a State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , China.
b Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA.
Cell Adh Migr. 2018 May 4;12(3):215-227. doi: 10.1080/19336918.2017.1379634. Epub 2017 Nov 2.
Angiogenesis plays an important role in controlling tissue development and maintaining normal tissue function. Dysregulated angiogenesis is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, particularly diabetes, cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders. As the major regulator of angiogenesis, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family is composed of a group of crucial members including VEGF-B. While the physiological roles of VEGF-B remain debatable, increasing evidence suggests that this protein is able to protect certain type of cells from apoptosis under pathological conditions. More importantly, recent studies reveal that VEGF-B is involved in lipid transport and energy metabolism, implicating this protein in obesity, diabetes and related metabolic complications. This article summarizes the current knowledge and understanding of VEGF-B in physiology and pathology, and shed light on the therapeutic potential of this crucial protein.
血管生成在控制组织发育和维持正常组织功能方面发挥着重要作用。血管生成失调与多种疾病的发病机制有关，特别是糖尿病、癌症和神经退行性疾病。作为血管生成的主要调节剂，血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF) 家族由一组重要成员组成，包括 VEGF-B。虽然 VEGF-B 的生理作用仍存在争议，但越来越多的证据表明，这种蛋白质能够在病理条件下保护某些类型的细胞免于凋亡。更重要的是，最近的研究表明 VEGF-B 参与脂质转运和能量代谢，提示该蛋白与肥胖、糖尿病和相关代谢并发症有关。本文总结了目前对 VEGF-B 在生理学和病理学中的认识，并探讨了这种关键蛋白的治疗潜力。
