Expresión del factor de crecimiento endotelial vascular (VEGF-A) y de su receptor (VEGFR-2) en la leucemia linfoblástica aguda pediátrica

Abstract

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the principal childhood cancer. It represents the second mortality cause in Mexican childhood between one and 14 years old. Similarly to solid tumor growth, it haven been suggested an association between the expansion of malignant cells in hematopoietic diseases with an increase expression of angiogenic factors. This include: the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptor (VEFGR) which have been suggested as prognostic biomarkers in leukemic patients. For these reason, the present study analyzed the expression of VEGF-A and VEGFR-2 in ALL in pediatric patients 28 pediatric patients with newly diagnosed ALL were selected. A blood sample was analyzed at three different times, first at the beginning of the diagnosis (without treatment), 15 and 30 days post-treatment. RNA was obtained and a real time RT-PCR for VEGF-A and VEGFR-2 was done. The VEGF-A and VEGFR-2 protein in plasma were measure by ELISA. The results were analyzed using the U test of Mann-Whitney and comparison of means. A total of 28 patients were studied, 14 were women and 14 men, with a minimum age of 2 months and a maximum of 14 years old, the mean gene expression for VEGF-A on day 0 was 27.74, and the means obtained in 15 and 30 days with treatment were 10.26 and 9.55 respectively; in the expression of VEGFR-2 gene the mean obtained was 64.15 (day 0, untreated), 78.43 and 111.56 (15 and 30 with treatment). With regard to the quantification of proteins, the means obtained were VEGF-A 371.11, 320.81 and 419.71 (day 0, 15 and 30 days with treatment). Two patients relapsed; four patients died after day 30, two of them there was no decrease of VEGF-A and VGEFR-2 on day 15 and 30. We suggest a correlation between gene expressions with the protein and a relationship between levels of mRNA and protein VEGF-A with the prognosis of the disease.