title: Pseudocowpox virus encodes a homolog of vascular endothelial growth factor.
abstract: We have identified a gene encoding a homolog of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the Pseudocowpox virus (PCPV) genome. The predicted protein shows 27% amino acid identity to human VEGF-A. It also shows 41 and 61% amino acid identity to VEGFs encoded by orf virus (ORFV) strains NZ2 and NZ7, respectively. Assays of the expressed VEGF-like protein of PCPV (PCPV(VR634)VEGF) demonstrated that PCPV(VR634)VEGF is mitogenic for endothelial cells and is capable of inducing vascular permeability. PCPV(VR634)VEGF bound VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) but did not bind VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-3. These results indicate that PCPV(VR634)VEGF is a biologically active member of the VEGF family which shares with the ORFV-encoded VEGFs a receptor binding profile that differs from those of all cellular members of the VEGF family. It seems likely that the biological activities of PCPV(VR634)VEGF contribute to the proliferative and highly vascularized nature of PCPV lesions.
authors.affiliation: Virus Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. norihito.ueda@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Lyn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stacker
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mercer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010285:Pseudocowpox Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2