Vascular endothelial growth factor pharmacogenetics: a new perspective for anti-angiogenic therapy.
The pharmacogenetic approach to anti-angiogenic therapy should be considered a possible strategy for many pathological conditions with high incidence in Western countries, including solid tumors, age-related macular degeneration or endometriosis. While pharmacogenetic studies are building stronger foundations for the systematic investigations of phenotype-genotype relationships in many research and clinical fields of medicine, pharmacogenetic data regarding anti-angiogenic drugs are still lacking. Here we review preclinical and clinical genetic studies on angiogenic determinants such as vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. We suggest that pharmacogenetic profiling of patients who are candidates for the currently available anti-angiogenic agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 may aid the selection of patients on the basis of their likelihood of responding to the drugs or suffering from toxicity.
Pasqualetti
Giuseppe
G
University of Pisa, Division of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Via Roma, 55, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
Danesi
Romano
R
Del Tacca
Mario
M
Bocci
Guido
G
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor