research in the authors laboratory is supported by funding from the association for international cancer research , the associazione italiana ricerca sul cancro , fondazione cariplo , fondazione telethon , and the italian ministry of health .
 the neural adhesion molecule l1 is involved in development and plasticity of the nervous system . 
 we recently reported aberrant expression of l1 in the vasculature of various human tumor types . 
 genetic and functional inactivation of endothelial l1 in a mouse tumor model resulted in decreased tumor angiogenesis and promoted vascular normalization . 
 thus , endothelial l1 might represent a novel therapeutic target for vessel - targeted treatments of solid tumors . 
Funding