Cancer

Cancers occur when, as a result of cellular aberations, the normal life cycle of the cell is disrupted and cells proliferate in an uncontrolled manner (typically forming tumors). As part of cancer's progression, tumors often divert nutrients found in blood in order to grow and survive. Tumors promote new vascular development by sending out complex biological signals that result in the aggressive growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Developing effective anti-angiogenic agents that target tumor growth as a means of halting cancer has been the subject of intense pharmaceutical industry research. Chemokines and their receptors important modulators of immune cell function - directing the migration, proliferation and activation of cellular signaling pathways that underlie healthy and aberrant immune responses. In addition to the "cell traffic control" functions, chemokines and their receptors play a key roles in the development and health of many organ systems, including the central nervous system, cardiovascular and hematopoietic system. In the case of cancer, tumors secrete inflammatory cytokines that induce the expression of chemokines involved in promoting the growth of vascular tissue, providing a link to the chemokine system's role in the establishment of cancers. In particular, the CXC family of chemokine ligands, (and their corresponding receptors), have been implicated the survival, growth and migration of human cancers and in the process of tumor angiogenesis.