Assessment of a novel VEGF targeted agent using patient-derived tumor tissue xenograft models of colon carcinoma with lymphatic and hepatic metastases.

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Ketao Jin

Full Text Available The lack of appropriate tumor models of primary tumors and corresponding metastases that can reliably predict for response to anticancer agents remains a major deficiency in the clinical practice of cancer therapy. It was the aim of our study to establish patient-derived tumor tissue (PDTT xenograft models of colon carcinoma with lymphatic and hepatic metastases useful for testing of novel molecularly targeted agents. PDTT of primary colon carcinoma, lymphatic and hepatic metastases were used to create xenograft models. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemical staining, genome-wide gene expression analysis, pyrosequencing, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were used to determine the biological stability of the xenografts during serial transplantation compared with the original tumor tissues. Early passages of the PDTT xenograft models of primary colon carcinoma, lymphatic and hepatic metastases revealed a high degree of similarity with the original clinical tumor samples with regard to histology, immunohistochemistry, genes expression, and mutation status as well as mRNA expression. After we have ascertained that these xenografts models retained similar histopathological features and molecular signatures as the original tumors, drug sensitivities of the xenografts to a novel VEGF targeted agent, FP3 was evaluated. In this study, PDTT xenograft models of colon carcinoma with lymphatic and hepatic metastasis have been successfully established. They provide appropriate models for testing of novel molecularly targeted agents.

Evaluation of 99mTc-Labeled Bevacizumab-N-HYNIC Conjugate in Human Ovarian Tumor Xenografts.

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Shah, Syed Qaiser; Mahmood, Samia

2018-03-20

The aim of the present investigation was to examine the suitability of 99m Tc-N-HYNIC-BZMB as a specific vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeting agent. Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits VEGF. N-hydroxysuccinimide-2-hydrazinonicotinic acid (N-HYNIC) was conjugated to BZMB, followed by labeling with 99m Tc using N-[Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl] glycine (tricine), ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (EDDA), and nicotinic acid as coligands. 99m Tc-labeled BZMB was characterized in terms of 99m TcO 4 , radiocolloids, and labeled N-HYNIC-BZMB using thin-layer chromatography and HPLC. Poor metastatic SKOV-3 and high metastatic SKOV-3.ip1 human ovarian cancer cell lines were used for in vitro binding uptake of 99m Tc-N-HYNIC-BZMB. Biodistribution and scintigraphy accuracy were examined in human ovarian tumor xenografts in rats and rabbits. 99m Tc-N-HYNIC-BZMB prepared by using a mixture of tricine and EDDA demonstrated relatively high radiochemical purity (more than 98%). In L-cysteine and serum, it exhibited a stable behavior up to 16 hours. In vitro binding uptake indicated that it targets high metastatic SKOV-3.ip1 tumors. Biodistribution in human ovarian tumor xenografts in rats confirmed a significant uptake in SKOV-3.ip1 tumors (5.69% ± 1.86%, 4 hours). Scintigraphic accuracy in human ovarian tumor xenografts in rabbits validated its suitability as a high metastatic SKOV-3.ip1 radiotracer. High radiochemical purity, stability in saline and serum, biodistribution, and scintigraphy of 99m Tc-N-HYNIC-BZMB in human ovarian tumor xenografts in rats and rabbits confirmed its suitability as a potential radiotracer for imaging high metastatic SKOV-3.ip1 sites.

Glycolysis-related gene induction and ATP reduction during fractionated irradiation. Markers for radiation responsiveness of human tumor xenografts

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Goetze, K.; Meyer, S.S.; Mueller-Klieser, W. [University Medical Center Mainz Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Physiology and Pathophysiology; Yaromina, A. [Technical Univ. Dresden (Germany). OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology; Zips, D. [University Hospital Tuebingen (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Baumann, M. [Technical Univ. Dresden (Germany). OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology; University Hospital Dresden Technical Univ. Dresden (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology

2013-09-15

Background and purpose: Lactate was previously shown to be a prognostic but not a predictive pre-therapeutic marker for radiation response of tumor xenografts. We hypothesize that metabolic changes during fractionated irradiation may restrict the predictiveness of lactate regarding tumor radiosensitivity. Materials and methods: Tumor xenografts were generated in nude mice by implanting 4 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma lines with different sensitivities to fractionated irradiation. Tumors were irradiated with up to 15 fractions of 2 Gy over a period of 3 weeks, and ATP and lactate levels were measured in vital tumor areas with induced metabolic bioluminescence imaging. Corresponding changes in mRNA expression of glycolysis-related genes were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Lactate content decreased significantly in 3 out of 4 cell lines in the course of irradiation showing no correlation with cell line-specific radiosensitivity. Radiation-induced changes in ATP levels and glycolysis-related mRNA expression, however, only occurred in radiosensitive or intermediately radioresistant xenografts, whereas these parameters remained unchanged in radioresistant tumors. Conclusion: Sensitivity-related differences in the transcriptional response of tumors to radiotherapy may be exploited in the clinic for better individualization of tumor treatment. (orig.)

