Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to galectins due to their freshly described multidirectional activity in facilitating the development of malignant tumours. They contain one or more evolutionarily conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) – sequences that are responsible for binding to carbohydrates. Galectins, a family of lectins that bind β-galactosides, are generally well-known due to their role in cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions. In this review, we summarize the latest reports about less known molecules involved in angiogenesis. Recently, many new molecules that influence the formation of new vessels have been discovered, proving the complexity of this process. This emphasizes the need for further research, to improve anti-angiogenic therapies in the future. However, therapies based mainly on the inhibition of key molecules such as VEGF have proven to be of limited effectiveness, leading to the development of drug resistance. Progressive knowledge about the extensive role of angiogenesis in cancer has inspired scientists to seek therapies based on inhibiting the growth of the new vessels. The main role in this process is attributed to angiogenic molecules such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), or the platelet-derived growth factor family, but also phenomena such as hypoxia, immune cell activity, or changes in the tumour microenvironment. Many molecular pathways are directly related to angiogenesis, but only some of them have been extensively studied and described so far. It is widely described that tumours cannot grow beyond 2 mm 3 without an adequate supply of nutrients and oxygen via a proper vascular system.

Their role as targets for new drugs and as prognostic markers in neoplasms is discussed in this review.Īngiogenesis is recognized to play a crucial role in tumour growth, progression, and metastasis. The newly discovered molecules are of great interest as a potential source of new anti-cancer therapies. Anti-angiogenic treatment based mainly on VEGF inhibition has proved to be of limited effectiveness, leading to the development of drug resistance. Pentraxin-3, which appears to inhibit tumour angiogenesis, shows reduced expression in tumour tissues.

Increased expression of galectins, RLIP76, and B7H3 has been proven in several malignancies.

These molecules influence the most important molecular pathways involved in the formation of blood vessels in cancer, including the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor interaction (VEGFR), HIF1-a activation, or PI3K/Akt/mTOR and JAK-STAT signalling pathways. Herein we summarize novel discoveries related to the less known angiogenic molecules such as galectins, pentraxin-3, Ral-interacting protein of 76 kDa (RLIP76), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), B7-H3, and delta-like ligand-4 (DLL-4) and their role in the process of tumour angiogenesis. The whole process is the result of an interaction between a wide range of different molecules, influencing each other. Tumour angiogenesis is a crucial factor associated with tumour growth, progression, and metastasis.

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