Soluble gC1qR in Blood and Body Fluids: Examination in a Pancreatic Cancer Patient Cohort.

Background: gC1qR is a multifunctional cellular protein that has been linked to inflammation and cancer. gC1qR is highly upregulated in adenocarcinomas as compared to normal tissue counterparts, and soluble gC1qR (sgC1qR) has been detected in the pericellular milieu of proliferating malignant cells.

Aim: The present study explored the tissue expression of gC1qR in pancreatic cancer by immunohistochemistry, and the presence of sgC1qR , by examining blood and malignant effusions from patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Identification and characterization of ErbB-3-binding protein-1 as a target for immunotherapy.

Based on immune reactivity in response to a whole-cell colon tumor vaccine and using serological identification of Ags by recombinant cDNA expression cloning, we here describe the molecular and functional identification of a novel human tumor Ag. By screening a cDNA expression library derived from the coloncarcinoma cell line HT-29 with pooled colorectal cancer patients' sera, 26 clones reactive with IgG Abs could be identified. Characterization of these cDNA clones by sequence analysis and alignment, and detailed serological analysis revealed cancer-related immunoreactivity for the ErbB-3-binding protein-1 (Ebp1).

Targeted gene-delivery strategies for angiostatic cancer treatment.

Gene therapy is one of the promising strategies in cancer treatment. Recent studies identified molecular targets on angiogenically activated endothelial cells that can be used to deliver gene-transfer vehicles to the tumor site specifically. Furthermore, non-viral vehicles are emerging as an alternative for traditional viral gene-therapy approaches.

Anginex-conjugated liposomes for targeting of angiogenic endothelial cells.

Identification of a tumor angiogenesis specific ligand would allow targeting of tumor vasculature. Lipidic vehicles can be used to deliver therapeutic agents for treatment of disease or contrast agents for molecular imaging. A targeting ligand would allow specific delivery of such formulations to angiogenic sites, thereby reducing side effects and gaining efficiency.

Galectin-1 is essential in tumor angiogenesis and is a target for antiangiogenesis therapy.

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.

Anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor activity of recombinant anginex.

Anginex, a synthetic 33-mer angiostatic peptide, specifically inhibits vascular endothelial cell proliferation and migration along with induction of apoptosis in endothelial cells. Here we report on the in vivo characterization of recombinant anginex and use of the artificial anginex gene for gene therapy approaches. Tumor growth of human MA148 ovarian carcinoma in athymic mice was inhibited by 80% when treated with recombinant anginex.

Quantum dots with a paramagnetic coating as a bimodal molecular imaging probe.

MRI detectable and targeted quantum dots were developed. To that aim, quantum dots were coated with paramagnetic and pegylated lipids, which resulted in a relaxivity, r(1), of nearly 2000 mM(-1)s(-1) per quantum dot. The quantum dots were functionalized by covalently linking alphavbeta3-specific RGD peptides, and the specificity was assessed and confirmed on cultured endothelial cells.

Cloning an artificial gene encoding angiostatic anginex: From designed peptide to functional recombinant protein.

Anginex, a designed peptide 33-mer, is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor and anti-tumor agent in vivo. Anginex functions by inhibiting endothelial cell (EC) proliferation and migration leading to detachment and apoptosis of activated EC's. To better understand tumor endothelium targeting properties of anginex and enable its use in gene therapy, we constructed an artificial gene encoding the biologically exogenous peptide and produced the protein recombinantly in Pichia pastoris.

Angiogenesis gene expression profiling in xenograft models to study cellular interactions.

The present study describes a method to simultaneously obtain the angiogenic expression profile in tumor cells and vascular cells of a single tumor. Human- and mouse-specific primers were used for quantitative real-time RT-PCR to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factors A, B, C, and D, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1, 2, and 3, neuropilin 1 and 2, angiopoietin 1, 2, 3/4, tyrosine kinase receptors 1 and 2, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in xenograft tumors obtained by injection of human ovarian carcinoma cells in nude mice. In addition, the effect of treatment with anginex and taxol on the expression profile was analyzed.

A panel of candidate tumor antigens in colorectal cancer revealed by the serological selection of a phage displayed cDNA expression library.

In the last few years it has been shown that the humoral immune response in cancer patients is a rich source of putative cancer vaccine candidates. To fully explore the complex information present within the Ab repertoire of cancer patients, we have applied a method, serological Ag selection, to molecularly define tumor Ags recognized by the humoral immune response in colorectal cancer (CRC). First, we built a cDNA display library by cloning a cDNA library from CRC cell line HT-29 for expression as a fusion protein with a filamentous phage minor coat protein, pVI.