REGULATION OF VEGF VPF EXPRESSION IN TUMOR-CELLS - CONSEQUENCES FOR TUMOR-GROWTH AND METASTASIS/

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), also known as vascular perm eability factor (VPF) is a multifunctional cytokine which potently sti mulates angiogenesis in vivo. VEGF/VPF expression is elevated in patho logical conditions including cancer, proliferative retinopathy, psoria sis and rheumatoid arthritis. The angiogenesis associated with human t umors is likely a central component in promoting tumor growth and meta static potential. The regulation of VEGF/VPF expression during tumor p rogression may involve diverse mechanisms including activated oncogene s, mutant or deleted tumor suppressor genes, cytokine activation, horm onal modulators, and a particularly effective activator, hypoxia. Unde rstanding the diverse mechanisms by which tumor cells overexpress VEGF /VPF and which mechanisms are operating in specific tumor types is imp ortant for the design of effective anti-cancer therapies.