Signal transduction by vascular endothelial growth factor receptors

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012 Jul;2(7):a006502. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a006502.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are master regulators of vascular development and of blood and lymphatic vessel function during health and disease in the adult. It is therefore important to understand the mechanism of action of this family of five mammalian ligands, which act through three receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). In addition, coreceptors like neuropilins (NRPs) and integrins associate with the ligand/receptor signaling complex and modulate the output. Therapeutics to block several of the VEGF signaling components have been developed with the aim to halt blood vessel formation, angiogenesis, in diseases that involve tissue growth and inflammation, such as cancer. In this review, we outline the current information on VEGF signal transduction in relation to blood and lymphatic vessel biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Integrins / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic
  • Neuropilins / metabolism
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / metabolism

Substances

  • Integrins
  • Neuropilins
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3