Adaptive hypoxic tolerance in the subterranean mole rat Spalax ehrenbergi: the role of vascular endothelial growth factor

FEBS Letters

Nevo, E.¹  Resnick, M.B.²  Joel, A.¹  Avivi, A.¹  Levy, A.P.³ 

[1] Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 31999, Israel;Department of Pathology, Lady Davis Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel;Technion Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Bat Galim, Israel

关键词: Capillary density;    Hypoxia;    Vascular endothelial growth factor;    Spalax ehrenbergi;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(99)00584-0

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Spalax ehrenbergi has evolved adaptations that allow it to survive and carry out normal activities in a highly hypoxic environment. A key component of this adaptation is a higher capillary density in some Spalax tissues resulting in a shorter diffusion distance for oxygen. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic factor that is critical for angiogenesis during development and in response to tissue ischemia. We demonstrate here that VEGF expression is markedly increased in those Spalax tissues with a higher capillary density relative to the normal laboratory rat Rattus norvegicus. Upregulation of VEGF thus appears to be an additional mechanism by which Spalax has adapted to its hypoxic environment.

【 授权许可】

Unknown