasma and urinary VEGF levels.
- A positive correlation exists between VEGF levels (both plasma and urinary) and plasma CyA concentration.
- VEGF may serve as a potential biomarker influenced by CyA treatment in nephrotic syndrome.
Aim:
To assess the effect of cyclosporine A (CyA) on the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the plasma and urine of nephrotic syndrome children.
Methods:
The study material consisted of 15 children (F 6, M 9; group I) who were subjected to the following examinations: A) at the time of proteinuria relapse, before treatment with CyA, B) after 3 mo, C) after 6 mo, and D) after 12 mo of CyA administration with prednisone and convertase inhibitor. The control group (II) contained 20 healthy children. The immunoenzymatic ELISA method (R&D Quantikine) was used to determine plasma and urinary VEGF levels, while the immunofluorescence method was applied to assess CyA concentration in the plasma. The statistical program Statistica 6.0 was used for statistical analysis of the results.
Results:
In the present study, plasma VEGF level in examination A was higher than in the control group (p<0.01). After proteinuria regression (B), it did not differ from the level observed in healthy children (p>0.05). After 6 and 12 mo of CyA administration, VEGF concentration increased and was higher than in the control group (p<0.05). In all the examinations, urinary excretion of VEGF was higher than in the control group, increasing proportionally with the duration of treatment and plasma CyA level. A positive correlation was observed between plasma and urinary VEGF levels and between VEGF and CyA concentrations in the plasma.
Conclusion:
Long-term CyA treatment of nephrotic syndrome children leads to an increase in plasma and urinary VEGF.
