Vascular endothelial growth factor g1612a (rs10434) gene polymorphism and neuropsychiatric manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the relation between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genepolymorphism in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and lupus related neuropsy-chiatric manifestations. Patients and methods: Sixty adult SLE patients recruited from the Rheumatology and Neurol-ogy departments of Cairo University hospitals were classified into two groups; Group A: 30patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations (NPSLE) and Group B: 30 patients without. For both groups the SNP G1612A (rs10434) of the VEGF gene was genotyped by real timepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results: Statistically significant difference was found in genotype and allele frequenciesbetween both groups (AA [70% vs 13.3%, p < 0.001] and GG [10% vs 66.7%, p < 0.001]).Conclusion: Polymorphism in the gene coding for VEGF may be associated with increasedincidence of neuropsychiatric lupus in SLE patients.