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From the Department of Dermatology,*
Cutaneous Biology
Research Center, and the Center for Imaging and Pharmaceutical
Research,
Massachusetts General Hospital and
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts; Schering
AG,
Berlin, Germany; and the Haartman
Institute,
University of Helsinki,
Helsinki, Finland
Interactions of tumor cells with lymphatic vessels are of paramount importance for tumor progression, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Whereas enlarged lymphatic vessels are frequently observed at the periphery of malignant melanomas, it has remained unclear whether intratumoral lymphangiogenesis occurs within these tumors. Here, we demonstrate the presence of intratumoral lymphatics and enlargement of lymphatic vessels at the tumor periphery in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C-overexpressing human melanomas transplanted onto nude mice. VEGF-C expression also resulted in enhanced tumor angiogenesis, indicating a coordinated regulation of lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in melanoma progression. The specific biological effects of VEGF-C were critically dependent on its proteolytic processing in vivo. Furthermore, VEGF-C induced chemotaxis of macrophages in vitro and in vivo, revealing a potential function of VEGF-C as an immunomodulator. Taken together, our results identify VEGF-C as multifunctional factor involved in regulating tumor lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis, and immune response.
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P. Salven, S. Mustjoki, R. Alitalo, K. Alitalo, and S. Rafii VEGFR-3 and CD133 identify a population of CD34+ lymphatic/vascular endothelial precursor cells Blood, January 1, 2003; 101(1): 168 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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S. Podgrabinska, P. Braun, P. Velasco, B. Kloos, M. S. Pepper, D. G. Jackson, and M. Skobe Molecular characterization of lymphatic endothelial cells PNAS, December 10, 2002; 99(25): 16069 - 16074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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R. Clarijs, L. Schalkwijk, U. B. Hofmann, D. J. Ruiter, and R. M. W. de Waal Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 Expression on Tumor Microvasculature as a New Progression Marker in Human Cutaneous Melanoma Cancer Res., December 1, 2002; 62(23): 7059 - 7065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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M. Detmar and S. Hirakawa The Formation of Lymphatic Vessels and Its Importance in the Setting of Malignancy J. Exp. Med., September 16, 2002; 196(6): 713 - 718. [Full Text] [PDF] |
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A. Saaristo, T. Veikkola, T. Tammela, B. Enholm, M. J. Karkkainen, K. Pajusola, H. Bueler, S. Yla-Herttuala, and K. Alitalo Lymphangiogenic Gene Therapy With Minimal Blood Vascular Side Effects J. Exp. Med., September 16, 2002; 196(6): 719 - 730. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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S. F. Schoppmann, P. Birner, J. Stockl, R. Kalt, R. Ullrich, C. Caucig, E. Kriehuber, K. Nagy, K. Alitalo, and D. Kerjaschki Tumor-Associated Macrophages Express Lymphatic Endothelial Growth Factors and Are Related to Peritumoral Lymphangiogenesis Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 2002; 161(3): 947 - 956. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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S. Huang, M. Van Arsdall, S. Tedjarati, M. McCarty, W. Wu, R. Langley, and I. J. Fidler Contributions of Stromal Metalloproteinase-9 to Angiogenesis and Growth of Human Ovarian Carcinoma in Mice J Natl Cancer Inst, August 7, 2002; 94(15): 1134 - 1142. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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C. Cursiefen, U. Schlotzer-Schrehardt, M. Kuchle, L. Sorokin, S. Breiteneder-Geleff, K. Alitalo, and D. Jackson Lymphatic Vessels in Vascularized Human Corneas: Immunohistochemical Investigation Using LYVE-1 and Podoplanin Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2002; 43(7): 2127 - 2135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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S. A. STACKER, M. E. BALDWIN, and M. G. ACHEN The role of tumor lymphangiogenesis in metastatic spread FASEB J, July 1, 2002; 16(9): 922 - 934. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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A. SAARISTO, T. VEIKKOLA, B. ENHOLM, M. HYTONEN, J. AROLA, K. PAJUSOLA, P. TURUNEN, M. JELTSCH, M. J. KARKKAINEN, D. KERJASCHKI, et al. Adenoviral VEGF-C overexpression induces blood vessel enlargement, tortuosity, and leakiness but no sprouting angiogenesis in the skin or mucous membranes FASEB J, July 1, 2002; 16(9): 1041 - 1049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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L. Jussila and K. Alitalo Vascular Growth Factors and Lymphangiogenesis Physiol Rev, July 1, 2002; 82(3): 673 - 700. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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T. P. Padera, A. Kadambi, E. di Tomaso, C. M. Carreira, E. B. Brown, Y. Boucher, N. C. Choi, D. Mathisen, J. Wain, E. J. Mark, et al. Lymphatic Metastasis in the Absence of Functional Intratumor Lymphatics Science, June 7, 2002; 296(5574): 1883 - 1886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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G. Oliver and M. Detmar The rediscovery of the lymphatic system: old and new insights into the development and biological function of the lymphatic vasculature Genes & Dev., April 1, 2002; 16(7): 773 - 783. [Full Text] [PDF] |
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R. K. Jain and B. T. Fenton Intratumoral Lymphatic Vessels: A Case of Mistaken Identity or Malfunction? J Natl Cancer Inst, March 20, 2002; 94(6): 417 - 421. [Full Text] [PDF] |
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