Vol 62, Supp. III (2011)
Review paper
Published online: 2011-12-08
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in endocrinology and oncology
Abstract
Endocrine glands are well vascularized and the structure of their vessels facilitates the exchange of various substances, including hormones.
These glands are a frequent experimental model in research on VEGF and angiogenesis. VEGF participates in the pathogenesis
of diabetes. Diabetic nephropathy is in essence a microvascular disease that develops as a result of a confluence of hemodynamic and
metabolic perturbations. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus and is the leading
cause of blindness. In diabetic retinopathy ischemic states and hence tissue hypoxia and angiogenesis takes place. Participation of angiogenesis
and VEGF in pathogenesis of neoplastic disease is described in many papers. VEGF protein and mRNA were found in cancers of
the thyroid, bronchus, lungs, esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, breast, ovary, uterus, kidney, urinary bladder, in malignant tumors of the
brain, bone. In a series of reports connections between the degree of VEGF expression with tumor aggressiveness and prognosis in patients
have been reported. Richly vascularized are GEP NET. In neuroendocrine tumors strong expression of VEGF, Flt-1 and KDR in relation
to the unchanged surrounding tissues has been demonstrated. Depending on the disease entity or the degree of its severity attempts of
application the angiogenic and antiangiogenic therapy are being made. Antiangiogenic therapy (usually regarded as a form of cancer
therapy) is based on: inhibitory effects of proangiogenic ligands and their receptors; stimulation or delivery of angiogenesis inhibitors;
direct destruction of neoplastic tumor vasculature. (Pol J Endocrinol 2011; 62 (education supplement III): 14–22)
Keywords: VEGFangiogenesisKDRFlt-1endocrine glandspituitarythyroiddiabetes mellitusliverGEP NETcancerneoplasmhepatocellular carcinomaoncologygrowth factor