Mice Lacking the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-B Gene ( Vegfb ) Have Smaller Hearts, Dysfunctional Coronary Vasculature, and Impaired Recovery From Cardiac Ischemia

Abstract

—Vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B) is closely related to VEGF-A, an effector of blood vessel growth during development and disease and a strong candidate for angiogenic therapies. To further study the in vivo function of VEGF-B, we have generated Vegfb knockout mice (Vegfb^−/−). Unlike Vegfa knockout mice, which die during embryogenesis, Vegfb^−/− mice are healthy and fertile. Despite appearing overtly normal, Vegfb^−/− hearts are reduced in size and display vascular dysfunction after coronary occlusion and impaired recovery from experimentally induced myocardial ischemia. These findings reveal a role for VEGF-B in the development or function of coronary vasculature and suggest potential clinical use in therapeutic angiogenesis. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.