Contrary to this hypothesis, our results obtained using an in vitro capillary blood vessel model comprised of both EC and vSMC and able to secrete VEGF, did not show increased VE-cadherin degradation or VEGF levels after infection with either the HFRS-causing virus HTNV, or the HPS-causing virus, ANDV. This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome.