2018, Cilt 16, Sayı 1, Sayfa(lar) 053-062 |
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Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Physiological and Pathological Angiogenesis |
Pervin Vural |
İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi, Tıbbi Biyokimya AD, İstanbul, Türkiye |
Keywords: VEGF, VEGF receptor, angiogenesis, cancer |
Angiogenesis is a biological process involving the formation of new blood vessels from existing vessels.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has an important role in the angiogenesis. The VEGF family
consists of seven members. VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D and PlGF (placental growth factor) are
found in mammals. VEGF-E is found in parapox viruses, and VEGF-F, also known as svVEGF, is found in
snake venom. These family members are interact with VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3 and neuropilin (NP-
1 and NP-2) receptors. VEGF and its receptors expression increased in many cancers. VEGF-A is implicated in tumor growth and metastasis via blood vessels while VEGF-C and VEGF-D, involved in
lymphangiogenesis, favour metastasis to lymp vessels. Because of its important role in malignant
angiogenesis, VEGF family and receptors are the preferential target of a new variety of therapeutics
called angiogenesis inhibitors. Recently many anti-VEGF/VEGFR drugs have been developed and
approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the routine treatment of various
cancers.
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