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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Asthma, Bronchial Hyperreactivity, Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid, Cinnamates, Down-Regulation, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Indoles, Interleukin-13, Interleukin-4, Interleukin-5, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9, Ovalbumin, Sputum, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2.
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Does vascular endothelial growth factor modulate matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in asthma? Context: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) are mediators of airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. This study investigates a potential relationship between VEGF and MMP-9, and the mechanisms by which VEGF signaling regulates MMP-9 expression in asthma. We evaluated whether levels of VEGF correlated with levels of MMP-9 in the sputum of asthma patients, and the effect of VEGF receptor inhibitors on MMP-9 expression in murine model of asthma. We have found that levels of VEGF and MMP-9 are significantly higher in the sputum of patients with asthma than in healthy control subjects, and a significant correlation is found between the levels of VEGF and MMP-9. This study with the ovalbumin-induced model of asthma revealed the following typical pathophysiologic features of asthma in the lungs: increased numbers of inflammatory cells of the airways, airway hyperresponsiveness, increased vascular permeability, and increased levels of MMP-9 and VEGF. Administration of VEGF receptor inhibitors reduced the pathophysiologic signs of asthma and decreased the increased expression of MMP-9 after ovalbumin inhalation.
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These results indicate that there is a close relationship between VEGF and MMP-9 expression and that inhibition of VEGF receptor down-regulates the expression of MMP-9. These findings suggest that VEGF signaling regulates MMP-9 expression and plays a critical role in initiation and maintenance of asthma. Final Decision: yes