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Endoglin (CD105): A Marker of Tumor Vasculature and Potential Target for Therapy

Authors' Affiliations: Departments of ¹ Surgical Oncology and ² Cancer Biology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

Requests for reprints: Lee M. Ellis, Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 444, P. O. Box 301402, Houston, TX 77230-1402. Phone: 713-792-6926; Fax: 713-792-4689; E-mail: lellis{at}mdanderson.org.

Endoglin (CD105) is an accessory protein of the transforming growth factor-β receptor system expressed on vascular endothelial cells. Mutation of the endoglin gene is associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias, or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, and has been studied extensively in the context of this disease. The expression of endoglin is elevated on the endothelial cells of healing wounds, developing embryos, inflammatory tissues, and solid tumors. Endoglin is a marker of activated endothelium, and its vascular expression is limited to proliferating cells. Recent studies identified endoglin expression in several solid tumor types, with the level of expression correlating with various clinicopathologic factors including decreased survival and presence of metastases. Attempts to target endoglin and the cells that express this protein in tumor-bearing mice have yielded promising results.