What is normal? Apelin and VEGFA, drivers of tumor vessel abnormality.

In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Uribesalgo and coworkers show that high Apelin expression correlates with poor survival in advanced breast (MMTV-NeuT) and lung (KRASG12D ) murine tumor models as well as in breast and lung cancer in humans. Combining Apelin inhibition (genetically or using an inactive Apelin agonist) with anti-angiogenic therapy using different small molecular weight kinase inhibitors (sunitinib, axitinib) led to marked delay in breast cancer growth in mice. The vasculature in Apelin-targeted cancer showed normalized features including improved perfusion and reduced leakage. These important data provide a strong incentive to target Apelin in human cancer treatment.