肿瘤饥饿疗法的新靶标——内分泌腺衍生血管内皮生长因子

A Novel Target for Starving Tumor Therapy: Endocrine-gland-derived Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

"肿瘤饥饿疗法"是通过抑制促肿瘤血管新生细胞因子的作用,阻断肿瘤血管形成,最终实现"饿死"肿瘤细胞的一种治疗方法.内分泌腺衍生血管内皮生长因子(EG-VEGF)是在2001年被发现的一个组织选择性促血管新生因子.近年来的研究表明,EG-VEGF还兼有促进造血干细胞分化、刺激胃肠道收缩及影响肠神经系统发育等多种生理功能.EG-VEGF的异常表达与多种肿瘤及血管新生依赖性疾病的发生发展密切相关,有望作为相应的治疗靶点开发诊断及治疗试剂.本文对有关研究进展及应用前景作一简要综述.

Starving tumor therapy is a new approach to treat cancers by blocking the function of angiogenic factors and inhibiting angiogenesis of tumor tissues. Endocrine-gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor （EG-VEGF） was firstly identified as a novel tissue-selective angiogenic factor in 2001. During the past ten years, it has been demonstrated that EG-VEGF could play a wide range of other biological functions, including inducing differentiation of haematopoiteic stem cells, stimulating contraction of gastrointestinal smooth muscle and regulating development of enteric nervous system （ENS）. In addition, the abnormal expression of EG-VEGF is involved in the occurrence and development of several kinds of angiogenesis-dependent diseases, such as tumors and polycystic ovary syndrome. EG-VEGF has been considered as a potential target for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Herein, the recent progress on biological function, related diseases and potential application of EG-VEGF is reviewed.