Vascular endothelial growth factor and neurodevelopment

Abstract Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was discovered in 1983. However, in its first description, it was called “VPF (vascular permeability factor)” as it was secreted by peritoneal tumors associated with significant ascites. Six years later, a novel protein was found to be involved in angiogenesis with the same molecular structure as VPF. It was agreed to use the name VEGF, which has been credited with the two essential properties of vessel rebuilding and enhancement of vascular permeability (Senger et al., 2010). In this context, VEGF plays an important role in cancer research, as tumors secrete high amounts of VEGF to attract newly formed blood vessels. But today, VEGF is also considered to function as a growth factor for various tissues including the nervous system (Maharaj & D’Amorea, 2007). Here, VEGF has a stimulating effect on axonal growth, survival of neurons (Sondell, Sundler, & Kanje, 2000), and neurogenesis in vivo as well as in vitro (Jin et al., 2002). In addition, VEGF can prevent the death of cortical neurons. Moreover, in astrocytes and in glioblastoma multiforme cell lines, VEGF strongly affects cell proliferation, gap junctional coupling, and motility (Wuestefeld, Chen, Meller, Brand-Saberi, & Theiss, 2012). VEGF thus has many different functions and effects in the nervous system ( Fig. 21.1 ). In the following, particularly the effects of VEGF during the development of the nervous system will be discussed.