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VEGF polymorphisms pose risk factor in patients with rosacea

VEGF polymorphisms are a risk factor for all types of rosacea and those with the erythematotelangiectatic subtype have the highest risk, according to research from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

In addition, the prevalence of +405C/G polymorphism of the VEGF gene was higher in patients with erythematotelangiectatic (ET), papulopustular and phymatous rosacea when compared with controls, according to the researchers.

The researchers explored the association between VEGF polymorphisms and rosacea through comparisons of +405C/G, –460T/C, –1540C/A, –1512 Ins18 and –1451C/T polymorphisms of the VEGF gene in patients with rosacea and controls, using polymerase chain reaction.

They also compared serum VEGF, VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1)/fms-like tyrosine kinase (FLT-1) and VEGFR-2/kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) levels between both groups via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a Boster kit (Boster Immunoleader, Boster Biological Technology Co. Ltd.).

One hundred adults aged 18 to 73 years comprised the rosacea group and 100 controls were included who were examined due to skin diseases other than rosacea.

The researchers isolated DNA using a Qiagen DNA Blood Mini Kit (Qiagen GmbH).

Mean patient age was 44.6 years in both the rosacea and control groups, 77% of patients with rosacea were women and gender distribution did not vary significantly between groups.

ET rosacea was the most common in 63% of the patient group, followed by papulopustular in 25% and phymatous rosacea in 9%.

Ocular involvement was found in 95% of patients and was mild to moderate in 98.9%.

In patients with rosacea, the prevalence of both homozygous (GG) and heterozygous (CG) +405C/G polymorphisms of the VEGF gene were higher than in controls (P = .017), according to the study.

The researchers found no significant difference in the prevalence of VEGF gene –1540C/A, –1512Ins18 and –460 T/C polymorphisms between both groups.

The CG +405C/G polymorphism of the VEGF gene increased the risk for rosacea 1.7 fold (95% CI, 1.1-3.6) and the GG +405C/G polymorphism increased the risk 2.3 fold (95% CI, 1-4.2).

Moreover, researchers found a significant correlation in erythematotelangiectatic rosacea severity and VEGF gene +405C/G polymorphism and in the severity of phymatous rosacea and VEGF gene –460T/C polymorphism –4.

An increase in polymorphic alleles was directly related to an increase in the severity of ET (P = .002) and phymatous rosacea (P = .012).

The serum level of VEGF and VEGFRs did not differ significantly between patients and controls.

In patients with ET rosacea, VEGF +405C/G polymorphism was significantly associated with disease severity, according to researchers.

VEGFR biopsy tissue samples were not studied and represents a limitation of the study, according to researchers. – by Abigail Sutton

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.