VEGFA and infection: Macrophages are innate immune cells that are pivotal for the removal of superfluous cells, tissue homeostasis, and immune responses to infections, they are usually classified into M1 and M2 macrophages, in which M2 macrophages have higher phagocytic activity and secrete TGF-β, IL-10, and VEGF, showing anti-inflammatory activity and promoting neoangiogenesis, tissue remodeling, and cancer progression (Italiani and Boraschi 2014; Cendrowicz et al. 2021).