Elevated Angiopoietin-2 Level in Patients With Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices Leads to Altered Angiogenesis and Is Associated With Higher Nonsurgical Bleeding.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Nonsurgical bleeding is the most common adverse event in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and is caused by arteriovenous malformations. We hypothesized that deregulation of an angiogenic factor, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), in patients with LVADs leads to increased angiogenesis and higher nonsurgical bleeding.

Methods

Ang-2 and thrombin levels were measured by ELISA and Western blotting, respectively, in blood samples from 101 patients with heart failure, LVAD, or orthotopic heart transplantation. Ang-2 expression in endothelial biopsy was quantified by immunofluorescence. Angiogenesis was determined by in vitro tube formation from serum from each patient with or without Ang-2-blocking antibody. Ang-2 gene expression was measured by

SUBMITTER: Tabit CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4942355 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature