Neurotransmitters as Regulators of Tumor Angiogenesis and Immunity: The Role of Catecholamines

The growing tumor employs various strategies to establish its growth, progression and spread in the host. Angiogenesis or formation of new blood vessels from existing ones and escape from immune surveillance are the two critical steps that ensure proper establishment and growth of the newly formed t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology 2013-03, Vol.8 (1), p.7-14
Main Authors:	Sarkar, Chandrani, Chakroborty, Debanjan, Basu, Sujit
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Angiogenesis Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use Animals Biomedical and Life Sciences Biomedicine Catecholamines - physiology Cell Biology Dopamine - physiology Epinephrine - physiology Humans Immunology Neoplasms - immunology Neoplasms - pathology Neovascularization, Pathologic - immunology Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology Neurosciences Neurotransmitter Agents - physiology Norepinephrine - physiology Perspective Pharmacology/Toxicology Virology
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Summary:	The growing tumor employs various strategies to establish its growth, progression and spread in the host. Angiogenesis or formation of new blood vessels from existing ones and escape from immune surveillance are the two critical steps that ensure proper establishment and growth of the newly formed tumor. Thus understanding the novel pathways associated with tumor angiogenesis and immunity may lead to the development of newer therapeutic strategies using the regulators of these pathways to improve patient outcomes. These two pivotal steps in the process of tumorigenesis are governed by plethora of endogenous factors. The neuroendocrine molecules, which include the catecholamine neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine are of growing interest considering their varied and diverse regulatory roles both in the process of tumor angiogenesis and tumor immunity. This review focuses on the emerging roles of catecholamines in modulating tumor angiogenesis and immunity, and also discusses the probable molecular mechanisms of their actions. Understanding of this new group of endogenous regulators of tumor growth may lead to the development of newer therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer.
ISSN:	1557-1890 1557-1904