PlGF: a multitasking cytokine with disease-restricted activity

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012 Aug 1;2(8):a011056. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a011056.

Abstract

Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family that also comprises VEGF-A (VEGF), VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. Unlike VEGF, PlGF is dispensable for development and health but has diverse nonredundant roles in tissue ischemia, malignancy, inflammation, and multiple other diseases. Genetic and pharmacological gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies have identified molecular mechanisms of this multitasking cytokine and characterized the therapeutic potential of delivering or blocking PlGF for various disorders.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / drug therapy
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Colitis / etiology
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytokines / deficiency
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / physiology*
  • Growth and Development / physiology
  • Hematologic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Hematologic Diseases / etiology
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity, Delayed / drug therapy
  • Liver Cirrhosis / drug therapy
  • Mice
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / etiology
  • Obesity / drug therapy
  • Placenta Growth Factor
  • Pregnancy Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Pregnancy Proteins / deficiency
  • Pregnancy Proteins / genetics
  • Pregnancy Proteins / physiology*
  • Pulmonary Emphysema / drug therapy
  • Sepsis / etiology
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / physiology
  • Wound Healing / physiology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • PGF protein, human
  • Pgf protein, mouse
  • Pregnancy Proteins
  • Placenta Growth Factor
  • FLT1 protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1