ABSTRACT: Correlation between soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1) concentration, VEGFR1 gene polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) risk remains unclear. The present case-control study comprised 254 SLE patients, 385 other rheumatic diseases patients and 390 healthy controls. Serum levels of sVEGFR-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seven VEGFR1 genetic variants (rs2296188, rs9943922, rs2296283, rs7324510, rs9554322, rs9582036, rs9554320) were genotyped by KASP. Serum levels of sVEGFR-1 were up-regulated in SLE and positively correlated with disease activity. Furthermore, serum sVEGFR-1 presented a distinctive elevation in SLE in comparison with other rheumatic diseases. Frequencies of allele T of rs2296283 and allele G of rs9554322 were significant lower in SLE patients (P?=?0.003, P?=?0.004). Frequencies of genotypes TT of rs2296188 and rs2296283 were declined in patients compared with healthy controls (P?=?0.039, P?=?0.033). CC genotype of rs7324510 and rs9582036 was negatively correlated with SLE risk (OR?=?0.538, OR?=?0.508). Distribution of GG, GC, GG?+?GC genotypes of rs9554322 were different between SLE patients and healthy controls (P?=?0.027, P?=?0.036, P?=?0.010). Moreover, frequency of TC genotype of rs7324510 was higher in SLE patients with lupus headache (?2?=?9.924, P?=?0.039) and frequency of TC genotype of rs9943922 was lower in patients with cylindruriain (?2?=?7.589, P?=?0.026). Frequencies of allele C of rs7324510 and allele T of rs9943922 were decreased in SLE patients with cylindruria and hypocomplementemia, respectively (?2?=?4.195, P?=?0.041, ?2?=?3.971, P?=?0.046). However, frequency of allele C of rs9554322 was increased in SLE patients with pyuria (?2?=?11.702, P?=?0.001). In addition, SLE patients carrying GG, GC, CC genotypes for rs9554322 had higher levels of serum sVEGFR-1. In conclusion, serum sVEGFR-1 was elevated in SLE patients and may be a disease marker. VEGFR1 gene polymorphisms related to risk of SLE in a Chinese Han population.
