Table 1:

Models of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases

Disease model	Approach to promote lymphatic growth	Effects	Ref.
Metabolic Diseases
Obesity induced by HFD in mice	VEGF-D overexpression in adipose tissue	Promoted lymphangiogenesis in adipose tissue; enhanced glucose clearance and reduce insulin and triglyceride levels	67
Stage III type 2 diabetes by streptozotocin injection and HFD in mice	LEC specific Epsins deficient mice to promote VEGF-C/VEGFR3 signaling	Promoted lymphangiogenesis; resolved lymphatic function in diabetic mice.	66
Myocardial Infarction
MI in mice	Recombinant human VEGF-C (C156S), hVEGF-Cc156S) or VEGFR3 adeno-associated viral gene (AAV) delivery	Reduced cardiac inflammation; enhanced post-MI cardiac function; Reduced infarction size and suppressed acute T cell infiltration	85
MI in mice	Recombinant human VEGF-C (C156S)	Improved immune cell clearance; promoted immune trafficking; preserved cardiac function	48
MI in mice	Overexpression of adrenomedullin	Increased connexin 43 localization; improved cardiac function; reduced infarcted size	49
MI in rat	Recombinant human VEGF-C (C152S)	Decreased cardiac inflammation and fibrosis; Increased cardiac function	50
MI in mice	Recombinant human VEGF-C (C156S)	Decreased cardiac fibrosis; Increased cardiac function	47
Hypertension
Hypertension induced by chronic 4% high salt diet in mice	Overexpression VEGF-D in kidney	Reduced blood pressure; increased urinary Na excretion	99
Hypertension induced by angiotensin II infusion in mice	Overexpression VEGF-D in kidney	Reduced blood pressure	98
Hypertension induced by NO inhibitor or high salt diet in mice	Overexpression VEGF-D in kidney	Reduced renal immune cell infiltration; protected nitric oxide synthase inhibition-induced and salt-sensitive hypertension	97