Role of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Abstract EN

-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an angiogenic growth factor, has been proved to play a significant role in bone remodeling.

It may be involved in the molecular pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of VEGF in bone biopsies of postmenopausal osteoporotic patients, assess the relation between the expression of VEGF and bone mineral density (BMD), and to evaluate the association between VEGF, serum estradiol, and bone estrogen receptor-α.

Patients and methods This study was carried out on 30 female patients who were further subdivided into three groups: premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal.

All of them were subjected to full assessment of history, thorough clinical examination, and routine laboratory investigations.

Serum estradiol levels were measured using ELISA.

BMD was detected using DEXA.

Bone biopsies were taken and three sections were obtained from each specimen.

One was stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain for bone histomorphometrical assessment.

The other two sections were stained immunohistochemically for the detection of VEGF and estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) expression.

Results A highly statistically significant difference was found in VEGF expression between the premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women and also between osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic women.

A highly statistically positive correlation was found between VEGF and each of the following: BMD, bone anabolic histomorphometrical parameters E2, and ER-α.

However, a highly statistically negative correlation was observed between VEGF and bone histomorphometrical resorption parameters.

Conclusion VEGF expression is decreased in bone of postmenopausal osteoporotic patients and is correlated to BMD.

Its release is dependent on E2 and mediated through ER-α.

These suggest that bone alterations induced by reduced estrogen in postmenopausal osteoporosis may be partly through decreased VEGF release.

This makes it one of the possible targets in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.