Table 2.

Effects of lymphatic vessel inhibition in inflammatory diseases.

Animal model	Inflammatory stimulus	Method of lymphatic vasculature inhibition	Effects	References
SKIN INFLAMMATION
K14-VEGF-A mice	Oxazolone	Blocking antibody to VEGFR-3	Reduced lymphatic vasculature Increased inflammatory edema and epidermal thickening	(28)
Wild-type mice	Injections of LPS or LTA and MDP	Adenoviral VEGFR-3 overexpression	Delayed inflammation resolution Reduced lymphatic drainage and inflammatory cell migration	(29)
	UVB irradiation	Blocking antibody to VEGFR-3	Increased inflammatory edema and inflammatory cell invasion	(36)
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE
Wildtype mice	DSS	Blocking antibody to VEGFR-3	Increased colitis severity Reduced lymphatic vessel density, LV proliferation, lymphatic drainage function and cell migration to LN	(33)
IL-10 knockout mice	Lack of anti-inflammatory IL-10	Blocking antibody to VEGFR-3	Increased colitis severity Reduced lymphatic vessel density, LV proliferation, lymphatic drainage function and cell migration to LN	(33)
			Increased colitis severity and edema Enlarged lymphatic vessels	(37)
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
TNF-α transgenic mice	TNF-α overexpression	Blocking antibody to VEGFR-3	Reduced lymphatic vessel numbers and lymphatic drainage Smaller draining LNs Increased joint inflammation	(38)

DSS, dextran sulfate sodium; LN, lymph node; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; LTA, lipoteichoic acid, LV, lymphatic vessel; MDP, muramyl dipeptide.