We also studied the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGF-Rc) whose function in angiogenesis implies an active role in endometriosis.
These results suggest that endometriosis may arise from eutopic endometrium with higher levels of angiogenic activity possibly induced by VEGF-A in women with endometriosis.
The polymorphism +405G>C of the VEGF gene was examined in n = 203 Italian women affected by endometriosis and in n = 140 women without laparoscopic evidence of the disease.
This study was performed to investigate whether the VEGF gene 5'-untranslated region polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to advanced stage endometriosis.
Vascular density and distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR-2 (Flk-1) are significantly higher in patients with deeply infiltrating endometriosis affecting the rectum.
The -460T/+405C haplotype in the VEGF gene, which is associated with lower promoter activity, was significantly less common in women with endometriosis than in controls.
Infiltrating neutrophil granulocytes are a particularly rich source of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the endometrium and may contribute to the angiogenesis of endometriosis lesions.