scholarly journals Vascular endothelial growth factor is elevated in ocular fluids of eyes harbouring uveal melanoma: identification of a potential therapeutic window

2002 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
S R Boyd
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella P. Hartono ◽  
Victoria M. Bedell ◽  
Sk. Kayum Alam ◽  
Madelyn O’Gorman ◽  
MaKayla Serres ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe negative health consequences of acute ultraviolet (UV) exposure are evident, with reports of 30,000 emergency room visits annually to treat the effects of sunburn in the United States alone. Acute effects of sunburn include erythema, edema, and severe pain, and chronic overexposure to UV radiation can lead to skin cancer. While the pain associated with the acute effects of sunburn may be relieved by current interventions, existing post-sunburn treatments are not capable of reversing the cumulative and long-term pathological effects of UV exposure, an unmet clinical need. Here we show that activation of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway is a direct and immediate consequence of acute UV exposure, and activation of VEGF signaling is necessary for the initiating the acute pathological effects of sunburn. In UV-exposed human subjects, VEGF signaling is activated within hours. Topical delivery of VEGF pathway inhibitors, targeted against the ligand VEGF-A (gold nanoparticles conjugated with anti-VEGF antibodies) and small molecule antagonists of VEGF receptor signaling, prevent the development of erythema and edema in UV-exposed mice. Collectively, these findings suggest targeting VEGF signaling may reduce the subsequent inflammation and pathology associated with UV-induced skin damage, which reveals a new post-exposure therapeutic window to potentially inhibit the known detrimental effects of UV on human skin.


Author(s):  
Niraj Kumar Jha ◽  
Pravir Kumar

Objective: Neurodegenerative diseases are a debilitating age-related disorder manifested by memory loss, impaired motor activity, and loss of muscle tone due to the accumulation of toxic metabolites in the brain. Despite the knowledge of factors causing neurodegenerative disorders, it remains irreversible and incurable. Growing evidence have currently advocated the physiological and pathological contribution of hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in neuronal loss. The objective of this research report highlights biomolecules mediated targeting of VEGF activity based on in silico approaches that could establish a potential therapeutic window for the treatment of different abnormalities associated with impaired VEGF.Methods: We employed various in silico methods such as drug-likeness parameters, namely, Lipinski filter analysis, Pock Drug tool for active site prediction, AUTODOCK 4.2.1, and LigPlot1.4.5 for molecular docking studiesResults: Three-dimensional structure of VEGF was generated and Ramachandran plot obtained for quality assessment. RAMPAGE displayed 99.5% of residues in the most favored regions, 0.5% residues in additionally allowed, and no residues in disallowed regions in VEGF, showing that stereochemical quality of protein structure is good. Further, initial screenings of the molecules were done based on Lipinski’s rule of five. Finally, we have found Naringenin to be most effective among three biomolecules in modulating VEGF activity based on minimum inhibition constant, Ki, and highest negative free energy of binding with the maximum interacting surface area during docking studies.Conclusion: The present study outlines the novel potential of biomolecules in regulating VEGF activity for the treatment of different abnormalities associated with impaired VEGF.


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