The relationship between serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and muscular dystrophy development

Abstract

Objective To detect serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with muscular dystrophy and further to examine whether VEGF is associated with muscular dystrophy development. Methods We measured serum levels of VEGF in 32 patients with DMD,9 with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD),5 with myotonic dystrophy (DM),as well as in 15 healthy and eight disease controls. Results The serum level of VEGF in the DMD patients was (274.7±2.52)pg/ml,while it was(358.8±9.64) pg/ml in the BMD patients, (165.0±6.34) pg/ml in the DM patients, (1 48.3±2.91) pg/ml in the healthy controls,and (153.7±5.42) pg/ml in the disease controls. The level of VEGF in BMD was significantly elevated, as compared with DM and control groups. Further, the level of VEGF in the bedridden sub-group of DMD patients was significantly elevated as compared with chair-bound DMD, DM, and control groups. Conclusion We concluded that VEGF may reflect hypoxic and/or ischemic conditions in muscle tissue, and have a relationship with the process of disease progression in DMD and BMD patients. Key words: Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD); Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD); Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)