First name
Francesca
Last name
Angiolini
Year of Study
Research Center
Thesis Title
The adhesion molecule L1: a novel player in ovarian cancer vasculature
Thesis Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) represents an outstanding clinical challenge because of its high
mortality rate, due to tumor relapse and chemoresistance. The identification of novel
strategies for the treatment of OC is clearly an unmet clinical need. In this context,
drugs interfering with tumor neovascularization have shown promising results in
clinical trials, however, with only transient beneficial effects. Thus, the definition of
novel druggable targets within OC vasculature will likely contribute to improve the
clinical management of patients.
L1 is a transmembrane adhesion molecule in the nervous system. However, several
studies have demonstrated its involvement in different types of human cancer. In this
context, L1 expression is generally associated with poor diagnosis, aggressive
behavior and increased metastatic spread.
Our laboratory has obtained compelling evidence that L1 is aberrantly expressed in
tumor vasculature and exerts a pleiotropic function in endothelial cells.
Based on these findings and on the pivotal role of angiogenesis in ovarian cancer, in
this work I have investigate the functional role of L1 within the OC-associated
vasculature. My results revealed that L1 is abundant in OC vasculature as compared
to normal vessels and it was found to be a causal player in OC progression. This
research, besides giving insights into novel pathways involved in pathological
angiogenesis, provides the rationale for exploring the clinical relevance of L1
expression and function in OC vessels and in their crosstalk with tumor cells, possibly
opening new avenues for the development of innovative targeted therapies for OC
malignancy.
mortality rate, due to tumor relapse and chemoresistance. The identification of novel
strategies for the treatment of OC is clearly an unmet clinical need. In this context,
drugs interfering with tumor neovascularization have shown promising results in
clinical trials, however, with only transient beneficial effects. Thus, the definition of
novel druggable targets within OC vasculature will likely contribute to improve the
clinical management of patients.
L1 is a transmembrane adhesion molecule in the nervous system. However, several
studies have demonstrated its involvement in different types of human cancer. In this
context, L1 expression is generally associated with poor diagnosis, aggressive
behavior and increased metastatic spread.
Our laboratory has obtained compelling evidence that L1 is aberrantly expressed in
tumor vasculature and exerts a pleiotropic function in endothelial cells.
Based on these findings and on the pivotal role of angiogenesis in ovarian cancer, in
this work I have investigate the functional role of L1 within the OC-associated
vasculature. My results revealed that L1 is abundant in OC vasculature as compared
to normal vessels and it was found to be a causal player in OC progression. This
research, besides giving insights into novel pathways involved in pathological
angiogenesis, provides the rationale for exploring the clinical relevance of L1
expression and function in OC vessels and in their crosstalk with tumor cells, possibly
opening new avenues for the development of innovative targeted therapies for OC
malignancy.
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