Vascular endothelial growth factor C attenuates joint damage in chronic inflammatory arthritis by accelerating local lymphatic drainage in mice

Abstract

Intraarticular injection of AAV-VEGF-C increased lymphangiogenesis and improved lymphatic drainage from the inflamed joints of mice, resulting in attenuation of joint tissue damage. Thus, improvement of joint lymphatic function by local administration of lymphatic growth factors represents a new therapeutic approach for chronic inflammatory arthritis.