Cigarette smoke and αβ-unsaturated aldehydes elicit VEGF release through the p38 MAPK pathway in human airway smooth muscle cells and lung fibroblasts

摘要

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic factor known to be elevated in the sputum of asymptomatic smokers as well as smokers with bronchitis type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether acute exposure to cigarette smoke extract altered VEGF production in lung parenchymal cells.