Haematologica Reports 2006; 2(issue 3): 52-53[prev][index][next]

Antiangiogenic activity of zoledronic acid: inhibition of the VEGF-VEGFR-2 autocrine
loop in the endothelial cells of patients with multiple myeloma
Vacca A, ¹ Scavelli C, ¹ Di Pietro G,¹ Cirulli T,¹ Ribatti D,^1
1Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology; §Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy

Blood vessels are an important component of bone marrow microenvironment in multiple myeloma (MM). Their formation (angiogenesis) parallels the transition from monoclonal gammopathy unassociated/unattributable (MG[u]) to MM, or from remission MM to relapse and the leukemic phase.^1,2 The new vessels convey oxygen and metabolites, while endothelial cells (EC) at their tips secrete growth and invasive factors for plasma cells.³
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