RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Genes Expressed in Human Tumor Endothelium JF Science JO Science FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP 1197 OP 1202 DO 10.1126/science.289.5482.1197 VO 289 IS 5482 A1 Croix, Brad St. A1 Rago, Carlo A1 Velculescu, Victor A1 Traverso, Giovanni A1 Romans, Katharine E. A1 Montgomery, Elizabeth A1 Lal, Anita A1 Riggins, Gregory J. A1 Lengauer, Christoph A1 Vogelstein, Bert A1 Kinzler, Kenneth W. YR 2000 UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/289/5482/1197.abstract AB To gain a molecular understanding of tumor angiogenesis, we compared gene expression patterns of endothelial cells derived from blood vessels of normal and malignant colorectal tissues. Of over 170 transcripts predominantly expressed in the endothelium, 79 were differentially expressed, including 46 that were specifically elevated in tumor-associated endothelium. Several of these genes encode extracellular matrix proteins, but most are of unknown function. Most of these tumor endothelial markers were expressed in a wide range of tumor types, as well as in normal vessels associated with wound healing and corpus luteum formation. These studies demonstrate that tumor and normal endothelium are distinct at the molecular level, a finding that may have significant implications for the development of anti-angiogenic therapies.