Disturbed balance between serum levels of receptor tyrosine kinases Tie-1, Tie-2 and angiopoietins in systemic sclerosis.
Ključne riječi
Sažetak
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the characteristic factors for vascular development and maintenance levels as well as correlation between Tie-1 receptors, Tie-2 receptors and the corresponding ligands--angiopoietins--in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.
METHODS
Serum levels of Tie-1, Tie-2, Ang-1 and Ang-2 were measured in 25 SSc patients and healthy controls.
RESULTS
There was a statistically significant difference in serum Tie-1 (p = 0.009) and Ang-2 (p = 0.001) levels in SSc patients compared with healthy controls. Significant correlations between Tie-1 and Tie-2 (ρ = 0.70, p = 0.0001) and between Tie-1 and Ang-2 (ρ = -0.92, p = 0.002) were found in the SSc group. Serum levels of Tie-2 were positively associated with esophagus changes (U = 2.03, p = 0.041) and Ang-1 was negatively correlated with duration of Raynaud's phenomenon (ρ = -0.75, p = 0.00008).
CONCLUSIONS
The increase in serum concentration of Tie-1 and Ang-2 in patients with SSc may confirm a molecular imbalance between receptor tyrosine kinases Tie and their ligands.
