Angiocrine factor

Angiocrine factors are a heterogeneous group of secreted proteins, including growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix components, produced by endothelial cells to regulate tissue-specific functions (Rafii et al., 2016, Nature). These factors play a critical role in organogenesis, stem cell niche maintenance, and tissue regeneration by providing paracrine signals to adjacent parenchymal cells (Nolan et al., 2013, Blood). In pathological conditions, such as cancer and fibrosis, the endothelium can undergo a "maladaptive angiocrine switch," where the profile of secreted factors shifts to promote disease progression (Pasquier et al., 2020, Frontiers in Oncology). For example, endothelial-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Notch ligands are well-characterized angiocrine factors that have been targeted in oncology to disrupt the tumor microenvironment (Cao, 2013, Science Translational Medicine). Because the term "angiocrine factors" refers to a broad functional class rather than a single molecular entity, therapeutic development typically focuses on specific members of this group (Goveia et al., 2014, Cancer Cell). The endothelium acts as an active paracrine organ, producing these factors to instruct neighboring parenchymal and stem cells (Butler et al., 2010, Nature Reviews Cancer). This signaling is essential for maintaining the balance between quiescence and proliferation in various tissue niches (Ding et al., 2011, Cell). Targeting the angiocrine code offers a potential strategy to normalize the vasculature and restore healthy tissue function in chronic diseases (Poulos et al., 2017, JCI Insight).

Other names

Angiocrine factorsEndothelial-derived factorsAngiocrinesEndothelial paracrine factors

Inhibition of endothelial-derived paracrine signaling to disrupt the supportive microenvironment for tumor growth or fibrotic progression.