METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR MODULATING ANGIOGENESIS AND PERICYTE COMPOSITION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and composition for modulating angiogenesis and pericyte composition.SOLUTION: In certain aspects, the disclosure relates to the insight that a polypeptide comprising a ligand-binding portion of the ectodomain of activin-like kinase I (ALK1) polypeptide may be used to inhibit angiogenesis in vivo, particularly in mammals suffering from angiogenesis-related disorders. In addition, the disclosure demonstrates that inhibitors of ALK1 may be used to increase pericyte coverage in vascularized tissues including tumors and the retina. The disclosure identifies ligands of ALK1 and demonstrates that such ligands have pro-angiogenesis activity, and describes antibodies that inhibit receptor-ligand interaction.