1. Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA

Correspondence to: Napoleone Ferrara¹ Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to N.F. (Email: nf@gene.com).

Abstract

Bone-marrow-derived cells facilitate tumour angiogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms of this facilitation are incompletely understood. We have previously shown that the related EG-VEGF and Bv8 proteins, also known as prokineticin 1 (Prok1) and prokineticin 2 (Prok2), promote both tissue-specific angiogenesis and haematopoietic cell mobilization. Unlike EG-VEGF, Bv8 is expressed in the bone marrow. Here we show that implantation of tumour cells in mice resulted in upregulation of Bv8 in CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ myeloid cells. We identified granulocyte colony-stimulating factor as a major positive regulator of Bv8 expression. Anti-Bv8 antibodies reduced CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ cell mobilization elicited by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Adenoviral delivery of Bv8 into tumours was shown to promote angiogenesis. Anti-Bv8 antibodies inhibited growth of several tumours in mice and suppressed angiogenesis. Anti-Bv8 treatment also reduced CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ cells, both in peripheral blood and in tumours. The effects of anti-Bv8 antibodies were additive to those of anti-Vegf antibodies or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Thus, Bv8 modulates mobilization of CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ cells from the bone marrow during tumour development and also promotes angiogenesis locally.

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