The Complex Role and Implications of VEGF-A on Cardiac and Renal Physiology and Pathology with Special Focus on Hypertensive Injury – a Critical Review

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signaling protein essential for angiogenesis. Despite vigorous research in the field for several decades, the exact role of VEGF in the sophisticated regulatory mechanisms of cardiac and renal homeostasis still remains to be fully elucidated. Recent studies have reported that the expression of VEGF in the heart and kidneys changes with age, which leads to modifications in the microvasculature and age-related remodeling of the myocardium and renal parenchyma. Furthermore, literature data suggest that the levels of VEGF are altered in response to hypertensive injury, which plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple cardiac and renal pathologies. Therefore, this review strives to assess the accessible literature and provide clarity on the role of VEGF in the complex signaling cascades responsible for maintaining cardiac and renal homeostasis both under physiological and pathological conditions.