Journal Article

Circulating Angiogenic Factors as Biomarkers of Disease Severity and Bacterial Burden in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Nair, Dina, Babu, Subash, Banurekha, Vaithilingam V., Kumar, Nathella Pavan

2016

Overview

Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are classical features of granuloma formation in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). In addition, the angiogenic factor--VEGF-A is a known biomarker for PTB. To examine the association of circulating angiogenic factors with PTB, we examined the systemic levels of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2 and VEGF-R3in individuals with PTB, latent TB (LTB) or no TB infection (NTB). Circulating levels of VEGF-A, VEGF-C andVEGF-R2 were significantly higher in PTB compared to LTB or NTB individuals. Moreover, the levels of VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-R2 were significantly higher in PTB with bilateral and/or cavitary disease. The levels of these factors also exhibited a significant positive relationship with bacterial burdens in PTB. ROC analysis revealed VEGF-A and VEGF-R2 as markers distinguishing PTB from LTB or NTB. Finally, the circulating levels of all the angiogenic factors examined were significantly reduced following successful chemotherapy. Therefore, our data demonstrate that PTB is associated with elevated levels of circulating angiogenic factors, possibly reflecting vascular and endothelial dysfunction. In addition, some of these circulating angiogenic factors could prove useful as biomarkers to monitor disease severity, bacterial burden and therapeutic responses.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Angiogenesis / Angiogenic Proteins - blood / Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use / Bacteria / Biological markers / Biomarkers / Blood platelets / Care and treatment / Chemotherapy / Comparative analysis / Diagnosis, Differential / Disease Progression / Female / Granuloma / Health aspects / Humans / Infections / Infectious diseases / Latent Tuberculosis - blood / Latent Tuberculosis - diagnosis / Latent Tuberculosis - microbiology / Male / Middle Aged / Mycobacterium tuberculosis - growth & development / Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification / Neovascularization, Pathologic - blood / Neovascularization, Pathologic - etiology / Plasma / Pulmonary tuberculosis / R&D / Research & development / Risk factors / Signal transduction / Trends / Tuberculosis / Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - blood / Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis / Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - drug therapy / Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - microbiology / Vascular endothelial growth factor / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C - blood / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D - blood / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 - blood / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 - blood / Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 - blood / Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors / X-rays / Young Adult