Alternative splicing in endothelial cells: novel therapeutic opportunities in cancer angiogenesis

7noAlternative splicing (AS) is a pervasive molecular process generating multiple protein isoforms, from a single gene. It plays fundamental roles during development, differentiation and maintenance of tissue homeostasis, while aberrant AS is considered a hallmark of multiple diseases, including cancer. Cancer-restricted AS isoforms represent either predictive biomarkers for diagnosis/prognosis or targets for anti-cancer therapies. Here, we discuss the contribution of AS regulation in cancer angiogenesis, a complex process supporting disease development and progression. We consider AS programs acting in a specific and non-redundant manner to influence morphological and functional changes involved in cancer angiogenesis. In particular, we describe relevant AS variants or splicing regulators controlling either secreted or membrane-bound angiogenic factors, which may represent attractive targets for therapeutic interventions in human cancer.openopenDi Matteo A.; Belloni E.; Pradella D.; Cappelletto A.; Volf N.; Zacchigna S.; Ghigna C.Di Matteo, A.; Belloni, E.; Pradella, D.; Cappelletto, A.; Volf, N.; Zacchigna, S.; Ghigna, C