Molecular Pathways for Lymphangiogenesis and Their Role in Human Disease

Abstract number: SYM23

Stacker¹ SA, Caesar¹ C, Inder¹ R, Baldwin¹ M, McColl¹ B, Roufail¹ S, Williams² R, Hughes³ T, Alitalo⁴ K, Achen¹ MG

¹¹Angiogenesis Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, PO Box 2008, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 3050, Victoria, Australia ¹¹Angiogenesis Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, PO Box 2008, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 3050, Victoria, Australia ²²Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ³³Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Australia ⁴⁴Molecular/Cancer Biology Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland

The dysfunction or proliferation of lymphatic vessels (lymphangiogenesis) is linked to a number of pathological conditions including lymphedema and cancer (1, 2). The recent discovery and characterisation of the lymphangiogenic growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D and of their receptor on lymphatic endothelial cells, VEGFR-3, has provided an understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling the growth of lymphatic vessels. In addition, other genes and protein markers have been identified with specificity for lymphatic endothelium that have enhanced the characterization and isolation of lymphatic endothelial cells. Our growing understanding of the molecules that control lymphangiogenesis allows us to design more specific drugs with which to manipulate the relevant signalling pathways (3). Modulating these pathways and other molecules with specificity to the lymphatic system could offer alternative treatments for a number of important clinical conditions.

1.  Stacker et al., Nature Reviews Cancer 2:573–583, 2002.

2.  Baldwin et al., Bioessays 24:1030–1040, 2002.

3.  Stacker et al., Current Pharmaceutical Design (in press, 2003).