en
Scientific article
English

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C-mediated lymphangiogenesis promotes tumour metastasis

Published inEMBO journal, vol. 20, no. 4, p. 672-682
Publication date2001
Abstract

Metastasis is a frequent and lethal complication of cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) is a recently described lymphangiogenic factor. Increased expression of VEGF-C in primary tumours correlates with dissemination of tumour cells to regional lymph nodes. However, a direct role for VEGF-C in tumour lymphangiogenesis and subsequent metastasis has yet to be demonstrated. Here we report the establishment of transgenic mice in which VEGF-C expression, driven by the rat insulin promoter (Rip), is targeted to beta-cells of the endocrine pancreas. In contrast to wild-type mice, which lack peri-insular lymphatics, RipVEGF-C transgenics develop an extensive network of lymphatics around the islets of Langerhans. These mice were crossed with Rip1Tag2 mice, which develop pancreatic beta-cell tumours that are neither lymphangiogenic nor metastatic. Double-transgenic mice formed tumours surrounded by well developed lymphatics, which frequently contained tumour cell masses of beta-cell origin. These mice frequently developed pancreatic lymph node metastases. Our findings demonstrate that VEGF-C-induced lymphangiogenesis mediates tumour cell dissemination and the formation of lymph node metastases.

Keywords
  • Animals
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Endothelial Growth Factors/genetics/physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lymphatic System/growth & development
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Pancreas/ultrastructure
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
Citation (ISO format)
MANDRIOTA, Stefano Jacopo et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C-mediated lymphangiogenesis promotes tumour metastasis. In: EMBO journal, 2001, vol. 20, n° 4, p. 672–682. doi: 10.1093/emboj/20.4.672
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Article (Accepted version)
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ISSN of the journal0261-4189
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