Expressions of VEGF and CXCR4 in diffuse large B cell lymphoma and their clinical significances

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the expression levels of CXCR4 and VEGF in serum of patients with DLBCL and their clinical significances. The peripheral blood of 44 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL and 20 healthy adults as a control group were chosen for study. And the expression levels of CXCR4 and VEGF in serum were detected by ELISA. The results showed that the expressions of VEGF and CXCR4 in DLBCL patients were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of VEGF was positively correlated with the expression of CXCR4 in DLBCL patients, and the correlation coefficient was 0.743 (P < 0.05). The VEGF expression in DLBCL patients was correlated with LDH, immunotyping, the number of extranodal involvements, Ann Arbor staging and ECOG performance score; while the expression of CXCR4 was correlated with LDH, immunotyping, the number of extranodal involvements and Ann Arbor staging. Univariate analysis showed that LDH, extranodal involvements, immunotyping, Ann Arbor staging, CXCR4 and VEGF were associated with OS. Multivariate analysis showed that the immunotyping and CXCR4 expression independently associated with OS. It is concluded that both expression levels of VEGF and CXCR4 are significant higher than those in the control group. CXCR4 expression positively correlates with VEGF expression and displays a prognostic significance for OS. This study suggests that combined targeting VEGF and CXCR4 may become a novel therapeutic strategy for diffuse large B cell lymphoma.