Increased Angiogenic Factors Associated With Peripheral Avascular Retina and Intravitreous Neovascularization

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Abstract
Interactions between neural and vascular growth factors and receptors are important in ordered retinal vascularization.1 For example, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and signaling pathway are important in retinal vascular development2,3 and in neuronal survival.4,5 The neuropilins (NPs), originally described as receptors for proteins involved in neuronal axon guidance, can form complexes with VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) and act as coreceptors for VEGF-mediated angiogenic signaling.1 Pigment epithelium–derived factor (PEDF) is a neurotrophic factor6 and is involved in retinal vascular development.7 One way in which PEDF may be involved in normal vascularization is by downregulating VEGF expression and interfering with its binding to VEGFR2,8 believed to be the receptor most involved in angiogenic processes.9 However, both VEGF and PEDF interactions have been found in pathologic angiogenesis.

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