Angiogenesis inhibition in cancer therapy: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptors: biological functions and role in malignancy.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen in vitro and an angiogenic inducer in a variety of in vivo models. VEGF gene transcription is induced in particular in hypoxic cells. In developmental angiogenesis, the role of VEGF is demonstrated by the finding that the loss of a single VEGF allele results in defective vascularization and early embryonic lethality. Substantial evidence also implicates VEGF as a mediator of pathological angiogenesis. In situ hybridization studies demonstrate expression of VEGF mRNA in the majority of human tumors. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is mainly believed to be an important mitogen for connective tissue, and also has important roles during embryonal development. Its overexpression has been linked to different types of malignancies. Thus, it is important to understand the physiology of VEGF and PDGF and their receptors as well as their roles in malignancies in order to develop antiangiogenic strategies for the treatment of malignant disease.