Vascular endothelial growth factor enhances atherosclerotic plaque progression

Citation
Fl. Celletti et al., Vascular endothelial growth factor enhances atherosclerotic plaque progression, NAT MED, 7(4), 2001, pp. 425-429
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research General Topics
Journal title
NATURE MEDICINE
ISSN journal
10788956 → ACNP
Volume
7
Issue
4
Year of publication
2001
Pages
425 - 429
Database
ISI
SICI code
1078-8956(200104)7:4<425:VEGFEA>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can promote angiogenesis but may also exert certain effects to alter the rate of atherosclerotic plaque deve lopment. To evaluate this potential impact on plaque progression, we treate d cholesterol-fed mice doubly deficient in apolipoprotein E/apolipoprotein B100 with low doses of VEGF (2 mug/kg) or albumin. VEGF significantly incre ased macrophage levels in bone marrow and peripheral blood and increased pl aque area 5-, 14- and 4-fold compared with controls at weeks 1, 2 and 3, re spectively. Plaque macrophage and endothelial cell content also increased d isproportionately over controls. In order to confirm that the VEGF-mediated plaque progression was not species-specific, the experiment was repeated i n cholesterol-fed rabbits at the three-week timepoint, which showed compara ble increases in plaque progression.