Title
Autocrine signaling in carcinoma: VEGF and the alpha6beta4 integrin
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Cancer Biology
Publication Date
2004-03-17
Document Type
Article
Subjects
*Autocrine Communication; Carcinoma; Humans; Integrin alpha6beta4; Signal Transduction; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Disciplines
Cancer Biology | Neoplasms
Abstract
This review highlights an emerging function for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in carcinoma and discusses mechanisms involved in the elaboration of VEGF autocrine loops. Evidence is provided that autocrine VEGF contributes to the two major components of invasive carcinoma: survival and migration. Moreover, the findings discussed support the hypothesis that carcinoma progression selects for cells that depend on VEGF as a survival factor. Furthermore, a related hypothesis, which is developed, is that the function of the alpha6beta4 integrin, which has been implicated in carcinoma progression, is linked to its ability to regulate VEGF translation and, consequently, autocrine VEGF signaling. The findings reviewed challenge the notion that the function of VEGF in cancer is limited to angiogenesis and suggest that VEGF and VEGF receptor-based therapeutics, in addition to targeting angiogenesis, may also impair tumor cell survival and invasion directly.
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.semcancer.2003.09.016
Source
Semin Cancer Biol. 2004 Apr;14(2):115-22. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Seminars in cancer biology
Related Resources
PubMed ID
15018895
Repository Citation
Mercurio, Arthur M.; Bachelder, Robin E.; Bates, Richard C.; and Chung, Jun, "Autocrine signaling in carcinoma: VEGF and the alpha6beta4 integrin" (2004). Cancer Biology Publications and Presentations. 169.
https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/cancerbiology_pp/169