FGF2 exerts angiogenic activity in vivo and induce a pro-angiogenic phenotype in cultured endothelial cells. In vivo, FGF2 exerts paracrine effects on endothelial cells when released by tumor and/or inflammatory cells. FGF2 may also play an autocrine role in endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo.
 

Paracrine and autocrine activity of FGF2 on endothelium. Tumor cells and inflammatory cells (Mf) release FGF2 which acts on endothelial cells in a paracrine mode of action. Alternatively, endogenous FGF2 is upregulated in endothelial cells causing an autocrine loop of stimulation.

FGF2 may therefore represent a target for anti-angiogenic therapies. In order to assess the angiostatic potential of different classes of compounds, novel experimental models have been developed based on the autocrine and/or the paracrine capacity of FGF2.

The work described in the present paper was supported by grants from Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (AIDS Project), European Communities (Human Capital Mobility Project "Mechanisms for the Regulation of Angiogenesis"), C.N.R. (Target Project Biotechnology), and M.U.R.S.T (Project "Inflammation: Biology and Clinics").