Carbohydrate-recognition and angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is required for the continual growth of the tumor and provides a gateway for cells to escape the confines of the primary tumor. Angiogenic stimulus triggers a cascade of functional responses leading to local basement membrane dissolution, endothelial cell migration, proliferation and microvessel morphogenesis. In this commentary, we review the significance of carbohydrate-binding proteins involved in angiogenesis. The importance of carbohydrate-recognition processes to angiogenesis stems from the observation that angiogenic factors like fibroblast growth factor family and vascular endothelial growth factors bind initially to the extracellular matrix proteoglycans before binding to their cognate receptors, and some of the adhesion molecules bind to glycoconjugates present on the surface of the endothelial cells. The possible significance of these interactions will be discussed.