Mura Marco, dos Santos Claudia C, Stewart Duncan, Liu Mingyao
Thoracic Surgery Research Laboratories, Toronto Generl Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4.
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2004 Nov;97(5):1605-17. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00202.2004.
VEGFs and their receptors have been implicated in the regulation of vascular permeability in many organ systems, including the lung. Increased permeability and interstitial and pulmonary edema are prominent features of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Extrapolating data from other organ systems and animal experiments have suggested that overexpression of VEGF functions primarily as proinjurious molecules in the lung. Recent data, from animal models as well as from patients with ARDS, have shown decreased levels of VEGF in the lung. The role of VEGF and related molecules in ALI/ARDS is, therefore, controversial: what has become clear is that there are many unique features in the regulation of pulmonary vascular permeability and in VEGF expression in the lung. In this review, we explore a growing body of literature looking at the expression and function of VEGF and related molecules in different models of ALI and in patients with ALI/ARDS. Novel evidence points to a potential role of VEGF in promoting repair of the alveolar-capillary membrane during recovery from ALI/ARDS. Understanding the role of VEGF in this disease process is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies for ALI/ARDS.
血管内皮生长因子（VEGFs）及其受体参与了包括肺在内的许多器官系统中血管通透性的调节。通透性增加以及间质和肺水肿是急性肺损伤（ALI）/急性呼吸窘迫综合征（ARDS）的突出特征。从其他器官系统和动物实验推断的数据表明，VEGF的过度表达在肺中主要起促损伤分子的作用。最近来自动物模型以及ARDS患者的数据显示，肺中VEGF水平降低。因此，VEGF及相关分子在ALI/ARDS中的作用存在争议：目前已明确的是，肺血管通透性调节和肺中VEGF表达存在许多独特特征。在本综述中，我们探讨了越来越多关于VEGF及相关分子在不同ALI模型和ALI/ARDS患者中的表达和功能的文献。新证据表明，VEGF在ALI/ARDS恢复过程中促进肺泡-毛细血管膜修复方面具有潜在作用。了解VEGF在这一疾病过程中的作用对于开发ALI/ARDS的新治疗策略至关重要。
