A fundamental feature of tumors is their ability to send signals into their environment to induce the formation of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. These blood vessels provide nutriments and oxygen that are essential for the survival and growth of the tumors. In addition, since tumor-associated blood vessels are leaky, they also allow tumor cells to disseminate to other tissues where they can form metastases, the most devastating step of cancer. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the formation and leakiness of blood vessels is critical to develop new and more effective therapeutic approaches that will result in the block of tumor vascularization and cancer progression.
In this context, we have been studying the functions and mechanisms of action of a protein called DEP-1, which is part of a family of enzymes with protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity. Our research so far indicates a crucial role for DEP-1 in the formation of blood vessels and their increased leakiness in response to "Vascular endothelial growth factor", one of the most important tumor-derived messengers that promote angiogenesis and the progression of cancer. Thus, on the basis of these promising results, our research goals are 1)  to further understand how the functions of DEP-1 are regulated,  and 2) to demonstrate that cancer progression and metastasis are dependent on DEP-1. The knowledge generated may contribute to the design of novel strategies targeting DEP-1 to block cancer progression.

This research project is jointly funded with the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.