NCIt definition : A humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the human alpha v integrin subunit
with potential antiangiogenic and antineoplastic activities. Abituzumab, a chimeric
antibody which includes the antigen binding sites of the anti-integrin mouse antibody
17E6, binds to and inhibits the activity of alphaVbeta3 integrin (vitronectin receptor);
this may result in the inhibition of endothelial cell-cell interactions, endothelial
cell-matrix interactions, and integrin-mediated tumor angiogenesis and metastasis
in alphavbeta3-expressing tumor cells. AlphaVbeta3 integrin, a cell adhesion and signaling
receptor, is expressed on the surface of tumor vessel endothelial cells and plays
a crucial role in endothelial cell adhesion and migration.;