[Angiogenesis and its regulation]

Angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) is essential in embryonal development, female reproduction and wound repair. Under these physiological conditions, angiogenesis is highly regulated by the endogenous angiogenic factor and its inhibitor. However, angiogenic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic retinopathy, solid tumor, hemangioma and psoriasis are driven by persistent unregulated angiogenesis. The angiogenic process consists of such multi-steps as degradation of basement membrane, cell migration and proliferation, and tube formation following activation of vascular endothelial cells by stimulators appearing at the pathological site. Thus, for modulating the pathological conditions, it is most important to elucidate the angiogenic mechanism at the molecular level. It is not sufficiently clear yet as compared with the blood coagulation and hematopoietic systems. On the other hand, there have been advances in the study of new anticancer metastatic agents as a target of activated endothelial cells and they have been found to have promising substances. In this study, the angiogenic factor, its inhibitor, and then the anticancer effect of the angiogenic inhibitor, have been investigated from the standpoint of cancer therapy.