Abstract: Abstract:Objective To explore the effects  of CXCR4 / SDF-1 axis and the VEGF  on pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their related mechanisms,and to clarify the reliability of using VEGF as the index of active stage and monitoring prognosis of AS.Methods Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the expression of CXCR4 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 30 AS patients and 20 healthy persons.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the serum VEGF and the SDF-1  levels in two groups.Relationship among CXCR4,SDF-1 and VEGF,and the relationship between above three indexes and disease activity indexes such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and  C reactive protein(CRP) were analyzed.Results The positive expression rate of CXCR4 of the patients in AS group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05).The serum VEGF and SDF-1 levels of the patients in AS  group were significantly higher than those in control group (all P<0.05).There were positive correlations among the CXCR4,SDF-1 and VEGF (r=0.828,r=0.638,r=0.723,all P<0.05).There were positive correlations between the serum VEGF  level and the levels of ESR and CRP (r= 0.584，r=0.723,all P<0.05).But there was no obvious correlation between the CXCR4,SDF-1 serum level and the levels of ESR and CRP ( all P>0.05).Conclusion CXCR4/SDF-1 response axis and VEGF may have decisive roles in estimating the occurrence,development,severity and prognosis of AS;VEGF can be as reliable index of active stage and monitoring prognosis of AS,while those three may be the principal targets of targeting therapy.
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Key words: CXC chemokine receptor　4, stromal cell-derived factor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, spondylitis, ankylosing