# TUMOR CELL INVASION OF MICROVESSEL SUBENDOTHELIAL MATRIX

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 1988 · $95,402

## Abstract

Blood-borne metastasis is highly complex process by which tumor cell emboli
successfully arrest in and penetrate the vessel wall of the
microvasculature.  Recent experimental evidence suggests that the invading
tumor cells destroy the basement membrane of the microvascular endothelium
by the elaboration of degradative enzymes.  An in vitro homologous model
system has been developed to examine the process of human tumor cell
invasion, using microvascular endothelial cells isolated from human
dermis.  In contrast to endothelial cells isolated from large blood
vessels, the cultured microvascular endothelial cells elaborate a
subendothelial matrix that contains type IV collagen, laminin, and heparan
sulfate proteoglycan, which are assembled into an ultrastructurally
identifiable basal lamina.  Using this in vitro system, the process of
metastatic tumor cell invasion of the microvascular endothelium and
associated basement membrane will be further defined.  The major objectives
of the proposed research are twofold; first, to examine the process by
which tumor cells adhere to and invade the endothelial cell layer, and
second to characterize the mechanism by which tumor cells adhere to and
degrade the subendothelial basement membrane.  The specific aims are:  (1)
To determine the biological and biochemical mechanisms for the preferential
adhesion of tumor cells to the subendothelial matrix as compared with the
microvascular endothelial cell surface.  (2) To examine how tumor cells
invade the microvascular endothelial cell monolayer by inducing retraction
of adjacent endothelial cells.  (3) To evaluate the potential role of
platelets in promoting tumor cell adhesion to microvascular endothelium and
the subendothelial basement membrane-matrix.  (4) To examine the
envolvement of specific proteinases in tumor cell-induced degradation of
glycoproteins and type IV collagen in the microvascular basement membrane.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3171620
- **Project number:** 5R01CA033834-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KMH5K9V7S518
- **Principal Investigator:** RANDALL H KRAMER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $95,402
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-02-01 → 1989-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3171620

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3171620, TUMOR CELL INVASION OF MICROVESSEL SUBENDOTHELIAL MATRIX (5R01CA033834-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3171620. Licensed CC0.

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