VEGFA and endothelial dysfunction: For example, Suganya et al. [45] found an increased immunoreactivity to CHOP and endothelin-1, a strong vasoconstricting agent used as a marker of endothelial dysfunction, and a decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (VEGFR2), a key proangiogenic factor, in the pancreatic tissues of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.