<b>Objective</b>: To construct liposome (LP)-based nanocapsules with surface endoglin aptamer (ENG-Apt) encapsulating mouse interferon-inducible protein-10 (mIP-10), with the ability to target mouse tumor vascular endothelial cells (mTECs) and enhance CTLs targeting and recruitment to the tumor vasculature.
In addition, gene electrotransfer of therapeutic plasmid for silencing endoglin has also a direct effect on tumor vasculature and tumors cells; however in combination with radiotherapy this effect was masked by pronounced immune response.
<b>Purpose:</b> Endoglin (CD105) is an endothelial cell membrane receptor highly expressed on proliferating tumor vasculature, including that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and is associated with poor prognosis.
Endoglin and ALK1 receptor levels in tumor vasculature correlate inversely with prognosis in humans, whereas in mice, endoglin deficiency decelerates tumor progression.
Endoglin is a transforming growth factor-β (TGF- β) co-receptor that participates in the activation of a signaling pathway that mediates endothelial cell proliferation and migration in angiogenic tumor vasculature.
One promising target present specifically on tumor vasculature is endoglin (CD105), a member of the TGF-β receptor complex expressed on vascular endothelium and believed to play a role in angiogenesis.