Role of angiopoietins and Tie2/TEK in astrocytoma angiogenesis
Diffuse astrocytomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Despite advances in surgical resection, radiation therapy and understanding of their molecular pathogenesis, their prognosis remains very poor. One of the most characteristic and distinguishing features of malignant progression in astrocytomas is proliferative vascularity and robust angiogenesis. This had led to much research being focused on identifying the molecular regulators of tumor angiogenesis in astrocytomas in hopes of identifying novel and effective therapeutic strategies to restrict growth of these highly aggressive tumors. Since the early 1970s when Judah Folkman, began the research campaign for tumor angiogenesis research there has been a tremendous increase in our understanding of the tumor angiogenic process, and astrocytoma angiogenesis has benefited from these advances. However, despite identifying key regulatory angiogenic factors that are critical in the vascular growth of astrocytomas, an effective therapeutic target has not yet been designed. This in part is due to the complexity of the cascade that regulates tumor angiogenesis. In order to improve our understanding of the orchestration involved between various angiogenic pathways, we have chosen to investigate the contribution of an endothelial cell specific pathway, Angiopoietins and their cognate receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2/TEK to the vascular growth of astrocytomas
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 2007
2007