Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that mRNA expression of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3 was upregulated in AAA tissue, while that of VEGF-D was not significantly different, in comparison with expression levels in normal aortic tissues (Fig. 2K). Here, VEGFD is linked to triple-A syndrome.