Several genes unique in the HCD strains have been previously linked to FASD and apoptosis including Abca1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1), Eng (endoglin), Elavl2 (ELAV like RNA binding protein), Igf2r (insulin like growth factor 2 receptor), Napepld (N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D) and Vegfa (vascular endothelial growth factor A). This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and heavy chain disease.