title: Galectin-1 is essential in tumor angiogenesis and is a target for antiangiogenesis therapy.
abstract: We describe that galectin-1 (gal-1) is a receptor for the angiogenesis inhibitor anginex, and that the protein is crucial for tumor angiogenesis. gal-1 is overexpressed in endothelial cells of different human tumors. Expression knockdown in cultured endothelial cells inhibits cell proliferation and migration. The importance of gal-1 in angiogenesis is illustrated in the zebrafish model, where expression knockdown results in impaired vascular guidance and growth of dysfunctional vessels. The role of gal-1 in tumor angiogenesis is demonstrated in gal-1-null mice, in which tumor growth is markedly impaired because of insufficient tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, tumor growth in gal-1-null mice no longer responds to antiangiogenesis treatment by anginex. Thus, gal-1 regulates tumor angiogenesis and is a target for angiostatic cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Angiogenesis Laboratory, Research Institute for Growth and Development (GROW), Department of Pathology, University Maastricht, 6202A2 Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Victor L J L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Thijssen
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Postel
authors.forename: Ricardo J M G E
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brandwijk
authors.forename: Ruud P M
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dings
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nesmelova
authors.forename: Sietske
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satijn
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verhofstad
authors.forename: Yusaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakabeppu
authors.forename: Linda G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bakkers
authors.forename: Kevin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Arjan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Griffioen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018450:Disease Progression; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D010455:Peptides; D011485:Protein Binding; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; C111993:betapep-25 protein, synthetic