Evaluation of circulating endothelial cells, VEGF and VEGFR2 serum levels in patients with chronic myeloproliferative diseases

Abstract

Authors evaluated some markers of angiogenetic activity in patients with chronic myeloproliferative diseases (CMDs). In this study by using a cytofluorimetric analysis we evaluated circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease. Moreover, in the same group of subjects, we evaluated serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2). In our patients, we have found an increase in the number of endothelial progenitor cells in primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and polycythaemia vera (PV) patients, while an increase of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) was found in all patients with CMD. Moreover, we found higher serum levels of VEGF with respect to control subjects in every group of patients with CMD, and a not significant reduction of VEGFR2 levels in essential thrombocythaemia (ET) patients. A correlation was also found in PV patients between VEGF levels and erythrocyte number and in PMF subjects with the count of white cells. Our data suggest that some markers of angiogenesis are activated in CMD patients and angiogenesis may have a role in the pathophysiology of chronic myeloproliferative disorders.