Levels of angiogenesis‐related vascular endothelial growth factor family in neovascular glaucoma eyes

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 93; no. 7; pp. e556 - e560
• Main Authors: Chen, Shida, Zhou, Minwen, Wang, Wei, Wu, Huimin, Yu, Xiling, Huang, Wenbin, Gao, Xinbo, Wang, Jiawei, Li, Xingyi, Du, Shaolin, Ding, Xiaoyan, Zhang, Xiulan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Aqueous Humor - metabolism; Cataract - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Glaucoma, Neovascular - blood; Glaucoma, Neovascular - drug therapy; Humans; Intravitreal Injections; Male; Middle Aged; neovascular glaucoma; Ophthalmology; Placenta Growth Factor; PlGF; Pregnancy Proteins - blood; Prospective Studies; Ranibizumab - therapeutic use; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B - blood; VEGF‐A; VEGF‐B; VEGF-A; VEGF-B; neovascular glaucoma; PlGF
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/aos.12624

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the angiogenesis‐related factors of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family in the aqueous humour of patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG). Methods This study involved 22 eyes of 22 patients with advanced NVG requiring antiglaucomatous surgery and 20 control subjects with cataracts. The NVG eyes received an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR) treatment before antiglaucomatous surgery. Aqueous humour and blood were collected at the time of IVR and cataract surgery. Protein concentration of VEGF‐A, VEGF‐B and placenta growth factor (PlGF) in aqueous humour and plasma was determined by ELISA tests. Results The mean concentration (standard deviation) of VEGF‐A and PlGF in the aqueous humour of patients with NVG were 3037 (2387) pg/ml and 1078 (712) pg/ml, respectively; both were significantly higher than the control group (both p < 0.001). However, levels of VEGF‐A and PlGF in the serum of NVG and control subjects remained low. High concentrations of VEGF‐A were closely correlated with high levels of PlGF in patients with NVG (r = 0.593, p = 0.004). Concentrations of VEGF‐B in aqueous humour and serum remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Conclusion There were high concentrations of angiogenesis factors of the VEGF family, with the exception of VEGF‐B, in the aqueous humour of patients with NVG, and there was a positive correlation between VEGF‐A and PlGF. High PlGF levels in patients with NVG may provide another potential target for treatment of NVG.