Novel human vascular endothelial growth factor genes VEGF-B and VEGF-C localize to chromosomes 11q13 and 4q34, respectively.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important regulator of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and permeability during embryonic vasculogenesis as well as in physiological and pathological angiogenesis. The recently isolated VEGF-B and VEGF-C cDNAs encode novel growth factor genes of the VEGF family.


RESULTS
Southern blotting and polymerase chain reaction analysis of somatic cell hybrids and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of metaphase chromosomes were used to assess the chromosomal localization of VEGF-B and VEGF-C genes. The VEGF-B gene was found on chromosome 11q13, proximal to the cyclin D1 gene, which is amplified in a number of human carcinomas. However, VEGF-B was not amplified in several mammary carcinoma cell lines containing amplified cyclin D1. The VEGF-C gene was located on chromosome 4q34, close to the human aspartylglucosaminidase gene previously mapped to 4q34-35.


CONCLUSIONS
The VEGF-B locus in 11q13 and the VEGF-C locus in 4q34 are candidate targets for mutations that lead to vascular malformations or cardiovascular diseases.
Paavonen
K
K
Molecular/Cancer Biology Laboratory, Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Horelli-Kuitunen
N
N
Chilov
D
D
Kukk
E
E
Pennanen
S
S
Kallioniemi
O P
OP
Pajusola
K
K
Olofsson
B
B
Eriksson
U
U
Joukov
V
V
Palotie
A
A
Alitalo
K
K
D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11; D002894:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors