title: Vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression delays neurodegeneration and prolongs survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice.
abstract: We sought genetic evidence for the involvement of neuronal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mice expressing human ALS mutant superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) were crossed with mice that overexpress VEGF in neurons (VEGF+/+). We report that SOD1(G93A)/VEGF+/+ double-transgenic mice show delayed motor neuron loss, delayed motor impairment, and prolonged survival compared with SOD1(G93A) single transgenics. These findings indicate that neuronal VEGF protects against motor neuron degeneration, and may have therapeutic implications for ALS.
authors.affiliation: Buck Institute for Age Research, Novato, California 94945, USA.
authors.forename: Yaoming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao Ou
authors.initials: XO
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Surita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banwait
authors.forename: Hugo H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Kunlin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1