Peripheral blood platelets express VEGF-C and VEGF which are released during platelet activation

Thromb Haemost. 1998 Jul;80(1):171-5.

Abstract

VEGF-C is a recently characterised endothelial growth factor structurally related to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We studied the expression of VEGF-C and VEGF in the cells of peripheral blood and in the umbilical cord blood CD 34+ cells, representing haematopoietic progenitor cells. Expression of VEGF-C was detected in the CD34+ cells. In peripheral blood VEGF-C mRNA was restricted to platelets and T-cells. In contrast to the expression pattern of VEGF-C, VEGF mRNA was detected in all peripheral blood cell fractions studied, and also in CD34+ cells. VEGF-C mRNA was also detected in fresh bone marrow samples of acute leukaemia patients, but the expression did not show lineage specificity. VEGF-C and VEGF polypeptides were present in platelets and they were released from activated platelets together with the release of beta-thromboglobulin, suggesting that VEGF-C and VEGF reside in the alpha-granules of platelets. VEGF-C and VEGF, released from activated platelets, may have a role in angiogenesis during wound healing, and possibly also in other pathological conditions, such as atherosclerosis, tumour growth, and metastasis formation.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antigens, CD34 / blood*
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Endothelial Growth Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia / immunology
  • Leukemia / metabolism*
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Lymphokines / biosynthesis
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Platelet Activation*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Lymphokines
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors