Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
[The proliferative cytokines TGF-beta and VEGF in pleural effusions post-coronary artery bypass graft]
António M S Chibante1, Marcelo Alexandre C Vaz, Francisco Vargas Suso
1Serviço de Cardiopneumologia, Hospital Gaffrée-Guinle. Univesidade do Rio de Janeiro/Cardiopulmonology Unit, Hospital Gaffrée-Guinle. Universidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. chibante@domain.com.br
Unlabelled:
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries can impact on the pericardium and pleural space, leading to inflammation which can cause effusion.
Aim:
To study the role of the proliferative cytokines TGF-beta and VEGF in the fluids of 16 transudates and 43 pleural effusions of patients who underwent CABG at the Heart Unit and Pulmonology Unit of the University Hospital of São Paulo. Levels of cytokines were assessed 2, 24 and 48 hours post-surgery.
Results:
The pleural effusion after CABG is an exsudative mobilizer of TGF-beta and VEGF cytokines immediately after surgery. The TGF-beta concentrations were elevated 2 hours after surgery but started to fall soon after, reaching transudate levels after 48 hours. VEGF levels were high in the first 2 hours post surgery and tended to maintain the same concentrations for at least 48 hours after surgery.
Conclusions:
Based on the results obtained, TGF-beta is a cytokine that seems to work as a trigger, leading the pleural mesothelial cell to express VEGF a cause of pleural effusion in CABG surgeries.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
Pleural Effusion I: Introduction
There are two main types of pleural effusion: transudative and exudative. They are differentiated using Light's criteria,...
Cytotoxic Edema: Pathophysiology
Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors
Thrombopoietin (TPO), mainly released by the liver,...

