Description
Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is a member of the VEGF family. Upon biosynthesis, VEGF-C protein is secreted as a non-covalent momodimer in an anti-parellel fashion. VEGF-C protein is a dimeric glycoprotein, as a ligand for two receptors, VEGFR-3 (Flt4), and VEGFR-2. VEGF-C may function in angiogenesis of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems during embryogenesis. VEGF-C protein is over-expressed in various human cancers including breast cancer and prostate cancer. VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 axis, through different signaling pathways, plays a critical role in cancer progression by regulating different cellular functions, such as invasion, proliferation, and resistance to chemotherapy. Thus, targeting the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 axis may be therapeutically significant for certain types of tumors.