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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
Published on: March 15, 2016
The Evaluation of the Relationship between sTREM-1, VEGF-B, and VEGF Gene Expression Levels with Disease Activity of
Kadir Harmanci1, Ozden Yildirim Akan2, Timur Pirildar3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Salihli State Hospital, Manisa, Turkey.
Insights
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) gene expression may indicate Behçet
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Behçet's disease (BD) lacks specific markers for disease activity.
- Current diagnostic criteria rely on clinical manifestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association of VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) levels with Behçet's disease activation.
- To identify potential biomarkers for BD activity.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 30 Behçet's disease patients and 30 healthy controls.
- Analysis of serum samples for VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions and sTREM-1 levels.
- Subgroup analysis based on clinical manifestations (oral aphthae, genital ulcer, eye, joint, vascular, skin, neurological involvement).
Main Results:
- VEGF gene expression was significantly elevated in BD patients (p = 0.008).
- Patients with joint and vascular involvement showed significantly higher VEGF gene expression and VEGF-B levels, respectively.
- VEGF gene expression was significantly higher in all patient subgroups compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions show potential as activity indicators for Behçet's disease.
- The findings suggest the need for exploring new treatment options for BD patients with joint and vascular involvement.
- Further research with larger cohorts is required to elucidate the role of sTREM-1 in Behçet's disease.
Background:
There is no specific marker that shows the disease activity in Behçet's disease.
Aim:
In this study, we aimed to investigate VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions and sTREM-1 levels in association with the activation of Behçet's disease.
Study Design:
Case-control study.
Methods:
Clinical features of patients who applied in the rheumatology clinic and were diagnosed with BD according to the international working group's criteria were investigated. 30 healthy volunteers and 30 patients in the active period according to the EBDCAF scoring were studied. VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions and sTREM-1 levels were studied in the serum samples of the patients and the control subjects.
Results:
The VEGF-B expressions and sTREM-1 levels were higher in the BD than those in the healthy group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. VEGF gene expression was statistically significant (p = 0.008). Behçet's disease patients with oral aphthae, genital ulcer, eye, joint, vascular, skin, and neurological involvement were analyzed separately as subgroups. We find that VEGF gene expression level of Behçet's disease patients with joint involvement (arthritis/arthralgia) and also VEGF-B and VEGF gene expression of Behçet's disease with vascular involvement (DVT/thrombophlebitis) were significantly higher (p = 0.035, p = 0.021). Each subgroup was analyzed with the control group. We determined that VEGF gene expression in all subgroups was significantly higher than that in the control group. At the same time, VEGF-B levels of patients with genital ulcer and vascular involvement (DVT/thrombophlebitis) were significantly higher than those in the control group.
Conclusion:
VEGF-B and VEGF gene expressions can be activity indicators for BD. In addition, this study shows that new treatment options should be explored for Behçet's disease patients with joint and vascular involvement. In the following years, new treatment methods are needed to investigate for revealing the role of the etiopathogenesis of BD and the activation and prognosis of VEGF by examining this study and providing much more participation. In our study group, the sTREM-1 levels were high but the results did not reach statistical significance. More studies are needed with larger groups in order the highlight the exact role of STREM-1 in Behçet's disease.
