Platelet number and interleukin-6 correlate with VEGF but not with bFGF serum levels of advanced cancer patients

We have compared the platelet number and the serum concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in 80 blood samples of 50 patients with advanced cancer. We have also measured the mitogenic effect of patient sera on endothelial cells in vitro in order to estimate the biological activity of serum VEGF. Serum VEGF concentration correlated with platelet number (r = 0.61; P < 10(-4)). Serum IL-6 levels correlated with platelet count (r = 0.36; P < 10(-3)), with serum VEGF levels (r = 0.55; P < 10(-4)) and with the calculated load of VEGF per platelet (r = 0.4; P = 3 x 10(-4)). Patients with thrombocytosis had a median VEGF serum concentration which was 3.2 times higher (P < 10(-4)) and a median IL-6 serum level which was 5.8 times higher (P = 0.03) than in other patients. Serum bFGF did not show an association with any of the other parameters. Patient sera with high VEGF and bFGF content stimulated endothelial cell proliferation significantly more than other sera (P = 4 x 10(-3)). These results support the role of platelets in the storage of biologically active VEGF. Platelets seem to prevent circulating VEGF from inducing the development of new blood vessels except at sites where coagulation takes place. IL-6, besides its thrombopoietic effect, also seems to affect the amount of VEGF stored in the platelets. This is in accordance with the indirect angiogenic action of IL-6 reported previously. The interaction of IL-6 with the angiogenic pathways in cancer might explain the stimulation of tumour growth occasionally observed during IL-6 administration. It also conforms to the worse outcome associated with high IL-6 levels and with thrombocytosis in several tumour types and benign angiogenic diseases.