Soluble Vascular Endothelial Cadherin as a New Biomarker of Irradiation in Highly Irradiated Baboons with Bone Marrow Protection

Health Phys. 2016 Jun;110(6):598-605. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000481.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial cadherin is the main component of adherens junctions enabling cohesion of the endothelial monolayer in vessels. The extracellular part of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) can be cleaved, releasing soluble fragments in blood (sVE-cadherin). In some diseases with endothelial dysfunction, a correlation between increased blood sVE-cadherin levels and disease state has been proposed. Irradiation is known to induce endothelial damage, but new serum biomarkers are needed to evaluate endothelial damage after irradiation. Here, the authors investigated whether sVE-cadherin may be an interesting biomarker of irradiation in highly irradiated baboons with bone marrow protection. sVE-cadherin was detected in the plasma of young as well as old baboons. Plasma sVE-cadherin levels significantly decrease a few days after irradiation but recover in the late time after irradiation. Kinetic analysis of plasma sVE-cadherin levels suggests a correlation with white blood cell counts in both the acute phase of irradiation and during hematopoietic recovery, suggesting that plasma sVE-cadherin levels may be partly linked to the disappearance and recovery of white blood cells. Interestingly, after hematopoietic recovery was completed, sVE-cadherin levels were found to exceed control values, suggesting that plasma sVE-cadherin may represent a new biomarker of endothelial damage or neovascularization in the late time after irradiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / blood*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Bone Marrow / radiation effects*
  • Bone Marrow Diseases / etiology
  • Bone Marrow Diseases / prevention & control
  • Cadherins / blood*
  • Male
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / blood*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / diagnosis
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / etiology
  • Papio
  • Radiation Injuries / blood*
  • Radiation Injuries / diagnosis
  • Radiation Injuries / etiology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Vasculitis / blood*
  • Vasculitis / diagnosis
  • Vasculitis / etiology
  • Whole-Body Irradiation / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Biomarkers
  • Cadherins
  • cadherin 5