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Angiogenesis is a critical step in the progression of almost all human malignancies and some other life-threatening diseases. Anti-angiogenic therapy is a novel and effective approach for treatment of angiogenesis-dependent diseases such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. In this article, we will review the main strategies developed for anti-angiogenic therapies beside their clinical applications, the major challenges, and the latest advances in the development of anti-angiogenesis-based targeted therapies.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) promote neovascularization and tissue repair by migrating to vascular injury sites; therefore, factors that enhance EPC homing to damaged tissues are of interest. Here, we provide evidence of the prominent role of the Netrin‐4 (NTN4)–Unc‐5 Netrin receptor B (UNC5B) axis in EPC‐specific promotion of ischemic neovascularization. Our results showed that NTN4 promoted the proliferation, chemotactic migration, and paracrine effects of small EPCs (SEPCs) and significantly increased the incorporation of large EPCs (LEPCs) into tubule networks. Additionally, NTN4 prominently augmented neovascularization in mice with hindlimb ischemia by increasing the homing of exogenously transplanted EPCs to the ischemic limb and incorporating EPCs into vessels. Moreover, silencing of UNC5B, an NTN4 receptor, abrogated the NTN4‐induced cellular activities of SEPCs in vitro and blood‐flow recovery and neovascularization in vivo in ischemic muscle by reducing EPC homing and incorporation. These findings suggest NTN4 as an EPC‐based therapy for treating angiogenesis‐dependent diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Angiogenesis is a critical step in the progression of almost all human malignancies and some other life-threatening diseases. Anti-angiogenic therapy is a novel and effective approach for treatment of angiogenesis-dependent diseases such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. In this article, we will review the main strategies developed for anti-angiogenic therapies beside their clinical applications, the major challenges, and the latest advances in the development of anti-angiogenesis-based targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polymer conjugation is an efficient approach to improve the delivery of drugs and biological agents, both by protecting the body from the drug (by improving biodistribution and reducing toxicity) and by protecting the drug from the body (by preventing degradation and enhancing cellular uptake). This review discusses the journey that polymer therapeutics make through the body, following the ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) concept. The biological factors and delivery system parameters that influence each stage of the process will be described, with examples illustrating the different solutions to the challenges of drug delivery systems in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Angiogenesis is one of the critical physiological processes, by which the new blood vessels are generated from the pre-existing vessels in the early stage of vasculogenesis. While normal angiogenesis is critical for development and tissue growth, pathologic angiogenesis is important for the growth and spread of cancers by supplying nutrients and oxygen as well as providing a conduit for distant metastasis. In the last two decades, angiogenesis has been the area of extensive researches, indicating antiangiogenic target therapy as an effective strategy for cancer therapy. At present, this field has become a major avenue for research and development of novel therapeutics., Objective: This review is dedicated to an updated review of the most prominent antiangiogenic agents, emphasizing the novel advancements and their applications, in particular, in the fields of antibodies, peptides, vaccines, endogenous inhibitors, Nanoparticles (NPs), antiangiogenic oligonucleotides and small molecules. Also, the potential role of 3D microfluidic models as an affordable and time-saving tool for angiogenesis investigations are discussed., Methods: Firstly, we collected and summarized new developments that have occurred in all review and research articles in databases. Then, we used important keywords related to antiangiogenic target therapy and their applications for retrieval of most relevant data., Results: This review is based on recent research and review articles and intended to cover all newly discovered agents inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and in particular, VEGF., Conclusion: New research studies have shown that anti-angiogenesis agents especially, in the form of combination therapy are effective in various cancers treatment., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)