The role of VEGF in nephrons of progressive renal diseases

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Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mediates a glomerular development, maintains glomerular endothelial cells and accelerates a repair of injured renal vessels. Recently, protective effect of VEGF for various cell types, including neurons and hepatocytes, is reported. This effect may be independent on angiogenic activity of VEGF. We hypothesize that VEGF may protect glomerular endothelial cells against injuries and tested this hypothesis by evaluating the effect of pre-administered VEGF on the injuries. Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis was induced in rats by injecting limited dose of antibody to Thy-1.1 at day 0. At day 1, lysis of mesangium was observed and endothelial cells were ruptured. Capillaries were fused and dilated but endothelial apoptosis was not observed. Recombinant VEGF_<165> was administered to rats at 4 h before injecting the antibody. By this treatment, the endothelial injury at day 1 was significantly suppressed. The protective effect at day 1 was also given by VEGF_<121>. Mechanism of protection was unrelated to apoptosis. This protection may have therapeutic potential against glomerular injuries in progressive renal disease.