VEGFA and myocardial infarction: In a MI model in diabetic rats, ghrelin improved left ventricular contractility and microvascular density reduced the infarct size, and ameliorated angiogenesis, through GHS-R1a-mediated AMPK/eNOS signaling pathways and upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1-α) and its receptors [105].