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The C. elegans pvf-1 gene encodes a PDGF/VEGF-like factor able to bind mammalian VEGF receptors and to induce angiogenesis

Marina Tarsitano^*, Sandro De Falco^*, Vincenza Colonna^*, James D. McGhee and M. Graziella Persico^*,1

^* Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati-Traverso", CNR, Naples, Italy.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genes and Development Research Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1

¹ Correspondence: Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati-Traverso", CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy. E-mail: persico{at}igb.cnr.it

Members of the platelet-derived growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (PDGF/VEGF) family have been implicated in a variety of functions in vertebrates, especially angiogenesis. Here we identify and characterize a PDGF/VEGF-like factor (named PVF-1) from the nematode C. elegans. We show that PVF-1 has biochemical properties similar to vertebrate PDGF/VEGF growth factors. More important, PVF-1 binds to the human receptors VEGFR-1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR-2 (KDR) and is able to induce angiogenesis in two model systems derived from vertebrates. Our results highlight the widespread evolutionary conservation of this important class of growth factors and raise the possibility that C. elegans can provide a simple experimental system in which to investigate how these factors function.—Tarsitano, M., De Falco, S., Colonna, V., McGhee, J. D., Persico, M. G. The C. elegans pvf-1 gene encodes a PDGF/VEGF-like factor able to bind mammalian VEGF receptors and to induce angiogenesis.

Key Words: growth factors • evolutionary conservation • Flt-1/KDR

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