A sulfated synthetic lignin, sulfated dehydropolymer caffeic acid (CDSO3), inhibits the development of emphysema in a VEGFR-inhibitor-induced rat model via multiple functions including anti-oxidant activity, and prevention of epithelial and endothelial cell death via iron-chelation- induced stabilization of HIF-1α and VEGF signaling (Truong et al., 2017). This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and pulmonary emphysema.