Theranostic Nanoseeds for Efficacious Internal Radiation Therapy of Unresectable Solid Tumors

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Moeendarbari, Sina; Tekade, Rakesh; Mulgaonkar, Aditi; Christensen, Preston; Ramezani, Saleh; Hassan, Gedaa; Jiang, Ruiqian; Öz, Orhan K.; Hao, Yaowu; Sun, Xiankai

2016-02-01

Malignant tumors are considered “unresectable” if they are adhere to vital structures or the surgery would cause irreversible damages to the patients. Though a variety of cytotoxic drugs and radiation therapies are currently available in clinical practice to treat such tumor masses, these therapeutic modalities are always associated with substantial side effects. Here, we report an injectable nanoparticle-based internal radiation source that potentially offers more efficacious treatment of unresectable solid tumors without significant adverse side effects. Using a highly efficient incorporation procedure, palladium-103, a brachytherapy radioisotope in clinical practice, was coated to monodispersed hollow gold nanoparticles with a diameter about 120 nm, to form 103Pd@Au nanoseeds. The therapeutic efficacy of 103Pd@Au nanoseeds were assessed when intratumorally injected into a prostate cancer xenograft model. Five weeks after a single-dose treatment, a significant tumor burden reduction (>80%) was observed without noticeable side effects on the liver, spleen and other organs. Impressively, >95% nanoseeds were retained inside the tumors as monitored by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) with the gamma emissions of 103Pd. These findings show that this nanoseed-based brachytherapy has the potential to provide a theranostic solution to unresectable solid tumors.

Xenograft tumors derived from malignant pleural effusion of the patients with non-small-cell lung cancer as models to explore drug resistance.

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Xu, Yunhua; Zhang, Feifei; Pan, Xiaoqing; Wang, Guan; Zhu, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Wen, Danyi; Lu, Shun

2018-05-09

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusions show dramatic responses to specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); however, after 10-12 months, secondary mutations arise that confer resistance. We generated a murine xenograft model using patient-derived NSCLC cells isolated from the pleural fluid of two patients with NSCLC to investigate the mechanisms of resistance against the ALK- and EGFR-targeted TKIs crizotinib and osimertinib, respectively. Genotypes of patient biopsies and xenograft tumors were determined by whole exome sequencing (WES), and patients and xenograft-bearing mice received targeted treatment (crizotinib or osimertinib) accordingly. Xenograft mice were also treated for prolonged periods to identify whether the development of drug resistance and/or treatment responses were associated with tumor size. Finally, the pathology of patients biopsies and xenograft tumors were compared histologically. The histological characteristics and chemotherapy responses of xenograft tumors were similar to the actual patients. WES showed that the genotypes of the xenograft and patient tumors were similar (an echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-ALK (EML4-ALK) gene fusion (patient/xenograft: CTC15035 EML4-ALK ) and EGFR L858R and T790M mutations (patient/xenograft: CTC15063 EGFR L858R, T790M )). After continuous crizotinib or osimertinib treatment, WES data suggested that acquired ALK E1210K mutation conferred crizotinib resistance in the CTC15035 EML4-ALK xenograft, while decreased frequencies of EGFR L858R and T790M mutations plus the appearance of v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF) G7V mutations and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 2 alpha (PIK3C2A) A86fs frame shift mutations led to osimertinib resistance in the CTC15063 EGFR L858R, T790M xenografts. We successfully developed a new method of generating

Mesothelioma patient derived tumor xenografts with defined BAP1 mutations that mimic the molecular characteristics of human malignant mesothelioma

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Kalra, Neetu; Zhang, Jingli; Thomas, Anish; Xi, Liqiang; Cheung, Mitchell; Talarchek, Jacqueline; Burkett, Sandra; Tsokos, Maria G; Chen, Yuanbin; Raffeld, Mark; Miettinen, Markku; Pastan, Ira; Testa, Joseph R; Hassan, Raffit

