Vasostatin, a calreticulin fragment, inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses tumor growth
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Updated: Oct 26, 2026

Modified In Vivo Matrix Gel Plug Assay for Angiogenesis Studies
Published on: June 30, 2023
1Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA.
Abstract:
An endothelial cell inhibitor was purified from supernatant of an Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized cell line and identified as fragments of calreticulin. The purified recombinant NH2-terminal domain of calreticulin (amino acids 1-180) inhibited the proliferation of endothelial cells, but not cells of other lineages, and suppressed angiogenesis in vivo. We have named this NH2-terminal domain of calreticulin vasostatin. When inoculated into athymic mice, vasostatin significantly reduced growth of human Burkitt lymphoma and human colon carcinoma. Compared with other inhibitors of angiogenesis, vasostatin is a small, soluble, and stable molecule that is easy to produce and deliver. As an angiogenesis inhibitor that specifically targets proliferating endothelial cells, vasostatin has a unique potential for cancer treatment.
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