VEGF family, members

Belgore F Blann A, Neil D, Ahmed AS, Lip GYH. Localisation of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and their receptors in human atherosclerotic arteries. J Clin Pathol 2004 57(3) 266-272. 

Fig. 16.1 The specificities of members of the VEGF family for their receptors.

BAY 43-9006 (Sorafenib Bayer/Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Emeryville, CA) is a biaryl urea that inhibits Raf-1 kinase activity in vitro with IC50 value of 6nM, and B-Raf with IC50 value of 22 nM (25). This compound also inhibits some receptor tyrosine kinases, which include VEGF receptor family members, PDGF receptor. Fit, and c-Kit, at close to the same potency. 

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a molecule that had been previously shown to be implicated in axon guidance as a receptor for members of collapsin/semaphorin family, has been characterized as a which interacts with the heparin-binding VEGF isoforms. 

VEGF-A is the prototypic member of a family of secreted, homodimeric glycoproteins with EC-specific mitogenic... 

The data for specificity are equally surprising. As shown in Table 20.1, an aptamer aimed at basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) does not bind tightly to other members of the FGF family or to other proteins known to interact with an acidic substance, heparin (these data were reported in [5]). Similar data exist for aptamers aimed at several reverse transcriptases, serine proteases, P- and L-selectin, and cytokines such as VEGF and PDGF. Aptamers in vitro show extreme specificity for their intended targets. 

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