IN THE NEWS- VEGF and renal disease

A basic science article in KI 2010 June issue talks about the role of VEGF-A expression in podocytes. The induction of podocyte specific VEGF164 overexpression led to transgenic mice to proteinuria, enlarged glomeruli and mesangial expansion and podocyte effacement. When anti VEGF164 was administered, the effects reversed. This over expression of VEGF164 may be via an autocrine and paracrine VEGF-A signal.
This might be similar to what we see in Diabetic Nephropathy.

Few things.
This attests to the point that too much VEGF is bad for the endothelium and podocyte
Diabetes is a VEGF driven podocytic disease
A fine balance of VEGF ( subtypes unclear) is needed for good podocyte function. Too little might lead to a TMA or pre eclampsia like syndrome and too much perhaps a diabetes like disease or FSGS, more of a collapsing nature.
More of these studies hopefully will help us figure out the final niche of VEGF nephropathology.