Tumor endothelial markers define novel subsets of cancer-specific circulating endothelial cells associated with antitumor efficacy.

ABSTRACT: Circulating endothelial cells (CEC) are derived from multiple sources, including bone marrow (circulating endothelial progenitors; CEP), and established vasculature (mature CEC). Although CECs have shown promise as a biomarker for patients with cancer, their utility has been limited, in part, by the lack of specificity for tumor vasculature and the different nonmalignant causes that can impact CEC. Tumor endothelial markers (TEM) are antigens enriched in tumor versus nonmalignant endothelia. We hypothesized that TEMs may be detectable on CEC and that these circulating TEM(+) endothelial cells (CTEC) may be a more specific marker for cancer and tumor response than standard CEC. We found that tumor-bearing mice had a relative increase in numbers of circulating CTEC, specifically with increas

SUBMITTER: Mehran R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4024326 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature