The relationships of vascular endothelial growth factor-C with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591082
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Circulatory organs internal medicine
• Research Institution: Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center
• Principal Investigator: WADA Hiromichi 独立行政法人国立病院機構(京都医療センター臨床研究センター), 展開医療研究部, 研究室長(先端医療技術開発) (20416209)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SATOH Noriko 独立行政法人国立病院機構, 京都医療センター臨床研究センター・糖尿病研究部, 研究室長(臨床代謝栄養) (80373512)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 動脈硬化 / 心血管病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We previously demonstrated that vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), a lymphangiogenic factor, is closely associated with dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Immunohistochemistry in human carotid atheromatous plaque revealed that lymphatics were rare in the plaque. However, an administration of recombinant VEGF-C protein did not affectthe plaque size in the mouse model of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, serum levels of VEGF-C were inversely associated with future cardiovascular events not only in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans, but also in those receiving coronary drug-eluting stent implantation. These findings suggest that a low VEGF-C value may serve as a predictor of cardiovascular events.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学