Sun PP, Yu XJ, Wang SX, et al. - Using a larger cohort, researchers focused on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dysregulation in the pathogenesis of Castleman disease (CD)-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)-like lesions (CD-TMA). This study included 19 patients with clinico-pathologically diagnosed CD with renal involvement as well as 10 patients with pregnancy TMA or TMA of unknown reasons as TMA control group. CD-TMA group exhibited the highest plasma levels of VEGF and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels than TMA control group and healthy controls. A positive correlation of plasma VEGF levels with that of IL-6 was seen. Lymph nodes from CD-TMA patients had increased expression of VEGF and IL-6. However, a significantly reduced VEGF expression was noted in the glomerular podocytes in CD-TMA group as well as in the TMA control. Overall, the possible significance of renal VEGF expression in the pathogenetic mechanism of CD-related TMA-like lesions was suggested.