Abstract B156: Tumor high endothelial venules (HEVs), specialized blood vessels which recruit lymphocytes to limit tumor progression

Abstract

Abstract We discovered that some blood vessels present within the tumor microenvironment can be associated with favorable prognosis by contributing to tumor suppression rather than tumor growth (Martinet and Girard, Cancer Res 2011). These specialized blood vessels, designated high endothelial venules (HEVs), are normally found in lymph nodes where they mediate lymphocyte entry (Girard et al., Nat Rev Immunol 2012). A high density of tumor HEVs in human tumors was associated with high levels of cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration, indicating that HEVs may contribute to the eradication of tumors by facilitating access of ‘killer’ lymphocytes into tumor tissues. It is thus important to better define the mechanisms regulating HEV formation. Our previous data have revealed a critical role for dendritic cells (Moussion and Girard, Nature 2011). Here, we will present our most recent results indicating that tumor HEVs may be central to the control of tumor growth in mouse tumor models. Citation Format: Robin Laffont, Fanny Lafouresse, Jean-Philippe Girard. Tumor high endothelial venules (HEVs), specialized blood vessels which recruit lymphocytes to limit tumor progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B156.