vasohibin2

Vasohibin-2, abbreviated VASH2, is a vertebrate protein encoded by the VASH2 gene. It is part of the vasohibin family, which also includes vasohibin-1 (VASH1).

VASH2 is a secreted protein that regulates angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels. In many contexts, it acts as a pro-angiogenic factor, contributing to placental vascular development and tumor neovascularization. It functions in part through interaction with SVBP, the vasohibin-binding protein, which stabilizes VASH2 and facilitates its secretion. The precise mechanisms by which VASH2 promotes angiogenesis are still under investigation, and its activity appears to be context dependent.

VASH2 is expressed in endothelial cells and in various tissues, with higher levels reported in certain cancers and in developing placental tissue. Its expression can be regulated by angiogenic signals such as VEGF and hypoxic conditions in experimental systems.

Because of its pro-angiogenic activity, VASH2 has attracted interest as a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapies and as a biomarker of angiogenic activity in cancers and other diseases. The vasohibin family also includes VASH1, which generally exerts anti-angiogenic effects, illustrating the balance of pro- and anti-angiogenic signals that govern vascular growth.