Professor Yan Xiyun’s group generated a monoclonal antibody, named AA98, specifically against tumor vascular endothelium by a special differential screening method. Using this antibody as a research tool, they discovered a novel marker for tumor vascular endothelium, CD146, and demonstrated that CD146 is specifically over-expressed in nascent vessels and involved in angiogenesis. Animal experiments showed that anti-CD146 antibody, AA98, could inhibit neovascularization and the growth and metastasis of several kinds of tumors. This work was the first to elucidate the role of CD146 in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis and the underlying mechanism. It provided a new target for cancer diagnosis and therapy targeting tumor vessels. Moreover, the antibody AA98, displaying marked inhibitory activities against angiogenesis and tumor growth, has great potential to be developed as a novel anti-cancer therapeutic antibody. This application has attracted the attention of national and international colleagues and pharmaceutical companies. This work was given the “Progress in Science and Technology, Beijing Municipality” award to mark this achievement.

This work was published on Blood (2003,102(1):184-191).