Alternatively, Tat could act in synergy with FGF-2 and VEGF-A (Ben Haij et al., 2015; Ray et al., 1994; Korgaonkar et al., 2008; Xie et al., 2014), as both heparin-binding growth factors were upregulated by Tat in 7-day-old HIV-Tg26 mice and have been linked to the pathogenesis of HIVAN in children and HIV-Tg26 mice (Ray et al., 1994, 2006; Korgaonkar et al., 2008). Here, HDGF is linked to HIV-associated nephropathy.