Regulation of VEGF-A expression and VEGF-A-targeted therapy in malignant tumors

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), a highly conserved dimeric glycoprotein, is a key regulatory gene and a marker molecule of angiogenesis. The upregulation of VEGF-A facilitates the process of tumor vascularization, thereby fostering the initiation and progression of malignant neoplasms. Many genes can adjust the angiogenesis of tumors by changing the expression of VEGF-A. In addition, VEGF-A also exhibits immune regulatory properties, which directly or indirectly suppresses the antitumor activity of immune cells. The emergence of VEGF-A-targeted therapy alone or in rational combinations has revolutionized the treatment of various cancers. This review discusses how diverse mechanisms in various tumors regulate VEGF-A expression to promote tumor angiogenesis and the role of VEGF-A in tumor immune microenvironment. The application of drugs targeting VEGF-A in tumor therapy is also summarized including antibody molecule drugs and traditional Chinese medicine.

Neoadjuvant treatment with lenvatinib and pembrolizumab in a BRAF V600E-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer: a case report

“…For this reason, P has been used in the treatment of ATC in combination with TKIs. L+P has especially been used in BRAF wild-type cancers, and a further rationale for the use of this combination is that VEGF-A can induce immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment by inhibiting dendritic cell maturation and by reducing T-cell infiltration ( 21 ). On the other hand, D and T+P have been used successfully in BRAF V600E-mutated cases.…”