This study was undertaken to determine whether and how advanced glycation end products (AGE), senescent macroproteins accumulated in various tissues under hyperglycemic states, cause angiogenesis, the principal vascular derangement in diabetic microangiopathy. We first prepared AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-AGE antiserum using AGE-RNase A. Then AGE-BSA was administered to human skin m...

Psoriasis is considered to be a disease mediated by Th17/ Th1 immunity, with the production of interleukin (IL)17, IL-22, and interferon (IFN)-γ. Previous evidence has also demonstrated the possible involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (1–5). Panitumumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting EGFR. On the other hand, beva...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D are composed of the receptor-binding VEGF homology domain and a carboxy-terminal silk homology domain that requires proteolytic cleavage for growth factor activation. Here, we explored whether the C-terminal heparin-binding domain of the VEGF(165) or VEGF(189) isoform also containing neuropilin-binding sequences could substitute for the sil...

Diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients is a frequent complication associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Various growth factors and cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To explore a role for VEGF in renal changes in type 2 diabetes, we examined the renal effects of a neutralizing...

Anti-angiogenic therapies using biological molecules that neutralize vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) have revolutionized treatment of retinal vascular diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study reports preclinical assessment of a strategy to enhance anti-VEGF-A monotherapy efficacy by targeting both VEGF-A and angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2), a factor strongly up...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) binding to the kinase domain receptor (KDR/FLK1 or VEGFR-2) mediates vascularization and tumor-induced angiogenesis. Since there is evidence that KDR plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis, we sought to identify peptides able to block the VEGF-KDR interaction. A phage epitope library was screened by affinity for membrane-expressed KDR or for an a...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor that maintains the glomerular and peritubular capillary (PTC) network in the kidney. The soluble form of the VEGF receptor-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1)) is known to regulate VEGF activity by binding VEGF in the circulation. We hypothesized that VEGF may be beneficial for maintaining glomerular filtration b...

The pathophysiology of tumor growth following skeletal metastases and the poor response of this type of lesion to therapeutic intervention remains incompletely understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and its receptors play a role in both osteoclastogenesis and tumor growth. Systemic (i.v.) treatment of nude mice bearing intrafemoral prostate (PC-3) tumors with the vascular ablat...

Research question Maternal alcohol consumption produces fetal retardation and malformations, probably associated with placental defects. Does perigestational up to organogenesis lead abnormal placentation embryo growth restriction by disrupting the vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) system in embryo–placental development? Design Female mice were treated 10% ethanol drinking water before day 10 ...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D require proteolytic cleavage of the carboxy terminal silk-homology domain for activation. To study the functions of the VEGF-C propeptides, we engineered a chimeric growth factor protein, VEGF-CAC, composed of the amino- and carboxy-terminal propeptides of VEGF-C fused to the receptor-activating core domain of VEGF. Like VEGF-C, VEGF-CAC un...