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Review
. 2008 Jun;8(3):255-60.
doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2008.03.003. Epub 2008 May 28.

Vascular endothelial growth factor of the lung: friend or foe

Rubin M Tuder  1 , Jeong H Yun
Affiliations
Review

Vascular endothelial growth factor of the lung: friend or foe

Rubin M Tuder et al. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2008 Jun.

Abstract

The discovery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) changed the field of angiogenesis. We have learned that VEGF has broader actions than merely a driver of tumor angiogenesis, particularly that VEGF controlled several fundamental functions and properties of endothelial cells and nonendothelial cells. The lung is one of the main organs where VEGF controls several crucial physiological functions. These actions rely on tightly regulated temporal and concentration gradients of VEGF and VEGF receptor expression in the lung. Excessive or diminished VEGF have been linked to abnormal lung phenotypes and, in humans, linked to several diseases. The beneficial and detrimental actions of VEGF underscore that therapeutic targeting of VEGF in disease has to carefully consider the lung biology of VEGF.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biological actions of VEGF.
Figure 2
Figure 2
VEGF is a friend. Shown are the biological functions of VEGF form the basis of its role in the diseases, given the impact of decreased VEGF levels or protective effects of VEGF overexpression.
Figure 3
Figure 3
VEGF is a foe. Shown are the biological properties of VEGF that underlie its detrimental actions in the context of the listed diseases.
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