Vascular endothelial growth factor in children with nephrotic syndrome treated with cyclosporine A

AIM: To assess the effect of cyclosporine A (CyA) on the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the plasma and urine of nephrotic syndrome children. METHODS: The study material consisted of 15 children (F 6, M 9; group I) who were subjected to the following examinations: A) at the time of proteinuria relapse, before treatment with CyA, B) after 3 mo, C) after 6 mo, and D) after 12 mo of CyA administration with prednisone and convertase inhibitor. The control group (II) contained 20 healthy children. The immunoenzymatic ELISA method (R&D Quantikine) was used to determine plasma and urinary VEGF levels, while the immunofluorescence method was applied to assess CyA concentration in the plasma. The statistical program Statistica 6.0 was used for statistical analysis of the results. RESULTS: In the present study, plasma VEGF level in examination A was higher than in the control group (p<0.01). After proteinuria regression (B), it did not differ from the level observed in healthy children (p>0.05). After 6 and 12 mo of CyA administration, VEGF concentration increased and was higher than in the control group (p<0.05). In all the examinations, urinary excretion of VEGF was higher than in the control group, increasing proportionally with the duration of treatment and plasma CyA level. A positive correlation was observed between plasma and urinary VEGF levels and between VEGF and CyA concentrations in the plasma. CONCLUSION: Long-term CyA treatment of nephrotic syndrome children leads to an increase in plasma and urinary VEGF.