Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) (VEGFR-2 (also KDR in human; Flk-1 in mouse))

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 is a type III receptor tyrosine kinase expressed predominantly on vascular endothelial cells that mediates most of the prototypical responses to VEGF-A, including endothelial proliferation, migration, survival, vascular permeability, and nitric oxide production, by autophosphorylation at key tyrosines (e.g., Y951, Y1054/Y1059, Y1175, Y1214) and activation of downstream pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, and p38 MAPK; it is central to physiological vasculogenesis and angiogenesis and is pathologically upregulated or activated in cancers and other diseases, making it a major therapeutic target for anti-angiogenic agents including anti-VEGF antibodies, ligand traps, and VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Other names

Kinase insert domain receptor (KDR)Fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1, mouse ortholog)VEGF receptor 2VEGFR2

Ligand neutralization (anti-VEGF-A antibodies prevent VEGF from binding VEGFRs); Decoy receptor/ligand trap (aflibercept binds VEGF-A and related ligands, preventing receptor activation); Tyrosine kinase inhibition (ATP-competitive inhibition of VEGFR-2 kinase activity to block downstream signaling)