Role of pigment epithelium-derived factor in cardiovascular diseases

Pigment epithelium-derived factor( PEDF) was first identified in conditioned medium from fetal human retinal pigment epithelium cells as a factor with potent neuronal differentiation activity. As a secreted glycoprotein,PEDF attracts wide attention for its various biological functions. In recent years we have found that PEDF has high expression in the cardiovascular system. Both laboratory and clinical research show PEDF is closely related to metabolic syndrome,atherosclerosis,hypertension and heart failure. PEDF may be an effective therapeutic target or a predicting factor in cardiovascular diseases.