Role of the PTEN/PI3K/VEGF pathway in the development of Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a disease of unknown etiology and the leading cause of childhood acquired heart disease. In this study, the significance of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway in the development of KD was investigated in a rabbit model. Rabbits were divided into the control group, which received saline injection, and the experimental group, which was treated with bovine serum albumin to induce arthritis and KD. After 1, 7 and 30 days the animals were sacrificed, and the white blood cell count, serum VEGF, and serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were measured. The coronary artery was examined histologically as well as immunohistochemically for PTEN and PI3K. After the induction of arthritis, coronary artery of the rabbits showed endothelial cell swelling, osteoporosis, necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. PTEN expression in these rabbits increased with the increasing number of modeling days. The expression of PI3K showed a decreasing trend. The number of white blood cells in rabbits after KD modeling were significantly higher than those in the controls. One day and 7 days after modeling the serum VEGF level in KD rabbits was significantly higher than that in the control group after 1 and 7 days followed by a decrease by 30 days. There was no significant change in serum CK on the day after the modeling, and the serum CK level was significantly higher after 7 and 30 days. In conclusion, the expression of PTEN/PI3K was altered at different stages of KD. PTEN expression gradually increased with the disease progression, while the expression of PI3K gradually decreased. Serum markers indicated that the PTEN/PI3K/VEGF signaling pathway is important in the vascular injury in KD.