Case studies from CRT's Discovery Laboratory
Magic Roundabout:
Background
Magic Roundabout (Robo4/ECSM4) is a distant homologue of the Roundabout family that is traditionally implicated in neuronal guidance. Magic Roundabout was identified by a team led by Prof. Roy Bicknell at the Molecular Angiogenesis Laboratory, Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine, Oxford. It is a transmembrane receptor that is specifically expressed in endotheial cells of angiogenic blood vessels.
Together, the tumour-specificity of Magic Roundabout expression and its potential role in angiogenesis highlights the receptor as an exciting candidate for development of tumour targeting agents.
The Collaboration
CRT's scientists collaborated with Prof Bicknell's laboratory to generate and characterise anti-Magic Roundabout monoclonal antibodies and to synthesise soluble receptors for expression and functional analysis.
Through the reagents provided by CRT, Prof. Bicknell’s laboratory was able to demonstrate that soluble Magic Roundabout receptor inhibits endothelial cell migration and invasion. This provided evidence that Magic Roundabout plays an important role in angiogenesis and thereby validated Magic Roundabout as an exciting target for therapeutic intervention and diagnostic applications.
The Magic Roundabout antibodies, soluble receptor and associated patent portfolios were subsequently out-licensed to a major biotechnology company.
Project Status
Magic Roundabout is currently under preclinical development by the Magic Roundabout licensee.
© Cancer Research Technology 2012