Capillary rarefaction, hypoxia, VEGF and angiogenesis in chronic renal disease.

Abstract

Tubulointerstitial hypoxia and peritubular capillary rarefaction are typical features of chronic progressive renal disease. In response to low oxygen supply, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are activated but until now, it is unclear if this increased expression leads to a stabilization of the disease process and thus is nephroprotective or contributes to interstitial fibrosis and/or tubular atrophy. This duality has also been described as far as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of the major target genes of HIFs, is concerned. On the one hand, neoangiogenesis driven by VEGF, if intact, ameliorates hypoxia, on the other, VEGF is a potent pro-inflammatory mediator and neoangiogenesis, if defective because interference by other pathologies exaggerates injury. In summary, experimental data support the idea that dependent on timing and predominant pathology, hypoxia counter-regulatory factors exert beneficial or undesirable effects. Thus, before their therapeutic potential can be fully explored, a better way to characterize the clinical and pathophysiological situation in an individual patient is mandatory.

• Authors: Gert Mayer
• Journal: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association (Nephrol Dial Transplant) Vol. 26 Issue 4 Pg. 1132-7 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1460-2385 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21330358 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Topics

• Animals
• Capillaries (pathology)
• Humans
• Hypoxia (pathology)
• Kidney Failure, Chronic (complications, metabolism)
• Neovascularization, Pathologic
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (metabolism)