Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor: Chemistry, Structure, Biology, and Applications
1Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-0608, USA
2University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
3School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 8001, Australia
4Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences, Kitasato University, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan
Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor: Chemistry, Structure, Biology, and Applications
Description
Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a multifunctional serpin protein with demonstrable neurotrophic, antiangiogenic antitumorigenic, antimetastatic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties, among others. PEDF exists naturally in most organs of the human body and is released from most cell types as an extracellular diffusible and circulating glycoprotein. It has been studied mostly in the eye, where its levels are altered in diseases characterized by retinopathies, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The importance of PEDF in the development, maintenance, and function of the retina and CNS is evident in animal models for inherited and light-induced retinal degeneration, as well as for degeneration of spinal cord motor neurons. Pathological ocular neovascularization- and retinal degeneration-related animal models have prompted clinical development. Clinical trials to assess the safety of a viral expression vector for PEDF in the context of age-related macular degeneration have been performed. PEDF has interesting direct multiple biological effects against tumor cells and indirect anticancer effects via antiangiogenic mechanisms, and its efficacy has been demonstrated in several animal models for tumor growth and progression. Moreover, PEDF is a potential diagnostic tool for several diseases triggered by pathological neovascularization, retinal degenerations, or tumors.
We invite investigators to submit original research and review manuscripts that seek to enhance our understanding of the chemistry, structure, biology, and application of PEDF in biomedicine. We are particularly interested in articles that describe elucidation of mechanisms of action, regulation, genetics, and structure-function, and articles that explore PEDF in a variety of organs and systems and animal models. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Recent advances of PEDF in neurobiology
- Recent advances of PEDF in cancer
- Recent advances of PEDF as anti-inflammatory factor
- Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of action of PEDF
- Signal transduction of PEDF
- Recent advances of PEDF as a serpin member
- PEDF receptors
- New assays for PEDF
- Recent advances in PEDF and PEDF-derived products production and delivery systems
- Role of PEDF in new systems: lung, liver, adipose, and so forth
- PEDF and animal models
Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jbb/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: