The vascular endothelial growth factors and receptors family: Up to now the only target for anti-angiogenesis therapy.
Angiogenesis is a complex biological phenomenon essential for a correct embryonic development and for post-natal growth. In adult life, it is a tightly regulated process but in several pathological conditions, angiogenesis results abnormal with either excessive or insufficient proliferation of blood vessels. The pro-angiogenic members of VEGF family, VEGF-A, VEGF-B and placental growth factor (PlGF), and the related receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, have a central and decisive role in pathological angiogenesis. Indeed, they are the targets for anti-angiogenic drugs currently approved: bevacizumab and ranibizumab, that specifically inhibit VEGF-A; aflibercept, that is able to prevent the activity of VEGF-A, VEGF-B and PlGF; several multirtarget tyrosine kinase inhibitors that are able to prevent VEGFR-1 and/or VEGFR-2 signaling. The anti-angiogenesis therapy has represented one of the most active fields of drug discovery of last decade and promises to be further expanded due the wide number of diseases for which it may by applied.
Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics 'Adriano Buzzati-Traverso' - CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: valeria.tarallo@igb.cnr.it.
Valeria
V
Tarallo
Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics 'Adriano Buzzati-Traverso' - CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy; IRCCS MultiMedica, 20099 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: sandro.defalco@igb.cnr.it.
Sandro
S
De Falco
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
Anti-angiogenesis therapy; Cancer; Ocular neovascular diseases; VEGF family