VEGFA and familial dilated cardiomyopathy: Increased expression of proangiogenic factors, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and VEGF-A, have been found in DCM, likely due to the compensatory angiogenesis and/or increased mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to the diseased heart (Roura et al., 2007).