Willems-Widyastuti et al. FGF induced VEGF 1 FGF upregulates VEGF via MAPK Signaling Pathway in Human Airway Smooth Muscle cells Anna Willems-Widyastuti 1 , Bart M. Vanaudenaerde 1 , Robin Vos 1 , Ellen Dillissen 1 , Stijn E. Verleden 1 , Stéphanie I. De Vleeschauwer 1 , Annemie Vaneylen 1 , Willem I. de Boer 2 , Hari S. Sharma 3 and Geert M. Verleden 1 1 Laboratory of Pneumology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; 2 Department of Pulmonology, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands; 3 Department of Pathology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Short title: FGF-1 and FGF-2 induced VEGF in ASM cells Abstract: 200 words text: 2998 words figures: 5 references: 29 Support Statement: GMV is holder of the Glaxo Smith Kline (Belgium) chair in respiratory pharmacology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven), and is supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO): G.0643.08 and G.0723.10 and by the onderzoeksfonds KULeuven: OT10/050. BMV is a senior research fellow of the FWO. Conflict of interest statement: None of the authors have a financial relationship with a commercial entity that has an interest of the presented manuscript. Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr. G. Verleden University Hospital Gasthuisberg Lung Transplantation Unit 49 Herestraat, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel: + 32 16 346800 Fax: + 32 16 346803 E-mail: geert.verleden@uzleuven.be