OCCASIONAL REVIEW

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): paradox or paradigm?

A R L Medford, A B Millar

Lung Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine at North Bristol, University of Bristol, Southmead Hospital, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr A B Millar
Lung Research Group, Department of Clinical Science at North Bristol, University of Bristol Lifeline Centre, Southmead Hospital, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK; Ann.Millar{at}bristol.ac.uk

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the most severe form of acute lung injury (ALI), remains a devastating condition with a high mortality. It is characterised by alveolar injury and increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) was identified by its properties to increase permeability and act as a cellular growth factor, hence its potential for a key role in the pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS. This review describes the basic biology of VEGF and its receptors as an essential prerequisite to discussing the available and sometimes paradoxical published data, before considering a paradigm for the role of VEGF in the human lung.

Abbreviations: AE, alveolar epithelial; ALI, acute lung injury; AP, activator protein; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; FLT, fms-like tyrosine kinase; HUVEC, human umbilical venous endothelial cell; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; NRP, neuropilin; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 and 2

Keywords: vascular endothelial growth factor; acute respiratory distress syndrome

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