After the treatment period, the tumor tissues were weighed and harvested for mRNA and protein isolation. qPCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expression of cancer stemness markers (epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM], cluster of differentiation [CD13], CD90, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 [ALDH1], CD44, and CD45), totipotency factors (sex determining region Y-box 2 [Sox2], Nanog, and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 [Oct4]), and genes involved in the Notch, Wnt/<i>β</i>-catenin, Hedgehog, and Hippo signaling pathways.
It is expected that the RGD peptide selectively binds to α<sub>v</sub> -integrin receptors, which are highly expressed in cancer cells, and that the NGR peptide selectively targets aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13, EC 3.4.11.2), which is overexpressed in blood vessels of tumors.
Nevertheless, results indicated that both conjugates showed significant effect on inhibition of proliferation in the primary tumor and also on blood vessel formation making them a potential candidate for targeting angiogenesis processes in tumors where CD13 and integrins are involved.
In this proof-of-principle study, we assessed the biological effects of Bestatin on individual cells from different AML cell lines expressing CD13 proteins, a potential target for tumor targeted therapy.
We treated adiponectin (APN) knock-out mice with the carcinogen diethylnitrosamine, and the resulting tumors were 7-fold larger than wild-type controls.
<i>In situ</i> imaging of aminopeptidase N activity in hepatocellular carcinoma: a migration model for tumour using an activatable two-photon NIR fluorescent probe.
Truncated tissue factor (tTF)-NGR consists of the extracellular domain of the human TF and the binding motif NGR. tTF-NGR activates blood coagulation within the tumour vasculature following binding to CD13, and is overexpressed in the endothelial cells of tumour vessels, resulting in tumour vessel infarction and subsequent retardation/regression of tumour growth.
Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) is a zinc-dependent M1 aminopeptidase that contributes to cancer progression by promoting angiogenesis, metastasis, and tumor invasion.
The serum IL-4 and IL-10 levels in patients with postoperative infection of colorectal cancer are positively correlated with the stage of cancer, while the serum APN level was negatively correlated with the stage of cancer.
The aim of the present review is to summarize the currently available evidence on the involvement of APN and its signaling in the etiology of cancer, focusing on endocrine malignancies.
Cytotoxic effect of the synthesized compounds was evaluated against a group of cancer cell lines, including MCF-7, A2780 (α<sub>v</sub>β<sub>3</sub> positive), OVCAR3 (high α<sub>v</sub>β<sub>3</sub>), HT-1-80 (high CD13) and SKOV-3 (CD13 positive).
It may be inferred from these studies that the three radiotracers are promising probes for in vivo imaging of CD13 receptor expressing cancer sites; however, <sup>68</sup> Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) is a better candidate.