Elevated serum angiogenin levels in ALS

BACKGROUND: The role of hypoxia responsive genes in the pathogenesis of ALS was first suggested when deletions of the hypoxia-responsive element of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoter caused a motor neuron disease phenotype in mice. The discovery of ALS-associated mutations in ANG, a hypoxia responsive gene coding for the protein angiogenin, has further supported this pathogenic mechanism in human ALS. In endothelium, angiogenin can regulate expression of VEGF. To date, the patterns of serum angiogenin expression among patients with ALS have not been assessed. METHODS: Serum angiogenin and VEGF levels were quantified at diagnosis in 79 patients with definite or probable ALS and 72 healthy controls, using a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay. RESULTS: Patients with ALS exhibited higher serum angiogenin (p = 0.006) but not VEGF (p = 0.55) levels than matched control subjects. Subgroup analysis showed a greater elevation in angiogenin levels for spinal- (p < 0.001) than bulbar- (p = 0.11) onset ALS vs controls. At 12 months, angiogenin levels remained elevated. No correlation was noted between angiogenin and VEGF levels (r = -0.08, p = 0.49) in ALS patient serum. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a modest elevation in serum angiogenin in ALS at diagnosis. Further investigation will be required to assess the utility of serum angiogenin as a biomarker for ALS and as a predictor of disease progression.