ABSTRACT

We are developing integrated, combinatorial library platform technologies that will enable the identification, validation and prioritization of molecular targets in human blood vessels. Expanding our understanding of this complex system will lead to insights into the biology of the tumor circulatory microenvironment, changes in blood vessels during tumor progression, and the localization of novel markers in cancer and in other diseases with an angiogenesis component. The vascular endothelium expresses differential receptors depending on the functional state and tissue localization of its lining cells. We have developed technologies to characterize functionally this receptor heterogeneity with phage display random peptide libraries1,2. We have isolated several peptide ligands that home to tissue-specific endothelial cell receptors following intravenous administration. Such peptide ligands can be used to target therapeutic compounds or imaging agents to endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo.