What is endostatin?

endostatins is a naturally generated fragment of C-terminal protein, which is the result of proteolytic cleavage of the COL18A1 protein. It generally exhibits anti -angiogenic properties in the body. It is also studied as an anti -cancer drug. Angiogenesis or blood vessel formation is lowered in tumors of growth factors, such as fibroblast growth factors (FGF), and angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf). The release of these factors into the tumor environment leads to the growth of capillaries in tumors and provides nutrients that allow the survival and growth of the tumor. Therefore, compounds that act on inhibition of angiogenesis have the potential to be strong inhibitors of tumor growth and metastases.

The anti -angiogenic properties of the endostatin were first reported in 1997 by the Juda Folkman Laboratory, MD, which found that this compound reduced the tumors in the mice by blocking the tumor blood supply. Clinical studies that began at the end of the 90s have reported that it has arrested tumor growth in human subjects and significantly zlEpšil the quality of life. This was even true in patients where other treatment failed.

Although endostatin has arrested tumor growth, it failed to reduce most of the tumors in patients, and therefore the results of these clinical studies were considered to be disappointing. This report associated with the fact that the endostatin was expensive to produce did not lead to insufficient interest in further production. Only when the reformulation of the compound led to cheaper production - and this formulation of endostatin was approved in China in 2005 for the treatment of lung cancer - this interest began to increase again. It was Being studied as a treatment of cancer combined with other cancer drugs.

endostatins have several advantages over conventional cancer treatment. Because it is naturally produced by the body and works to modify only those cells that line the blood vessels, the news of toxicity is low. In addition, because the news suggests that it resulted in a dormantDR even after several cycles of treatment, it is assumed that it does not indicate resistance to the drug, which is a common problem with other cancer treatments.

angiostatin and thrombospondins are other naturally occurring compounds that also show promising as anti -angiogenic drugs. Angiostatin is a proteolytic fission product of plasminogen of blood factor. Thrombospondins are a family of secreted proteins that inhibit angiogenesis through several mechanisms, most often of which they studied the ability of thrombospondins to reduce the cellular response to the Vegf. Both angiostatin and thrombospondine show the ability to injeibit angiogenesis in tumor development and may be promising drugs for cancer treatment.

endostatins is also studied as a treatment of two serious eye disorders: diabetic retinopathy and wet form of macular degeneration. Both of these conditions arise from the formation of new blood vessels in areas where they usually do not grow. These blood vessels are often weak and leaking, resulting in fluid accumulation and deterioratingseeing vision. As with tumor angiogenesis, these changes are often associated with cellular release of VEGF and endostatin is therefore considered to be possible treatment of these conditions.