title: VEGF-C is a trophic factor for neural progenitors in the vertebrate embryonic brain.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) was first identified as a regulator of the vascular system, where it is required for the development of lymphatic vessels. Here we report actions of VEGF-C in the central nervous system. We detected the expression of the VEGF-C receptor VEGFR-3 in neural progenitor cells in Xenopus laevis and mouse embryos. In Xenopus tadpole VEGF-C knockdowns and in mice lacking Vegfc, the proliferation of neural progenitors expressing VEGFR-3 was severely reduced, in the absence of intracerebral blood vessel defects. In addition, Vegfc-deficient mouse embryos showed a selective loss of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) in the embryonic optic nerve. In vitro, VEGF-C stimulated the proliferation of OPCs expressing VEGFR-3 and nestin-positive ventricular neural cells. VEGF-C thus has a new, evolutionary conserved function as a growth factor selectively required by neural progenitor cells expressing its receptor VEGFR-3.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U711, Paris F-75013, France.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Le Bras
authors.forename: Maria-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barallobre
authors.forename: Jihane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Homman-Ludiye
authors.forename: Annelii
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ny
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wyns
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tammela
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haiko
authors.forename: Marika J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Karkkainen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Marie-Paule
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Muriel
authors.forename: Elli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chatzopoulou
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bréant
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zalc
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carmeliet
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alitalo
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eichmann
authors.forename: Jean-Léon
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3