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Predictive value of VEGF A and VEGFR2 polymorphisms in the response to intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for wet AMD

  • Genetics
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

To determine whether gene polymorphisms of the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF A) and its receptor (VEGFR) influence the response to a variable-dosing treatment regimen with ranibizumab for age-related macular degeneration.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 94 patients (94 eyes) with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with ranibizumab. Patients underwent a 1-year treatment as in the Study of Ranibizumab in Patients with Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration (SUSTAIN). Injections were administered monthly during 3 months to all the patients diagnosed of neovascular AMD; reinjections were made when a patient lost 5 letters on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart or gained 100 μm in central subfield retinal thickness measured by OCT. Genotypes (VEGF A (rs 699947, rs833061) and VEGFR (rs 2071559)) were analyzed using TaqMan probes. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), subjective improvement, and macular thickness measured with OCT values were compared with VEGF A and VEGFR genotypes. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the statistical significance.

Results

We found statistically significant differences in allelic distribution of VEGF A rs833061 polymorphism in relation with the response to intravitreal ranibizumab regarding to visual acuity improvement [p = 0,.34; OR: 1.619 (1.098–2.386)]. Patients carrying “protector” genotype CC had higher probability of best corrected visual acuity improvement. When we analyzed VEGF A rs699947 polymorphism we found that patients expressing AA genotype had a higher chance of increasing their best corrected visual acuity [p:0,022; OR 1,532 (1,015–2,313)]. We did not find statistically significant differences reagarding VEGFR rs2071559 polymorphism and treatment response.

Conclusions

Polymorphisms of VEGF A seem to influence the different response to antiangiogenic treatment in patients with AMD in our population, although further investigation is needed to know the mechanisms of this relationship.

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Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest for any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Fernando Cruz-Gonzalez, Lucía Cabrillo-Estévez, Gloria López-Valverde & Emiliano Hernández-Galilea

  2. Unidad de Medicina Molecular, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Clara Cieza-Borrella

  3. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Universidad de Salamanca-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain

    Fernando Cruz-Gonzalez & Rogelio González-Sarmiento

  4. Departamento de Oftalmología, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente nº58, 37007, Salamanca, Spain

    Fernando Cruz-Gonzalez

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  1. Fernando Cruz-Gonzalez
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Correspondence to Fernando Cruz-Gonzalez.

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Cruz-Gonzalez, F., Cabrillo-Estévez, L., López-Valverde, G. et al. Predictive value of VEGF A and VEGFR2 polymorphisms in the response to intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for wet AMD. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 252, 469–475 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-014-2585-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-014-2585-7

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