Plxdc2, also known as Tumor endothelial marker 7-related (TEM7R) encodes a protein with 57% amino acid identity to TEM7, the most abundant tumor endothelial marker. Plxdc2 is strongly expressed in the endothelial cells of the tumor stroma, but not in the endothelial cells of normal colonic tissue. Plxdc2 is also expressed at high levels in vessels of some normal tissues, with highest expression in muscle and lung. Plxdc2 and TEM7 may be important for tumor angiogenesis in humans. Cortactin was identified as a protein capable of binding to the extracellular region of both TEM7 and Plxdc2, and may provide new opportunities for the delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents to the vessels of solid tumors.
