Tumour Angiogenesis, Invasion And Metastasis Flashcards
What are the characteristics of malignant tumours?
Growth
Invasiveness
Metastasis
What is the growth potential of a malignant tumour?
Unlimited as long as adequate blood supply is available
What is the invasiveness characteristic of a malignant tumour?
Migration of tumour cells into the surrounding stroma where they disseminate
What is the metastatic characteristic of a malignant tumour?
Spread of tumour cells from the primary site to form secondary tumours at other sites in the body
What are the key steps in cancer progression?
Transformation
Angiogenesis
Motility and invasion
Metastasis
What is transformation of a cancer?
Extensive mutagenic and epigenetic changes followed by clonal selection
What is angiogenesis?
New blood vessel formation from pre-existing vessels
What is vasculogenesis?
Formation of new blood vessels from progenitors
What are the types of angiogenesis?
Developmental (vasculogenesis)
Normal angiogenesis
Pathological angiogenesis
What is pathological angiogenesis?
Tumour angiogenesis
Seen in ocular and inflammatory disorders
When does normal angiogenesis occur?
Wound repair
Placenta furing pregnancy
Cycling ovary
What is the max. Size of a tumour without their own blood supply?
1-2mm^3 without their own organ blood supply
What are the steps in tumour angiogenesis?
Small tumour gets big enough to need its own blood supply
Tumour switches on expression of angiogenic genes/factors
New blood vessels grow in and around the tumour, increasing the delivery of oxygen
What is a strong stimulus for tumour angiogenesis?
Hypoxia
What genes are involved in angiogenesis?
Vascular endothelial growth
Glucose transporter 1
Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor
Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1
What does plasminogen activator 1 cause?
Invasion and metastasis
What factors stimulate the directional growth of endothelial cells (angiogenic factors)?
Vascular endothelial growth factor
Fibroblast growth factor 2
Placental growth factor
Angiopoietin 2
What are the angiogenic factors secreted by?
Tumour cells or components of the extracellular matrix
What does VEGF do?
activates cell survival, vascular permeability, gene expression and cell proliferation
What do you loose in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition?
Epithelial shape and polarity
Cytokeratin intermediate filament expression
Epithelial adherens junction position