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Targeting EGFL7 and other
pro-angiogenic factors:
Inhibiting a tumor's lifeline

EGFL7 (Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)

EGFL7

Angiogenesis is a vital process that facilitates tumor growth and survival.1-3 Tumor angiogenesis refers to the ability of a tumor to stimulate new blood vessel formation.1,2 This critical step in development enables tumor expansion, local invasion, and dissemination through1-3:

  • Delivery of oxygen, nutrients, and survival factors
  • Production of growth factors that benefit tumor cells
  • Formation of a route for tumor cell egress
Angiogenesis cancer research
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Angiogenesis is a well-controlled process that is regulated by angiogenic, growth, and survival factors that are secreted by the malignant cells as well as other cells within the tumor microenvironment.2,4

The process of sprouting angiogenesis is regulated by many extracellular factors, including EGF-like domain-containing protein 7 (EGFL7), a protein expressed by endothelial cells.5-8 EGFL7 is associated with the extracellular matrix and is upregulated in many proliferative tissues, including tumors.6-8 EGFL7 supports endothelial cell adhesion and vascular tube formation by defining an efficient migratory path for endothelial cells.8 Furthermore, it also protects endothelial cells that are under biological stress, another pro-survival mechanism.9

References:
1.
Hanahan D, Weinberg RA. The hallmarks of cancer. Cell. 2000;100:57-70.
2.
Bergers G, Benjamin LE. Tumorigenesis and the angiogenic switch. Nat Rev Cancer. 2003;3:401-410.
3.
Hicklin DJ, Ellis LM. Role of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway in tumor growth and angiogenesis. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:1011-1027.
4.
Nyberg P, Salo T, Kalluri R. Tumor microenvironment and angiogenesis. Front Biosci. 2008;13:6537-6553.
5.
Schmidt M, Paes K, De Mazière A, et al. EGFL7 regulates the collective migration of endothelial cells by restricting their spatial distribution. Development. 2007;134:2913-2923.
6.
Campagnolo L, Leahy A, Chitnis S, et al. EGFL7 is a chemoattractant for endothelial cells and is up-regulated in angiogenesis and arterial injury. Am J Pathol. 2005;167:275-284.
7.
Fitch MJ, Campagnolo L, Kuhnert F, Stuhlmann H. Egfl7, a novel epidermal growth factor-domain gene expressed in endothelial cells. Dev Dyn. 2004;230:316-324.
8.
Parker LH, Schmidt M, Jin S-W, et al. The endothelial-cell-derived secreted factor Egfl7 regulates vascular tube formation. Nature. 2004;428:754-758.
9.
Xu D, Perez RE, Ekekezie II, Navarro A, Truog WE. Epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 protects endothelial cells from hyperoxia-induced cell death. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2008;294:L17-L23.