Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 (VEGFR-3), also known as Flt-4, is a crucial receptor in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. It plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of the lymphatic system. The VEGFR-3 Fc Chimera (Human Recombinant) is a fusion protein that combines the extracellular domain of VEGFR-3 with the Fc region of human IgG1. This chimera is used extensively in research to study lymphangiogenesis and related processes.
The VEGFR-3 Fc Chimera is a disulfide-linked homodimeric protein. It consists of the VEGFR-3 receptor fused with a 6X histidine-tagged Fc portion of human IgG1 by a polypeptide linker . This structure allows the chimera to act as a specific marker for lymphatic vessels and plays a critical role in the development of the lymphatic vessel system.
VEGFR-3 is a tyrosine-protein kinase that acts as a cell-surface receptor for VEGF-C and VEGF-D. It is essential for adult lymphangiogenesis and the development of the vascular network and cardiovascular system during embryonic development . The receptor promotes the proliferation, survival, and migration of endothelial cells and regulates angiogenic sprouting.
The VEGFR-3 Fc Chimera is widely used in research to study the mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis. It is particularly valuable in understanding the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling pathway, which is crucial for the formation of new lymphatic vessels from preexisting ones . This pathway is also implicated in various pathological conditions, including cancer, where it promotes tumor metastasis by enhancing lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis inside and around tumors .
In therapeutic applications, the VEGFR-3 Fc Chimera holds promise for controlling and regressing lymphatic vessel-based dysfunctions. For instance, overexpression of soluble VEGFR-3 (sVEGFR-3) has been shown to enhance corneal transplant survival by blocking lymphangiogenesis and hemangiogenesis . This makes it a potential candidate for protecting the injured cornea from opacification secondary to infection, inflammation, or transplant rejection.