VEGF Aids Development of Asthma

Researchers have discovered that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) molecule contributes to the development of asthma, suggesting the possibility of new drugs that block VEGF receptors and signaling pathways. The findings were published in the September 2004 online issue of Nature Medicine.

VEGF is normally associated with the growth of new blood vessels in the organs. In addition to this function, VEGF has been found to induce asthma-like abnormalities in the airway. When VEGF is expressed in the lungs of genetically engineered mice, asthma-like alterations develop. Prior studies showed that people with allergies and asthma have an excess of T helper type 2 cells (TH2). The researchers in the current study discovered that when VEGF is produced, the TH2 response is increased.

The researchers mimicked the increased level of VEGF found in humans with asthma by overexpressing VEGF in the lungs of mice. "To our surprise, in addition to growing new blood vessels, many other features of asthma were also seen. We saw mucous formation, airway fibrosis, and asthma-like pulmonary function abnormalities,” said principal investigator Jack A. Elias, M.D., section chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Yale School of Medicine (New Haven, CT, USA). They also found then when VEGF was blocked, that also blocked the asthma-like manifestations in the mouse asthma models.




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