Role of vasculoendothelial growth factor and its gene in pathogenesis of hepatobiliary pathology

Abstract

Objective. To assess the pathogenetic value of vasculoendothelial growth factor (VEGF) and polymorphism of its gene in hepatobiliary pathology.

Materials and methods. The study included 190 patients with hepatobiliary pathology (HBP): 100 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in the reactivation phase, 50 – with HC in the outcome of CHC, 30 – with cholelithiasis, 10 – with focal liver lesions (including 8 with primary and secondary liver tumors).

Results. In case of hepatobiliary pathology, VEGF, as indicator neoangiogenesis and endothelial dysfunction (ED), is a marker of the severity of liver lesion: its production is increased in some patients with cholelithiasis, moderately elevated in all patients with CH and significantly elevated against the background of HC and liver pathology of the tumor genesis. In chronic diffuse diseases of the liver, there are detected multiple reliable relationships between VEGF and a number of ED indices, hepatic clinical and biochemical syndromes, liver fibrosis markers, viral load level that proves the obligate involvement of VEGF in the development and progression of liver pathology. VEGF can be used as a test for differential diagnosis of fibrosis in CH and HC with the sensibility of 90 % and specificity of 78 %. Carriage of the allele C in the locus of the VEGF gene (G-634C) in the form of homozygote CC can show the risk of more severe lesion of the liver in CHC and is interconnected with increased production of VEGF.

Conclusions. Vasculoendothelial growth factor and polymorphism of its gene is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatobiliary pathology, activating neoangiogenesis and fibrosis in the liver.

Keywords

Vasculoendothelial growth factor / polymorphism of vasculoendothelial growth factor gene / liver fibrosis / chronic viral hepatitis C / hepatic cirrhosis

References

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Schekotova A.P., Bulatova I.A.