Biological Pathways Involved in Tumor Angiogenesis and Bevacizumab Based Anti-Angiogenic Therapy with Special References to Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

The creation of new blood vessels from existing ones, which is a mechanism called “angiogenesis”, is essential in cancer to supply cancerous growth. Moreover, the development and the progression of the tumor and its metastases are the result of an efficient vascular response. Cancer cells release and activate different angiogenic growth factors and their receptors in the tumor microenvironment to promote the angiogenic process. The most important pro-angiogenic factor is the “Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor” (VEGF) because of its mitogen activity on vascular endothelium. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that obstructs the binding of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor to its receptors and has been approved for the treatment of primary and recurrent ovarian cancer but also for many other solid tumors.

Tumor Angiogenesis and Anti-Angiogenic Strategies for Cancer Treatment

“…The subsequent process of vessel formation within tumors is similar to the physiological angiogenesis previously described [81,84]. Other mechanisms involved in tumor angiogenesis include vessel co-option, through which cancer cells grow along host tissue capillaries, intussusceptive microvascular growth, involving the formation new blood vessels from connective tissue pillars within the lumen, glomeruloid angiogenesis, which starts from glomeruloid bodies composed of vascular aggregates, basement membrane, and pericytes, postnatal vasculogenesis, consisting in the transformation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells into endothelial cells, and vasculogenic mimicry, through which cancer cells act as endothelial cells and produce vessel-like structures [85].…”

Cyanidin‐3‐glucoside attenuates the angiogenesis of breast cancer via inhibiting STAT3/VEGF pathway

“…Thus, targeting cancer angiogenesis has become a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Moreover, some anti‐angiogenic drugs such as bevacizumab have been applied in clinical practice (Loizzi et al, ).…”

Oxidative stress‐induced angiogenesis is mediated by miR‐205‐5p

“…18,32,33 In agreement with this, miR-205-5p overexpression also reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) by increasing peroxiredoxin 2 levels, 34 suggesting that miR-205-5p could be sensitive to oxidative stimuli. 37,38 The present work focuses on the response of miR-205-5p-VEGFA in ARPE-19 cells to oxidative challenge as an approach to the potential therapeutic target of eye-related proliferative disorders. 27,29,35,36 Indeed, VEGF inhibitors are widely used in both cancer and wet AMD, with beneficial results.…”