Conejo-Garcia et al. (2004) demonstrated that β-defensins can recruit CD11c+ DC precursors through CCR6 into tumorigenic areas where vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) transforms them into endothelial-like cells that engage in vasculogenesis and function as promoters of tumor progression in an ovarian mouse model. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is neoplasm.