VEGFA and Hypertension: The obesity-associated hyperleptinemia was shown to promote hypertension in rats through the mechanism depending on hypothalamic astroglial hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-vascular endothelial growth factor (HIF1α-VEGF)[65], and not via the neuronal (pro)renin receptor, a component of the brain renin-angiotensin system[66].