Abstract:

VEGF is highly involved in axonal growth, neurodevelopment and in the pathogenesis of different neurological disorders. It enhances neuroprotection under unfavorable conditions and supports the growth of cerebral tumor tissue. VEGF’s effects in axon guidance are primarily mediated via reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, but the exact downstream signaling of VEGF-signaling is not clear yet. All of those aspects lead us to suspect that VEGF will play a big role in upcoming neurological investigations and clinical treatments. It is conceivable that stimulation of axonal growth via VEGF will be used to support rehabilitation or regenerative processes after spinal-cord injuries or axonal damage. Furthermore, the therapies of cerebral tumors by inhibition of VEGF, or the support of neuroprotective mechanisms after ischemic insults by up-regulation of VEGF, are therapeutical options that might be of interest to future investigations.