PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - El-Sheikh, Amr
AU  - Liu, Cheng
AU  - Huang, Haining
AU  - Edgington, Thomas S.
TI  - A Novel Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Heparin-binding Domain Substructure Binds to Glycosaminoglycans <strong><em>in Vivo</em></strong> and Localizes to Tumor Microvascular Endothelium
DP  - 2002 Dec 01
TA  - Cancer Research
PG  - 7118--7123
VI  - 62
IP  - 23
4099  - http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/62/23/7118.short
4100  - http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/62/23/7118.full
SO  - Cancer Res2002 Dec 01; 62
AB  - Vascular endothelial growth factor has an exon 7-encoded heparin-binding domain. To explore the expression of complementary ligands on endothelial surfaces in vivo and to assess potential for localization within the vascular tree, we introduced a truncated version of this domain (HBDt) into a modified M13 phage. Despite the small size and trace-level expression, this HBDt endowed the phage with affinity for heparin to which it bound in vitro. It also preferentially and selectively localized the phage in vivo to vascular endothelial surfaces, especially of tumors. Competition assays demonstrated that accumulation and localization of this phage was attributable to expression of the HBDt on the phage surface and sequence comparison suggests its novelty. We propose to use this novel HBDt structure to explore the expression of the ligand glycosaminoglycans within the vascular tree. This structure may facilitate directed delivery of therapeutic molecules. ©2002 American Association for Cancer Research.