Vascular endothelial growth factor
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a family of secreted Signaling proteins that regulate blood-vessel development, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and endothelial-cell survival.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a family of secreted Signaling proteins that regulate blood-vessel development, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and endothelial-cell survival. In humans, the term commonly refers to VEGF-A, the principal product of the VEGFA gene. VEGF-A is induced by tissue hypoxia, in part through hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF-1α), and is released by endothelial cells, stromal cells, Macrophages, tumor cells, and other cell types.
VEGF primarily acts through the tyrosine-kinase receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 on vascular endothelial cells. Receptor activation stimulates intracellular pathways controlling endothelial-cell proliferation, migration, survival, extracellular-matrix remodeling, and vascular permeability. These processes are essential for wound repair and normal vascular development but can also promote pathological angiogenesis in Cancer, diabetic retinopathy, neovascular Age-related macular degeneration, and other inflammatory or ischemic disorders. VEGF Signaling also interacts with inflammation, reactive oxygen species, cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathways, and the tumor microenvironment.
VEGF is therefore an important therapeutic target. Anti-VEGF antibodies, receptor-trap proteins, and other VEGF-neutralizing agents inhibit abnormal vessel growth or permeability. In ophthalmology, these agents are administered by intravitreal injection for retinal vascular diseases; in oncology, anti-angiogenic treatment may be used as part of combination Therapy. Excessive suppression of VEGF can, however, affect normal vascular homeostasis and may be associated with treatment-related adverse effects.
Rebuilt from PubMed 18 Sept 2026 · no new papers today
Where the papers sit
18 papers study vascular endothelial growth factor directly. The themes below are drawn from those 18.
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Angiogenesis Modulation and Repair : Controlled growth-factor delivery and engineered hydrogels aim to promote vascularized tissue repair, while galectin-3, NETs and microRNA pathways offer targets for pathological angiogenesis. 5 papers · 27.8%
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VEGF in Tissue Repair : Mechanical, topical and nanoparticle approaches seek to enhance VEGF-linked angiogenesis, collagen deposition and healing in diabetic wounds, burns and bone loss; VEGF expression also serves as a tissue marker. 5 papers · 27.8%
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Anti-VEGF Treatment Outcomes : Clinical work is refining anti-VEGF treatment across retinal disease and glioma, with real-world safety, symptom relief, escalation patterns and imaging-based prognosis recurring. 4 papers · 22.2%
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Cancer Angiogenesis and Immunity : VEGF blockade is expanding toward peptide and PD-L1/VEGF bispecific therapies, alongside plasma drug measurement and cytokine profiling to connect angiogenesis with tumour immunity. 4 papers · 22.2%
Recent Findings on vascular endothelial growth factor
Angiogenesis Modulation: Engineered delivery systems use VEGF with other signals to increase vascular network formation and tissue vascularization. Self-amplifying RNA-engineered adipose-derived stem cells coexpressing VEGF and FGF2, while affibody hydrogels phase VEGF, FGF-2, and PDGF release, improving network length and branching in vitro 42599124Aug42447931Jul. A hyaluronic acid–cucurbit[7]uril hydrogel synchronizes VEGF and hesperadin delivery, combining angiogenesis with anti-apoptosis during myocardial infarction repair 42492872Jul. In pathological retinal angiogenesis, microglial galectin-3 promotes neutrophil infiltration and NET-mediated inflammation, while sustained galectin-3 delivery and VEGF-neutralizing antibodies suppress aberrant vessels 42555755Aug. In colorectal cancer, MALAT1 overexpression accompanies miR-145 downregulation and increased NF-κβ, TGF-β, VEGF, and altered apoptotic proteins 42371822Jun.
VEGF in Tissue Repair: VEGF-based interventions improve vascularization alongside collagen deposition, epithelial repair, or bone formation in several injury models. Remote periosteal distraction increased wound VEGF, VEGFR2, CD31-positive areas, collagen deposition, and vascular volume in ischemic diabetic rabbit wounds 42726186Sep. A RADA16/VEGF/MnO2@GelMA composite hydrogel paired VEGF-driven neovascularization with reactive oxygen species scavenging, reducing collagen deposition and scar formation in rats 42673945Aug. Cinnamon oil accelerated burn healing while increasing serum VEGF, re-epithelialization, granulation tissue, and collagen fiber synthesis 42556083Aug. Bone-targeted GLG1@NPs-VEGF/BMP2 enhanced bone accumulation, osteogenic differentiation, angiogenesis, trabecular structure, and bone strength in ovariectomized rats 42508511Jul. VEGF staining did not differ between cortisol-producing adrenal adenomas and normal adrenal tissue, showing that VEGF-associated repair findings do not extend uniformly across tissues 42750037Sep.
Anti-VEGF Treatment Outcomes: Repeated intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment produces ocular surface symptoms that improved with a liposomal tear substitute containing cross-linked hyaluronic acid and trehalose 42749868Sep. Pretreatment ADC-L predicted progression-free survival after bevacizumab for recurrent IDH-mutant glioma, but it did not predict overall survival 42717134Sep. Real-world chronic pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema management varied widely, and anti-VEGF was used infrequently with longer observed resolution than several corticosteroid strategies in small, non-randomised subgroups 42640292Aug. Real-world aflibercept 8 mg data showed low newly coded intraocular inflammation, although the limited events and lack of an active comparator restrict safety conclusions 42576020Aug.
Cancer Anti-VEGF Strategies: Cancer studies are extending VEGF inhibition through smaller ligands, bispecific antibodies, pharmacokinetic monitoring, and immune-phenotype biomarkers. The D6 VEGF dimer peptide slowed gastric tumor xenograft progression with activity comparable to bevacizumab, but it required repeated, higher-molar dosing 42545946Aug. PLVBP combined PD-L1 binding with enhanced VEGF165 neutralization and inhibited VEGF-induced HUVEC proliferation and migration 42269274Jun. Plasma VEGF, IL-6, IL-10, CXCL9, CXCL13, sCD163, and sPD-1 varied across immune desert, immune excluded, and immune inflamed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma phenotypes 42684559Sep. Bevacizumab trough concentrations varied 14-fold among Chinese patients, supporting pharmacokinetic measurement for individualized dosing strategies 42013633Apr.
Written from 18 PubMed abstracts, each one cited by PMID above. Published: 2026-08-20. Last written: 2026-09-18 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.