Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (rVEGF) Rat Active Protein

This gene product is a member of the PDGF/VEGF growth factor family. It is a mitogen that specifically acts on endothelial cells and has various effects, including mediating increased vascular permeability, inducing angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, endothelial cell growth, promoting cell migration, and inhibiting apoptosis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. Also, alternative translation initiation from non-AUG (CUG) and AUG start sites in some transcript variants, give rise to additional isoforms. The expression of some isoforms derived from AUG start codon is affected by a small upstream open reading frame, which is located within an internal ribosome entry site. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2013]

VEGF: Growth factor active in angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth. Induces endothelial cell proliferation, promotes cell migration, inhibits apoptosis and induces permeabilization of blood vessels. Binds to the FLT1/VEGFR1 and KDR/VEGFR2 receptors, heparan sulfate and heparin. NRP1/Neuropilin-1 binds isoforms VEGF-165 and VEGF-145. Isoform VEGF165B binds to KDR but does not activate downstream signaling pathways, does not activate angiogenesis and inhibits tumor growth. Defects in VEGFA are a cause of susceptibility to microvascular complications of diabetes type 1 (MVCD1). These are pathological conditions that develop in numerous tissues and organs as a consequence of diabetes mellitus. They include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy leading to end-stage renal disease, and diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic retinopathy remains the major cause of new-onset blindness among diabetic adults. It is characterized by vascular permeability and increased tissue ischemia and angiogenesis. Belongs to the PDGF/VEGF growth factor family. 13 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative promoter.

Protein type: Secreted; Cytokine; Secreted, signal peptide; Motility/polarity/chemotaxis

Cellular Component: extracellular space; cell surface; membrane; cytoplasm; extracellular region; basement membrane; secretory granule

Molecular Function: heparin binding; identical protein binding; protein homodimerization activity; growth factor activity; extracellular matrix binding; cytokine activity; platelet-derived growth factor receptor binding; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 binding; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor binding; receptor agonist activity; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 binding; protein heterodimerization activity; fibronectin binding; chemoattractant activity; receptor binding

Biological Process: heart morphogenesis; positive regulation of positive chemotaxis; positive regulation of cell adhesion; macrophage differentiation; positive regulation of receptor internalization; cell maturation; female pregnancy; response to vitamin A; basophil chemotaxis; regulation of cell shape; positive regulation of MAP kinase activity; positive chemotaxis; response to folic acid; positive regulation of mesenchymal cell proliferation; mesoderm development; negative regulation of neuron apoptosis; kidney development; nervous system development; positive regulation of neuroblast proliferation; T-helper 1 type immune response; positive regulation of signal transduction; monocyte differentiation; mRNA stabilization; positive regulation of blood vessel endothelial cell migration; activation of CREB transcription factor; positive regulation of protein amino acid autophosphorylation; regulation of endothelial cell differentiation; positive regulation of vascular permeability; patterning of blood vessels; regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; positive regulation of peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation; eye photoreceptor cell development; positive regulation of angiogenesis; camera-type eye morphogenesis; branching morphogenesis of a tube; cell migration during sprouting angiogenesis; cardiac muscle fiber development; positive regulation of cell division; activation of protein kinase activity; positive regulation of axon extension involved in axon guidance; endothelial cell migration; neuron development; blood vessel morphogenesis; positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; positive regulation of endothelial cell proliferation; regulation of cGMP metabolic process; response to progesterone stimulus; alveolus development; surfactant homeostasis; positive regulation of epithelial cell proliferation; negative regulation of apoptosis; lactation; post-embryonic camera-type eye development; wound healing; positive regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation; negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; negative regulation of caspase activity; positive regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling pathway; response to estradiol stimulus; induction of positive chemotaxis; vasculature development; ovarian follicle development; epithelial cell differentiation; positive regulation of focal adhesion formation; lymphangiogenesis; positive regulation of cell proliferation; negative regulation of programmed cell death; angiogenesis; cell differentiation; negative regulation of bone resorption; aging; blood vessel development; cell migration; in utero embryonic development; lumen formation; positive regulation of cell motility; positive regulation of peptidyl-serine phosphorylation; cell proliferation; positive regulation of protein kinase B signaling cascade; positive regulation of protein complex assembly; response to hypoxia; artery morphogenesis; blood vessel remodeling; response to cold; negative regulation of cell-cell adhesion; sprouting angiogenesis; positive regulation of protein amino acid phosphorylation; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling pathway; hyaluronan metabolic process; lung development; positive regulation of cell migration; growth