Review

Nature Reviews Cancer 8, 604-617 (August 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrc2353

Focus on: Targeting Angiogenesis

Integrins in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis

Christie J. Avraamides1, Barbara Garmy-Susini1 & Judith A. Varner1  About the authors

Top

Blood vessels promote tumour growth, and both blood and lymphatic vessels facilitate tumour metastasis by serving as conduits for the transport of tumour cells to new sites. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are regulated by integrins, which are members of a family of cell surface receptors whose ligands are extracellular matrix proteins and immunoglobulin superfamily molecules. Select integrins promote endothelial cell migration and survival during angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, whereas other integrins promote pro-angiogenic macrophage trafficking to tumours. Several integrin-targeted therapeutic agents are currently in clinical trials for cancer therapy. Here, we review the evidence implicating integrins as a family of fundamental regulators of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.

Author affiliations

  1. Moores UCSD Cancer Center, 3,855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, California 92092–0819, USA.

Correspondence to: Judith A. Varner1 Email: jvarner@ucsd.edu

Published online 22 May 2008

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Integrin indecision

Nature Medicine News and Views (01 Jan 2002)

Extra navigation

Subscribe

Subscribe to Nature Reviews Cancer

Search PubMed for

naturejobs

Advertisement