VEGFA and autoimmune disease: NF-κB further activates expression of various pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1, -3, and -13, and many other proteins that lead to the activation of a positive feedback loop, which enhances activation of more pro-inflammatory signals and eventually results in chronic and persistent inflammation, tissue destruction [158–161] and autoimmune diseases.