Soluble Angiogenesis Factors in Sera of Egyptian Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Correlation with Disease Severity

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic hepatitis, which gradually progresses to liver cirrhosis and subsequently to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Angiogenesis plays a major role in chronic inflammation and may have prognostic value in disease progression. This study was designed to evaluate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as prognostic factors of disease progression in Egyptian patients with different stages of HCV-related cirrhosis and HCC. VEGF, PDGF, and TNF-alpha were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 82 HCV-infected patients (20 mild, 20 moderate, and 20 severe cirrhosis patients, and 22 HCC patients), and 20 healthy controls. Our results showed comparable increases in VEGF and PDGF levels in those with increasing clinical stages of disease, with maximal production seen in HCC patients. A gradual elevation of TNF-alpha levels was seen also in HCV-infected patients at different stages of disease and HCC. A statistically significantly positive correlation between serum levels of VEGF, PDGF, and TNF-alpha, and grade of disease was recorded. Thus assessment of these parameters in those with different stages of disease may be helpful in choosing the best treatment strategy, and indicate that anti-angiogenic therapy may be useful.