The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor system and its role under physiological and pathological conditions

2005 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Takahashi ◽  
Masabumi Shibuya
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Receptor System ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

The VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) family and its receptors are essential regulators of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Currently, the VEGF family consists of VEGF-A, PlGF (placenta growth factor), VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-E and snake venom VEGF. VEGF-A has at least nine subtypes due to the alternative splicing of a single gene. Although the VEGF165 isoform plays a central role in vascular development, recent studies have demonstrated that each VEGF isoform plays distinct roles in vascular patterning and arterial development. VEGF-A binds to and activates two tyrosine kinase receptors, VEGFR (VEGF receptor)-1 and VEGFR-2. VEGFR-2 mediates most of the endothelial growth and survival signals, but VEGFR-1-mediated signalling plays important roles in pathological conditions such as cancer, ischaemia and inflammation. In solid tumours, VEGF-A and its receptor are involved in carcinogenesis, invasion and distant metastasis as well as tumour angiogenesis. VEGF-A also has a neuroprotective effect on hypoxic motor neurons, and is a modifier of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Recent progress in the molecular and biological understanding of the VEGF/VEGFR system provides us with novel and promising therapeutic strategies and target proteins for overcoming a variety of diseases.

scholarly journals The splice variants of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptors

2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J. Robinson ◽  
S.E. Stringer
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Heparan Sulphate ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Alternative Mrna Splicing ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a secreted mitogen highly specific for cultured endothelial cells. In vivo VEGF induces microvascular permeability and plays a central role in both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. VEGF is a promising target for therapeutic intervention in certain pathological conditions that are angiogenesis dependent, most notably the neovascularisation of growing tumours. Through alternative mRNA splicing, a single gene gives rise to several distinct isoforms of VEGF, which differ in their expression patterns as well as their biochemical and biological properties. Two VEGF receptor tyrosine kinases (VEGFRs) have been identified, VEGFR-1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR-2 (KDR/Flk-1). VEGFR-2 seems to mediate almost all observed endothelial cell responses to VEGF, whereas roles for VEGFR-1 are more elusive. VEGFR-1 might act predominantly as a ligand-binding molecule, sequestering VEGF from VEGFR-2 signalling. Several isoform-specific VEGF receptors exist that modulate VEGF activity. Neuropilin-1 acts as a co-receptor for VEGF(165), enhancing its binding to VEGFR-2 and its bioactivity. Heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs), as well as binding certain VEGF isoforms, interact with both VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2. HSPGs have a wide variety of functions, such as the ability to partially restore lost function to damaged VEGF(165) and thereby prolonging its biological activity.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-induced secretion of fibronectin is ERK dependent

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (3) ◽  
pp. L539-L545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Altaf S. Kazi ◽  
Shidan Lotfi ◽  
Elena A. Goncharova ◽  
Omar Tliba ◽  
Yassine Amrani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Airway Remodeling ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Matrix Deposition ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

In severe asthma, cytokines and growth factors contribute to the proliferation of smooth muscle cells and blood vessels, and to the increased extracellular matrix deposition that constitutes the process of airway remodeling. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which regulates vascular permeability and angiogenesis, also modulates the function of nonendothelial cell types. In this study, we demonstrate that VEGF induces fibronectin secretion by human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. In addition, stimulation of ASM with VEGF activates ERK, but not p38MAPK, and fibronectin secretion is ERK dependent. Both ERK activation and fibronectin secretion appear to be mediated through the VEGF receptor flt-1, as evidenced by the effects of the flt-1-specific ligand placenta growth factor. Finally, we demonstrate that ASM cells constitutively secrete VEGF, which is increased in response to PDGF, transforming growth factor-β, IL-1β, and PGE2. We conclude that ASM-derived VEGF, through modulation of the extracellular matrix, may play an important role in airway remodeling seen in asthma.

scholarly journals Correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 levels in serum and thyroid nodules with histopathological and radiological variables

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. 051-057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurkan Haytaoglu ◽  
Fatih Kuzu ◽  
Dilek Arpaci ◽  
Ayfer Altas ◽  
Murat Can ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Thyroid Nodules ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Needle Aspiration ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

Abstract BACKGROUND/AIM: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major cytokine in angiogenesis and has a role on aggressivity of various tumors. The expression of VEGF has been shown to increase in differential thyroid cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum and intranodular VEGF (nVEGF) and VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) levels in patients with thyroid nodules and their relevance to ultrasonographic and pathological results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of eighty patients were included in the study. Thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed, and the levels of serum and nVEGF and VEGFR-1 were measured. Any possible correlations between serum and nVEGF, VEGFR-1, and biochemical/radiological variables were investigated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between serum VEGF (sVEGF), nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, nVEGFR-1 levels, number of nodules, size of nodules, and benign and malignant ultrasonographic features. sVEGF and nVEGF were higher in malignant or suspicious nodules than that in benign nodules, but did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). sVEGFR-1 and nVEGFR-1 levels were higher in hyperthyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P < 0.05 and P = 0.003, respectively). nVEGFR-1 level was higher in hypothyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P = 0.016). sVEGF level was found to be higher in hyperactive nodules than that in others. Both sVEGFR-1 (P = 0.008) and nVEGF levels (P = 0.01) significantly increased with increasing age. nVEGFR-1 decreased with increasing body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the relationships of sVEGF, nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, and nVEGFR-1 levels with age, gender, BMI, and hyperthyroidism. To determine the role of VEGF/VEGFR-1 in thyroid nodules, further studies are required with a large number of patients.

Iberian pig early pregnancy: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor system expression in the maternofetal interface in healthy and arresting conceptuses

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 334-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. García Fernández ◽  
M.A. Sánchez Pérez ◽  
B. Sánchez Maldonado ◽  
P. García-Palencia ◽  
C. Naranjo Freixa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Receptor System ◽  
Iberian Pig ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor
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