In patients with thrombotic APS only, they found increased levels of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its soluble receptor Flt-18 and increases in monocyte tissue factor (TF) expression, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activation and protease activated receptor (PAR) 1 and 2 expression.10 Similar effects were seen in healthy volunteers' monocytes exposed to pooled IgG from patients with thrombotic APS. This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and autoimmune polyendocrinopathy.