Mechanistic studies and therapeutic potential of angiopoietin in head and neck tumor angiogenesis

Xiaojuan Zhong ¹ Yujie Fei ² Haihui Zhao ³ Jiao Chen ² Mingyu Gao ⁴ Yi Huang ^5* Wei Fei ^5*

• ¹ University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
• ² State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
• ³ Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
• ⁴ Second People’s Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, China
• ⁵ Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China

Head and neck tumors represent a prevalent category of oral and maxillofacial malignancies, posing significant therapeutic and prognostic challenges due to their complex anatomical structure, tumor heterogeneity, and resistance to conventional therapies. Recent studies have highlighted the strong association between tumor progression and neoangiogenesis, with the angiopoietin (ANG) family playing a central role in this process. Comprising ANG1, ANG2, ANG3, and ANG4, these factors regulate multiple signaling pathways that promote cellular growth, differentiation, and proliferation, thereby driving angiogenesis and accelerating tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of the ANG family’s role in head and neck tumors may offer critical insights into tumorigenesis mechanisms and unveil novel therapeutic targets. Such research has the potential to improve treatment outcomes and enhance the quality of life for patients.