Vasostatin, a Calreticulin Fragment, Inhibits Angiogenesis and Suppresses Tumor Growth

An endothelial cell inhibitor was purified from supernatant of an Epstein-Barr virus–immortalized cell line and identified as fragments of calreticulin. The purified recombinant NH(2)-terminal domain of calreticulin (amino acids 1–180) inhibited the proliferation of endothelial cells, but not cells of other lineages, and suppressed angiogenesis in vivo. We have named this NH(2)-terminal domain of calreticulin vasostatin. When inoculated into athymic mice, vasostatin significantly reduced growth of human Burkitt lymphoma and human colon carcinoma. Compared with other inhibitors of angiogenesis, vasostatin is a small, soluble, and stable molecule that is easy to produce and deliver. As an angiogenesis inhibitor that specifically targets proliferating endothelial cells, vasostatin has a unique potential for cancer treatment.