Background
Solid tumors depend on neovascularisation (angiogenesis) for supply of nutrients and oxygen,removal of waist products and the spreading of metastases, and strong molecularrelationships between the vascular and nervous systems have been identified in the last decade. On these bases we concentrate our attention on proteins families with a primary function in the biology of neuronal synapses and we try to translate their functions into the vascular system.
Achievements
We demonstrated that important protein members of the synaptic machinery (Neurexin and Neuroligin) are produced and processed by cells of the blood vessels, are dynamically regulated during angiogenesis, and control blood vessel tone. These findings bring totally new molecular players into the vascular biology field and the bulk of knowledge acquired on their functions in the nervous system will potentially open new therapeutic approaches.
Goals
At this stage the goals of this laboratory are: (i) To draw a parallel between the multifaceted functions of the vascular system and those of Neurexin and Neuroligin in synapses through genetic and biochemical tools (ii) To target tumor progression by understanding the role of Neurexin and Neuroligin in regulating the interactions between tumor cells and the blood vessels/nerves that invade them.
Internal collaborations
Laboratory of Cell Adhesion Dynamics: interactions between cell-to-cell adhesive receptors of tumor endothelial cells with Neurexin and Neuroligin in cancer growth and invasion. Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking: role of vesicle recycling in Neuroligin function in endothelial cells
