Therapeutic Potential of VEGF-B in Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure: Dream or Vision?

Rahul Mallick; Seppo Ylä-Herttuala

doi:10.3390/cells11244134

Therapeutic Potential of VEGF-B in Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure: Dream or Vision?

Cells. 2022 Dec 19;11(24):4134. doi: 10.3390/cells11244134.

Authors

Rahul Mallick¹, Seppo Ylä-Herttuala^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
² Heart Center and Gene Therapy Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, 70029 Kuopio, Finland.

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death around the world. Based on the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members to regulate blood and lymphatic vessels and metabolic functions, several therapeutic approaches have been attempted during the last decade. However proangiogenic therapies based on classical VEGF-A have been disappointing. Therefore, it has become important to focus on other VEGFs such as VEGF-B, which is a novel member of the VEGF family. Recent studies have shown the very promising potential of the VEGF-B to treat CHD and heart failure. The aim of this review article is to present the role of VEGF-B in endothelial biology and as a potential therapeutic agent for CHD and heart failure. In addition, key differences between the VEGF-A and VEGF-B effects on endothelial functions are demonstrated.

Keywords: CHD; FATP; NRP-1; VEGF-A; VEGF-B; VEGF-R1; angiogenesis; fatty acid; gene therapy; glucose; heart failure.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Coronary Disease* / drug therapy
Heart Failure* / drug therapy
Humans
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Substances

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Finnish Academy Flagship Project GeneCellNano, grant number 337120 and R.M. was supported by grant from Finnish Cultural Foundation, grant number 65221677.