Tumor endothelial target protein | Role of antigen in tumor angiogenesis | Refs. |
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Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1); fms-like tyrosine kinase (flt)-1 | Receptor that binds VEGF with high affinity Dominant receptor in the tumor microenvironment that is required for endothelial cell survival | |
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2); Flk-1, KDR | Also known as FLK-1 and KDR Binds to VEGF and is considered the most important receptor with regard to tumor angiogenesis Expressed on proliferating endothelium Low expression on healthy vascular endothelium | |
Endoglin/CD105 | Selectively expressed by endothelial cells undergoing vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and inflammation Promotes endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation during early development and in tumors | |
Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) | Bind to fibroblast growth factor family members, having diverse roles in organogenesis, proliferation, pro-survival cell signaling and cellular migration FGF/FGFR system contributes to both adult angiogenesis and tumor angiogenesis FGFR signaling is implicated in escape of tumor vasculature from VEGF inhibitor treatment | |
Integrin αvβ3; CD51/CD61 | An extracellular matrix adhesion receptor that coordinates endothelial cell responses during angiogenesis Expressed in neo-angiogenic vessels; therefore, it is upregulated in the vasculature of solid tumors, while expression is low in quiescent vasculature | |
Tumor endothelial marker 1 (TEM1); endosialin or CD248 | One of the most abundantly expressed proteins on tumor vasculature and tumor stroma of human tumors Expression is variable among tumor types; however, this protein can reportedly be expressed on endothelial cells, pericytes, and/or fibroblasts of human and animal tumors |