UPPSALA, Sweden, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- A team of Swedish-led scientists says it has identified a new mechanism by which a specific protein in the body inhibits formation of new blood vessels.
Certain diseases are characterized by excessive or insufficient angiogenesis -- the formation of new blood vessels. For example, the researchers said the rapid growth of tumors is conditioned on formation of blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients, which is why angiogenesis is accelerated in cancer patients.
The study that also involved scientists in Norway, Finland and Germany focused on the function of histidine-rich glycoprotein, a plasma protein naturally present in the body, said Uppsala University research fellow Anna-Karin Olsson, who headed the investigation. Previous studies involving mice had shown the histidine-rich glycoprotein inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth.
The researchers said their findings demonstrate, among other things, the protein fragment inhibits angiogenesis by binding to endothelial cells, which participate in the formation of blood vessels. They said they also determined it binds to blood vessels in cancer patients, but not in healthy people.
"Our data describes an entirely new mechanism of action for an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor," said Olsson. "This knowledge may eventually help in developing new, more effective drugs for inhibiting angiogenesis during disease treatment without affecting healthy vessels."
The study is detailed in the journal Molecular Cancer Research.
