Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor

Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI), also known as TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A) and TNF superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15), is is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the TNFSF15 is_associated_with::gene. VEGI is an is_associated_with::anti-angiogenic protein. It belongs to is_associated_with::tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily, where it is member 15. It is the sole known ligand for is_associated_with::death receptor 3, and it can also be recognized by is_associated_with::decoy receptor 3.

Function
The protein encoded by this gene is a cytokine that belongs to the is_associated_with::tumor necrosis factor (TNF) ligand family. This protein is abundantly expressed in is_associated_with::endothelial cells, but is not expressed in either B or is_associated_with::T cells. The expression of this protein is inducible by is_associated_with::TNF-alpha and is_associated_with::IL-1 alpha. This cytokine is a ligand for receptor is_associated_with::TNFRSF25 (death receptor 3) and TNFRSF6B (decoy receptor 3). It can activate both the is_associated_with::NF-κB and is_associated_with::MAPK signalling pathways, and acts as an is_associated_with::autocrine factor to induce is_associated_with::apoptosis in endothelial cells. This cytokine is also found to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation, and thus may function as an is_associated_with::angiogenesis inhibitor. An additional isoform encoded by an alternatively spliced transcript variant has been reported but the sequence of this transcript has not been determined.

Clinical relevance
Several TNFSF15 SNPs have been found to be strongly associated with is_associated_with::inflammatory bowel disease.