LW-1 MY LIFE WORK : MY RESEARCH WORK FOCUSING ON TUMOR-ASSOCIATED ENDOTHELIAL CELLS ALONG WITH VEGF FOR 30 YEARS

Abstract

Abstract When I was a medical student, I happened to see the typical histopathology of glioblatoma (GBM) containing expanding necrosis surrounded by enormous glomerulous microvasculature with endothelial proliferation resembling glomeruli in the kidney. It looks like tumor cells starving out due to lack of blood supply with accelerating growth. Since then, I have been fascinated by tumor angiogenesis that might be an attractive therapeutic target.In 1989, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular permeability factor (VPF) turned out to be identical. In 1992, VEGF expression was distributed surrounding necrosis area in GBM. In 1993, anti-tumor effect of monoclonal antibody for VEGF via inhibition of angiogenesis on various tumor models including glioma was verified in vivo. In 1996, VEGF was found to inhibit the functional maturation of dendritic cells, suggesting that therapeutic blockade of VEGF may improve prospect for immunotherapy as well as inhibition of angiogenesis. Those findings made me excited with visionary idea that combination therapy of anti-VEGF therapy and dendritic cell-based immunotherapy might be a potential therapeutic approach for GBM. Currently, I am dedicated in clinical study of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy and bevacizumab for GBM.Since graduating from medical school and discovery of VEGF in the same era, my clinic and research have been supported by serendipity of a vast of experiences and many people. I would give take-home message to next generation that originality and creativity were cultivated in real-world, and that serendipity and integration were precious for development of basic and clinical research.