title: Overexpression of the angiogenic tetrapeptide AcSDKP in human malignant tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The natural tetrapeptide acetyl-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro (AcSDKP), generated from thymosin beta4 following its cleavage by prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), is a physiological stimulator of angiogenesis. Because of the critical role of neovascularisation in tumor development, the expression of AcSDKP and the activity of POP were examined in different human solid malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of AcSDKP and the activity of POP were evaluated in human blood samples and tissue specimens of thyroid goiter and thyroid papillary carcinoma as well as in commercial cancer tissue microarray.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly increased concentration of AcSDKP in intratumoral blood and enhanced tissular activity of POP were detected in cancer patients. The expression of AcSDKP in human breast, colon, head and neck, kidney, lung, skin, ovary and prostate cancer tissues was shown to be greater than that in normal tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AcSDKP and POP contribute to the malignant phenotype and these molecules are potentiel markers of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: Jian-Miao
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusinski
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilic
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bignon
authors.forename: Neila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hajem
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Komorowski
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuzdak
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stepien
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wdzieczak-Bakala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C000705287:PREPL protein, human; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases; C058504:goralatide