Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-C is a member of the VEGF family, a group of polypeptide growth factors which play key roles in the physiology and pathology of many aspects of the cardiovascular system, including vasculogenesis, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and vascular permeability. While VEGFC is homologous to other members of the VEGF/PDGF family, it contains the C-terminal propeptide which has an unusual structure with tandemly repeated cysteine-rich motifs. Upon biosynthesis, VEGFC is secreted as a non-covalent momodimer in an anti-parellel fashion. VEGF signalling in endothelial cells occurs through three tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGFRs) expressed by endothelial cells and hematopoietic precursors, and VEGF-C is a ligand for two receptors, VEGFR-3 (Flt4), and VEGFR-2. It is indicated that VEGFC undergoes a complex proteolytic maturation generating a variety of processed secreted forms with increased activity toward VEGFR-3, but only the fully processed form could activate VEGFR-2. VEGFC may function in angiogenesis of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems during embryogenesis, and also in the maintenance of differentiated lymphatic endothelium in adults. Knockout of the VEGF-C gene is embryonic lethal late in development, and although cells differentiate into the lymphatic lineage, they fail to sprout and form lymphatic vessels. Inactivation of a single VEGF-C allele results in the development of cutaneous lymphatic hypoplasia and lymphedema.
Vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) is a member of the platelet-derived growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (PDGF/VEGF) family. It is highly expressed in lung, heart, small intestine and fetal lung, and at lower levels in skeletal muscle, colon, and pancreas. VEGF-D is growth factor active in angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and endothelial cell growth, stimulating their proliferation and migration and also has effects on the permeability of blood vessels. It may function in the formation of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems during embryogenesis, and also in the maintenance of differentiated lymphatic endothelium in adults. It undergoes a complex proteolytic maturation, generating multiple processed forms that bind and activate VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 receptors.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor (VPF) and VEGF-A, is a potent mediator of both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in the fetus and adult. It is a member of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and often exists as a disulfide-linked homodimer. VEGF-A protein is a glycosylated mitogen that specifically acts on endothelial cells and has various effects, including mediating increased vascular permeability, inducing angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promoting cell migration, inhibiting apoptosis and tumor growth. VEGF-A protein is also a vasodilator that increases microvascular permeability, thus it was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, also known as VEGFR-1, Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, Tyrosine-protein kinase FRT, Tyrosine-protein kinase receptor FLT, Vascular permeability factor receptor and FLT1, is a single-pass type I membrane protein and secreted protein which belongs to theprotein kinase superfamily, Tyr protein kinase family and CSF-1/PDGF receptor subfamily. VEGFR-1 / FLT1 contains sevenIg-like C2-type (immunoglobulin-like) domains and oneprotein kinase domain. VEGFR-1 / FLT1 is expressed mostly in normal lung, but also in placenta, liver, kidney, heart and brain tissues. It is specifically expressed in most of the vascular endothelial cells, and also expressed in peripheral blood monocytes. VEGFR-1 / FLT1 is not expressed in tumor cell lines. VEGFR-1 / FLT1 is an essential receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates mammalian vascular development and embryogenesis. EGF-induced angiogenesis requires inverse regulation of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in tumor-associated endothelial cells. VEGFR-1 / FLT1 is a receptor for VEGF, VEGFB and PGF. It has a tyrosine-protein kinase activity. The VEGF-kinase ligand/receptor signaling system plays a key role in vascular development and regulation of vascular permeability.
VEGFR2, also called as KDR or Flk-1, is identified as the receptor for VEGF and VEGFC and an early marker for endothelial cell progenitors, whose expression is restricted to endothelial cells in vivo. VEGFR2 was shown to be the primary signal transducer for angiogenesis and the development of pathological conditions such as cancer and diabetic retinopathy. It has been shown that VEGFR2 is expressed mainly in the endothelial cells, and the expression is upregulated in the tumor vasculature. Thus the inhibition of VEGFR2 activity and its downstream signaling are important targets for the treatment of diseases involving angiogenesis. VEGFR2 transduces the major signals for angiogenesis via its strong tyrosine kinase activity. However, unlike other representative tyrosine kinase receptors, VEGFR2 does not use the Ras pathway as a major downstream signaling but rather uses the phospholipase C-protein kinase C pathway to signal mitogen-activated protein (MAP)-kinase activation and DNA synthesis. VEGFR2 is a direct and major signal transducer for pathological angiogenesis, including cancer and diabetic retinopathy, in cooperation with many other signaling partners; thus, VEGFR2 and its downstream signaling appear to be critical targets for the suppression of these diseases. VEGF and VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling is critical to endothelial cell survival, maintenance of the vasculature and alveolar structure and regeneration of lung tissue. Reduced VEGF and VEGFR2 expression in emphysematous lungs has been linked to increased endothelial cell death and vascular regression.
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