Involvement of platelet-derived VWF in metastatic growth of melanoma in the brain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The prognosis of patients with brain metastases (BM) is poor despite advances in our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. The high incidence of thrombotic complications defines tumor progression and the high mortality rate. We, therefore, postulated that von Willebrand factor (VWF) promotes BM via its ability to induce platelet aggregation and thrombosis.

Methods

We measured the abundance of VWF in the blood and intravascular platelet aggregates of patients with BM, and determined the specific contribution of endothelial and platelet-derived VWF using in vitro models and microfluidics. The relevance for the brain metastatic cascade in vivo was demonstrated in ret transgenic mice, which spontaneously develop BM, and by the intracard

SUBMITTER: Robador JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8717898 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature