Angiogenesis and endocrine tumors

Endocrine tumors are characteristically hypervascularized. This property recalls that of normal endocrine tissues, which possess a dense and specialized capillary network. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of the angiogenesis process associated with endocrine tumorigenesis are poorly known. Most normal endocrine cells consistuvely express high levels of angiogenic factors, such as VEGF, which likely play an important role in the development of the characteristic vascular architecture of normal endocrine tissues. Clinical and experimental data suggest that a surexpression of such angiogenic factors is unlikely to be involved in the induction of the angiogenic process associated with endocrine tumorigenesis. In contrast, according to some experimental observations, the loss of endocrine-specific anti-angiogenic factors may be required for the initiation of the angiogenic process and the transition from endocrine hyperplasia to endocrine neoplasia. Such inhibitory factors remain to be indentified and characterized. A better understanding of the mechanisms of angiogenesis in endocrine tumors is important for the delineation of novel therapeutic strategies.