But Doctor Akeila Bellahcène's most recent research demonstrates that DMP1 also deserves very special attention. In effect the results published in the journal Blood show that DMP1 is capable of blocking angiogenesis. Yet angiogenesis is vital for the development of tumours beyond a few cubic millimetres, as well as for the formation of metastases.
　　The work shows that DMP1 prevents endothelial cells (the cells which form new blood vessels over the course of angiogenesis) to respond to VEGF, a molecular signal sent by cancer cells to activate the formation of new feeder blood vessels. The presence of DMP1 halts the different stages which lead to the formation of new capillaries: the endothelial cells are placed in a resting non proliferative state.
　　"In an in vivo model of angiogenesis linked to tumour development, we have shown that the tumours from cancer cells in which we had beforehand overexpressed DMP1 had a reduced growth combined with very modest vascularisation in comparison with the control tumours," points out Doctor Bellahcène.