title: Biglycan is a specific marker and an autocrine angiogenic factor of tumour endothelial cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We isolated tumour endothelial cells (TECs), demonstrated their abnormalities, compared gene expression profiles of TECs and normal endothelial cells (NECs) by microarray analysis and identified several genes upregulated in TECs. We focused on the gene encoding biglycan, a small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan. No report is available on biglycan expression or function in TECs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The NEC and TEC were isolated. We investigated the biglycan expression and function in TECs. Western blotting analysis of biglycan was performed on sera from cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biglycan expression levels were higher in TECs than in NECs. Biglycan knockdown inhibited cell migration and caused morphological changes in TECs. Furthermore, immunostaining revealed strong biglycan expression in vivo in human tumour vessels, as in mouse TECs. Biglycan was detected in the sera of cancer patients but was hardly detected in those of healthy volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggested that biglycan is a novel TEC marker and a target for anti-angiogenic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Biology, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, N13 W7, University of Hokkaido, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maishi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitayama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onodera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shindoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D019898:Autocrine Communication; D058578:Biglycan / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C546884:BGN protein, human; D058578:Biglycan; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor