Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Polymorphisms May Predict the Risk of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease following Allogeneic Transplantation: Preventive Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene on Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease

Abstract

Microvessel injury is associated with the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), whereas high levels of posttransplantation vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have a protective effect on severe acute GVHD (aGVHD) and transplantation-related mortality. The current study aimed to determine the impact of VEGFA gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the risk of aGVHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism, 4 VEGFA SNPs— -2578 C>A (rs699947), -460 T>C (rs833061), +405 G>C (rs2010963), and +936 C>T (rs3025039)—were analyzed in 98 recipients. Strong linkage disequilibrium was noted among loci -2578, -460, and +405, but not among these loci and locus +936. Accordingly, 4 haplotypes were generated based on the genotypes of -2578, -460, and +405: CTC (47.9%), CTG (26.7%), ACG (24.2%), and CCC (1.0%). The group with low VEGF production (ie, +936CT genotype and 2 copies of the ACG haplotype) had a higher incidence of aGVHD. Significant associations were found between the risk of grade 2-4 aGVHD and the +936 CT ( P = .006), -2578 AA ( P = .003), and -460 CC ( P = .002) genotypes and the ACG haplotype ( P = .003). No association between the VEGFA SNPs and chronic GVHD was observed. The VEGFA SNPs might predict a lower risk of aGVHD. Our findings suggest that VEGF may have a protective role in the pathogenesis of aGVHD.