Serum and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor in healthy dogs

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic factor with a key role in physiological and pathological process. It can be measured in several organic fluids, including serum and plasma samples. The aim of this work was to investigate the concentration of serum and plasma VEGF of healthy dogs in order to recommend optimal handling of biological samples for accurate measurement of VEGF. Blood samples of thirty dogs were collected into sterile EDTA tube for plasma analysis and into clot activator tubes for serum analysis. The tubes were centrifuged within 90 minutes of collection at 1400 xg for 10 minutes. VEGF concentration was determined using the quantitative method (ELISA). Serum VEGF level was 26.5 + 13.3pg/mL and plasma VEGF was 11.7 + 16.4 pg/mL (p = 0.0003). There was a positive correlation between serum VEGF and platelets (r = 0.37, p = 0.03) and a negative correlation between serum VEGF and hemoglobin (r = -0.38, p = 0.03) and between plasma VEGF and  hemoglobin (r = -0.34, p = 0.06). When compared with serum samples it was concluded that plasma samples could be used as an optimal fluid for measuring VEGF in dogs.