| abstract |
The present invention relates to novel VEGF protein products, and nucleic acids encoding these novel protein products, comprising exons 1-6 and 8 of the VEGF gene, and derivatives thereof, and these uses in treating the cardiovascular system and its diseases through effects on anatomy, conduit function, and permeability. VEGF145 and its derivatives have been found to be active mitogens for vascular endothelial cells and to function as angiogenic factors in-vivo. VEGF145 and its derivatives have novel properties compared with previously characterized VEGF species with respect to cellular distribution, susceptibility to oxidative damage, and extra-cellular matrix (ECM) binding ability. The present invention also relates to derivatives of VEGF145 which have altered properties in that they have altered biological activity and altered heparin-binding activity when compared to VEGF145. The present invention provides methods of treating the cardiovascular system, enhancing endothelialization of diseased vessels, and enhancing drug permeation by providing the novel VEGF protein products. The invention also provides expression vectors, compositions, and kits for use in the methods of the invention. |