Vascular endothelial growth factor: a key mediator of neoangiogenesis. A review.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a multifunctional cytokine that exerts in vivo a key role in physiological and pathological neoangiogenesis by stimulating endothelial cell proliferation and vessel hyperpermeability. VEGF exists as one of four different isoforms, respectively, VEGF 121, VEGF 165, VEGF 189, VEGF 206, and seems to be a crucial mediator of physiological neoangiogenesis during the embryonic development and the female cycle. VEGF also has a major role in the pathogenesis of many diseases including hypervascularized tumors, rheumatoid arthritis, cutaneous diseases and proliferative retinopathies. Anti-VEGF anti-bodies or VEGF agonists may represent a novel approach in the treatment of these diseases.
Amoroso
A
A
Department of Clinical Medicine, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Del Porto
F
F
Di Monaco
C
C
Manfredini
P
P
Afeltra
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors