Role of vascular endotelial growth factor polymorphisms in interstitial lung disease

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a key role in the inflammatory process of a number of conditions. In this regard, VEGF has been proposed as a biomarker of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the most common and destructive interstitial lung disease (ILD) [1-2]. Therefore, research on the influence of VEGF in the pathogenesis of ILD is of potential interest. Objectives: To evaluate the role of VEGF polymorphisms, previously assessed in inflammatory and pulmonary diseases, in ILD. Methods: A total of 408 Spanish patients with ILD (including 149 with IPF) and 149 healthy controls were genotyped for VEGF rs833061, rs1570360, rs2010963, rs3025020 and rs3025039 polymorphisms by TaqMan assay. VEGF genotypes, alleles and haplotypes (obtained after the combination of the VEGF polymorphisms studied) differences between ILD patients and controls were compared. Similarly, genetic differences between IPF and non-idiopathic ILD patients were assessed. Results: No statistically significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of each VEGF polymorphism between the whole group of ILD and controls were found. It was also the case when IPF and non-idiopathic ILD patients were compared. In addition, no VEGF haplotypes differences were found in any of the comparisons. Conclusions: Our results do not support the role of VEGF polymorphisms in the susceptibility to ILD. References: [1] Barratt, S.L. et al. Int J Mol Sci 2018;19. [2] Guiot, J. et al. Lung 2017; 195:273-280. Acknowledgements: Study supported by SEPAR 474-2017. Personal funds, SR-M: RD16/0012/0009 (ISCIII-ERDF); RL-M and VM: Miguel Servet type I CP16/00033 (ISCIII-ESF; ISCIII-ERDF) and VP-C: PREVAL18/01 (IDIVAL).