Tumor Progression & Metastasis

Tumor progression and metastasis are often caused by an increased angiogenesis and/or lymphangiogenesis. In order to shed further light on the contribution of vascular important molecules in tumor-associated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in vivo, we are pursuing our study in different tumor models using non-invasive bioluminescence and fluorescent imaging systems. The experiments include tumor models to understand fundamental mechanisms of tumor-associated blood and lymph vessels differentiation and the mechanisms of blood and lymph borne metastatic dissemination.

Current Projects

• Role and characterization of new vascular differentiation molecules associated with hematogenous and lymphatic metastasis routes in a syngeneic orthotopic mammary tumor model
• The roles of these molecules in tumor versus vascular versus stroma compartment and their respective contribution to metastasis
• Development and characterization of tumor metastasis models to identify differential gene expression profiles of tumor cells following haematogenous versus lymphatic metastasis routes

Publications since 2000

Research Papers

Kutschera S, Weber H, Weick A, De Smet F, Genove G, Takemoto M, Prahst C, Riedel M, Mikelis C, Baulande S, Champseix C, Kummerer P, Conseiller E, Multon MC, Heroult M, Bicknell R, Carmeliet P, Betsholtz C, Augustin HG. Differential Endothelial Transcriptomics Identifies Semaphorin 3G as a Vascular Class 3 Semaphorin. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. Oct 14, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Korff T, Braun J, Pfaff D, Augustin HG, and Hecker M. Role of ephrinB2 expression in endothelial cells during arteriogenesis: Impact on smooth muscle cell migration and monocyte recruitment. Blood prepublished online April 29, 2008.

Alajati A., Laib AM, Weber H, Boos AM, Bartol A, Ikenberg K, Korff T, Zentgraf H, Obodozie C, Graeser R, Christian S, Finkenzeller G, Stark GB, Héroult M & Augustin HG. Spheroid-based engineering of a human vasculature in mice. Nat Methods. 5(5):439-45, 2008.

Christian S, Winkler R, Helfrich I, Boos AM, Besemfelder E, Schadendorf D, Augustin HG. Endosialin (tem1) is a marker of tumor-associated myofibroblasts and tumor vessel-associated mural cells. Am J Pathol. 172(2):486-94, 2008.

Potiron VA, Sharma G, Nasarre P, Clarhaut JA, Augustin HG, Gemmill RM, Roche J, Drabkin HA. Semaphorin SEMA3F affects multiple signaling pathways in lung cancer cells. Cancer Res.: 15;67(18):8708-15, 2007.

Krneta J, Kroll J, Alves F, Prahst C, Sananbenesi F, Dullin C, Kimmina S, Phillips DJ, Augustin HG. Dissociation of angiogenesis and tumorigenesis in follistatin- and activin-expressing tumors. Cancer Res. 66(11):5686-95, 2006.

Fiedler U, Christian S, Koidl S, Kerjaschki D, Emmett MS, Bates DO, Christofori G, Augustin HG. The sialomucin CD34 is a marker of tumor-associated lymphatic endothelial cells in human tumors. Am. J. Pathol. 168:1045-1053, 2006.

Martiny-Baron G, Korff T, Schaffner F, Esser N, Eggstein S, Marmé D, Augustin HG. Inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis by soluble EphB4. Neoplasia 6: 248-257, 2004.

Piossek C, Thierauch KH, Schneider-Mergener J, Volkmer-Engert R, Bachmann MF, Korff T, Augustin HG, Germeroth L. Potent inhibition of angiogenesis by D,L-peptides derived from vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. Thromb Haemost. 90: 501-510, 2003.

Scheufler KM, Drevs J, van Velthoven V, Reusch P, Klisch J, Augustin HG, Zentner J, Marme D. Implications of vascular endothelial growth factor, sFlt-1, and sTie-2 in plasma, serum and cerebrospinal fluid during cerebral ischemia in man. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 23(1): 99-110, 2003.

Alves F, Borchers U, Padge B, Augustin H, Nebendahl K, Klöppel G, Tietze LF. Inhibitory effect of a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor on growth and spread of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma evaluated in an orthotopic severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse model. Cancer Lett. 165(2):161-70, 2001.

Eberhard A, Kahlert S, Goede V, Hemmerlein B, Plate KH, Augustin HG. Heterogeneity of angiogenesis and blood vessel maturation in human tumors: implications for antiangiogenic tumor therapies. Cancer Res. 60(5):1388-93, 2000.

Reviews

Héroult M, Schaffner F, Augustin HG. Eph receptor and ephrin ligand-mediated interactions during angiogenesis and tumor progression. Exp Cell Res. 10;312(5):642-50, 2006

Augustin HG. Translating angiogenesis research into the clinic: the challenges ahead. Br J Radiol. 76 Spec No 1:S3-10, 2003

Augustin HG, Reiss Y. EphB receptors and ephrinB ligands: regulators of vascular assembly and homeostasis. Cell Tissue Res. 314(1):25-31, 2003.