Tumorigenic conversion of endothelial cells.

Tumors of endothelial origin develop rarely. Until now, only two angiosarcoma (AS)-derived endothelial cell lines have been be isolated, ISO-HAS and AS-M. Both AS-derived endothelial cell lines presented the typical endothelial characteristics, such as the expression of CD31 and von Willebrand factor, but differed from normal endothelial cells in a nuclear expression of p53, in a delayed angiogenic reaction, and a reduced expression of caveolin. In addition, differences in the expression of cytokines and cell adhesion molecules responsive to proinflammatory stimuli were observed. While AS-M showed an expression pattern similar to that of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), ISO-H…