VEGF-A mediated retinal neuroprotection: mechanistic studies and implications for the clinical use of VEGF antagonists

AMD、糖尿病性视网膜病变和青光眼等神经血管视网膜疾病是发达国家严重视力丧失和失明的主要原因。治疗这些疾病中的血管并发症的主要进展是使用阻断称为血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的蛋白质的功能的试剂。我们直接参与了阻断眼部疾病中VEGF功能的治疗方法的开发。然而，我们和其他人也表明VEGF可能对神经元的健康和功能很重要，包括视网膜和大脑。事实上，VEGF正在被开发作为一种治疗方法，以促进运动神经元疾病患者的神经元存活。用VEGF拮抗剂长期阻断视网膜中的血管缺陷是否会无意中损害最终负责视力的神经元？我们建议进行研究，以更好地了解潜在的风险，并确定VEGF促进神经元存活的机制的细节。

Neurovascular retinal diseases, such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are the leading causes of severe vision loss and blindness in the developed world. A major advance in the treatment of the blood vessel complications in these diseases is the use of agents which block the function of a protein termed Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). We have been directly involved in the development of treatments which block VEGF function in eye disease. However, we and others have also shown that VEGF may be important in the health and function of neurons, including those of the retina and brain. In fact, VEGF is being developed as a treatment to promote survival of neurons in patients with motor neuron disease. Could long-term blocking of the blood vessel defects in the retina with VEGF antagonists inadvertently harm the neurons, which ultimately are responsible for vision? We propose studies to better understand the potential risks and to determine details about the mechanisms by which VEGF promotes neuron survival.