Neufeld G, Tessler S, Gitay-Goren H, Cohen T, Levi B Z
Prog Growth Factor Res. 1994;5(1):89-97. doi: 10.1016/0955-2235(94)90019-1.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a highly specific mitogen for vascular endothelial cells and an angiogenic factor that is structurally related to platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). It is also known as the vascular permeability factor (VPF) because it efficiently potentiates the permeabilization of blood vessels. Five types of VEGF mRNA encoding VEGF species which differ in their molecular mass and in their biological properties are transcribed from a single gene as a result of alternative splicing. VEGFs are produced and secreted by several normal cell types including smooth muscle, luteal and adrenal cortex cells. VEGFs are also produced by different tumorigenic cells, and appear to play a major role in tumour angiogenesis. Antibodies directed against VEGF can inhibit the growth of a variety of VEGF producing tumours. Of the various VEGF species, the best characterized is the 165 amino acid long form (VEGF165). VEGF165 is a heparin binding growth factor, and its interaction with VEGF receptors on the cell surface of vascular endothelial cells depends on the presence of heparin-like molecules. Several cell types which do not proliferate in response to VEGF such as bovine corneal endothelial cells, HeLa cells and human melanoma cells also express cell surface VEGF receptors, but the function of the VEGF receptors in these cells is unclear. Recently, the tyrosine-kinase receptors encoded by the flt and KDR/flk-1 genes were found to function as VEGF165 receptors.
血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）是血管内皮细胞的一种高度特异性有丝分裂原，也是一种血管生成因子，在结构上与血小板衍生生长因子（PDGF）相关。它也被称为血管通透性因子（VPF），因为它能有效增强血管的通透性。由于选择性剪接，从单个基因转录出五种编码VEGF的mRNA，这些VEGF在分子量和生物学特性上有所不同。VEGF由包括平滑肌、黄体和肾上腺皮质细胞在内的几种正常细胞类型产生和分泌。不同的致瘤细胞也能产生VEGF，并且似乎在肿瘤血管生成中起主要作用。针对VEGF的抗体可以抑制多种产生VEGF的肿瘤的生长。在各种VEGF中，研究最充分的是165个氨基酸的长形式（VEGF165）。VEGF165是一种肝素结合生长因子，它与血管内皮细胞表面的VEGF受体的相互作用取决于类肝素分子的存在。几种对VEGF无增殖反应的细胞类型，如牛角膜内皮细胞、HeLa细胞和人黑色素瘤细胞，也表达细胞表面VEGF受体，但这些细胞中VEGF受体的功能尚不清楚。最近，发现由flt和KDR/flk-1基因编码的酪氨酸激酶受体可作为VEGF165受体发挥作用。
