The Myc-dependent angiogenic switch in tumors is mediated by interleukin 1beta.

Although induction of blood vessel growth is acknowledged as a pivotal requirement for the evolution of macroscopic tumors, the events that trigger onset of tumor angiogenesis remain largely obscure. The pervasive Myc oncoprotein is itself a potent inducer of angiogenesis in a wide range of tissues. We have used a reversibly switchable mouse transgenic model of Myc-dependent beta-cell carcinogenesis to delineate the kinetics and causal sequence of angiogenic processes following acute Myc activation.