VEGF
VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor A, also known as VEGF-A or VPF) is a heparin-binding growth factor of the PDGF/VEGF family. It induces proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells and is essential for physiological and pathological angiogenesis. Browse Assay Genie's current range of VEGF research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
VEGF is a secreted growth factor that drives the growth of blood vessels. It encodes a heparin-binding protein that exists as a disulfide-linked homodimer, and it induces proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells. It is essential for both physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and disruption of the gene in mice results in abnormal embryonic blood vessel formation. The UniProt annotation for the long form describes a distinct behaviour: it binds the KDR receptor but does not activate downstream signalling pathways or angiogenesis, and it inhibits tumour growth.
The VEGFA gene belongs to the PDGF/VEGF growth factor family, within the HGNC VEGF family group. The mouse and rat orthologues are both named Vegfa. The protein is found in several compartments, including the cytoplasm, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, secreted fractions and the extracellular matrix. The gene produces a complex set of isoforms. Alternative splicing gives different transcript variants, and alternative translation initiation from upstream non-AUG (CUG) codons gives additional isoforms. Expression of some AUG-initiated isoforms is regulated by a small upstream open reading frame within an internal ribosome entry site. A C-terminally extended isoform, produced by stop codon readthrough, has been reported to be antiangiogenic.
VEGF is upregulated in many tumours, and its expression correlates with tumour stage and progression. Elevated levels are found in patients with POEMS syndrome, also called Crow-Fukase syndrome, and allelic variants of the gene have been associated with microvascular complications of diabetes (MVCD1) and atherosclerosis. VEGF levels also rise during SARS-CoV-2 infection, where VEGF promotes inflammation by helping to recruit inflammatory cells. It is linked to the ACE2 axis through a reinforcing loop in which a product of ACE2 binding raises VEGF, and VEGF in turn raises it, sustaining release of inflammatory cytokines. The former name of the protein was simply vascular endothelial growth factor, and VPF is an established alias.
VEGF induces endothelial cell proliferation and migration and is essential for physiological and pathological angiogenesis, making it a core target for studying vessel formation.
VEGF is upregulated in many tumours and its expression correlates with tumour stage and progression, so it is widely studied as a marker of tumour biology.
Allelic variants of the VEGF gene are associated with microvascular complications of diabetes and atherosclerosis, and levels are raised in POEMS syndrome.
VEGF increases during SARS-CoV-2 infection and promotes inflammation by aiding inflammatory cell recruitment, linking it to ACE2-related cytokine release.
VEGF is a heparin-binding growth factor that induces proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells. It is essential for both physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and loss of the gene in mice causes abnormal embryonic blood vessel formation. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
VEGF is also called VEGF-A and VPF, and its earlier HGNC name was vascular endothelial growth factor. The gene yields several isoforms through alternative splicing, alternative CUG translation initiation and stop codon readthrough, which produces a C-terminally extended, antiangiogenic isoform.
VEGF is upregulated in many tumours, raised in POEMS syndrome, and its variants are associated with diabetic microvascular complications and atherosclerosis. Mouse and rat both carry a Vegfa orthologue, and mouse gene disruption disturbs embryonic vessel formation. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other VEGF family members, PDGF relatives, VEGF receptors and ACE2-related targets studied alongside VEGF.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P15692; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.