2015-01-01

The development and evaluation of new therapeutic approaches for malignant mesothelioma has been sparse due, in part, to lack of suitable tumor models. We established primary mesothelioma cultures from pleural and ascitic fluids of five patients with advanced mesothelioma. Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry (IHC) confirmed their mesothelial origin. Patient derived xenografts were generated by injecting the cells in nude or SCID mice, and malignant potential of the cells was analyzed by soft agar colony assay. Molecular profiles of the primary patient tumors, early passage cell cultures, and patient derived xenografts were assessed using mutational analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis and IHC. Primary cultures from all five tumors exhibited morphologic and IHC features consistent to those of mesothelioma cells. Mutations of BAP1 and CDKN2A were each detected in four tumors. BAP1 mutation was associated with the lack of expression of BAP1 protein. Three cell cultures, all of which were derived from BAP1 mutant primary tumors, exhibited anchorage independent growth and also formed tumors in mice, suggesting that BAP1 loss may enhance tumor growth in vivo. Both early passage cell cultures and mouse xenograft tumors harbored BAP1 mutations and CDKN2A deletions identical to those found in the corresponding primary patient tumors. The mesothelioma patient derived tumor xenografts with mutational alterations that mimic those observed in patient tumors which we established can be used for preclinical development of novel drug regimens and for studying the functional aspects of BAP1 biology in mesothelioma. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1362-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The TCD50 and regrowth delay assay in human tumor xenografts: Differences and implications

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Budach, W.; Budach, V.; Stuschke, M.; Dinges, S.; Sack, H.

1993-01-01

The response to irradiation of five human xenograft cell lines - a malignant paraganglioma, a neurogenic sarcoma, a malignant histiocytoma, a primary lymphoma of the brain, and a squamous cell carcinoma - were tested in nude mice. All mice underwent 5 Gy whole body irradiation prior to xenotransplantation to minimize the residual immune response. The subcutaneous tumors were irradiated at a tumor volume of 120 mm 3 under acutely hypoxic conditions with single doses between 8 Gy and 80 Gy depending on the expected radiation sensitivity of the tumor line. Endpoints of the study were the tumor control dose 50% (TCD 50 ) and the regrowth delay endpoints growth delay, specific growth delay, and the tumor bed effect corrected specific growth delay. Specific growth delay and corrected specific growth delay at 76% of the TCD 50 was used in order to compare the data to previously published data from spheroids. The lowest TCD 50 was found in the lymphoma with 24.9 Gy, whereas the TCD 50 of the soft tissue sarcomas and the squamous cell carcinoma ranged from 57.8 Gy to 65.6 Gy. The isoeffective dose levels for the induction of 30 days growth delay, a specific growth delay of 3, and a corrected specific growth delay of 3 ranged from 15.5 Gy (ECL1) to 37.1 Gy (FADU), from 7.2 Gy (ENE2) to 45.6 Gy (EPG1) and from 9.2 Gy (ENE2) to 37.6 Gy (EPG1), respectively. The corrected specific growth delay at 76% of the TCD 50 was correlated with the number of tumor rescue units per 100 cells in spheroids, which was available for three tumor lines, and with the tumor doubling time in xenografts (n = 5). The TCD 50 values corresponded better to the clinical experience than the regrowth delay data. There was no correlation between TCD 50 and any of the regrowth delay endpoints. This missing correlation was most likely a result of large differences in the number of tumor rescue units in human xenografts of the same size

Orthotopic Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Xenografts in Mice.

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Xu, Zhongye; Kader, Michael; Sen, Rajeev; Placantonakis, Dimitris G

2018-01-01

Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) provide in vivo glioblastoma (GBM) models that recapitulate actual tumors. Orthotopic tumor xenografts within the mouse brain are obtained by injection of GBM stem-like cells derived from fresh surgical specimens. These xenografts reproduce GBM's histologic complexity and hallmark biological behaviors, such as brain invasion, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. This method has become essential for analyzing mechanisms of tumorigenesis and testing the therapeutic effect of candidate agents in the preclinical setting. Here, we describe a protocol for establishing orthotopic tumor xenografts in the mouse brain with human GBM cells.

Increased Plasma Colloid Osmotic Pressure Facilitates the Uptake of Therapeutic Macromolecules in a Xenograft Tumor Model

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Matthias Hofmann

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Elevated tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP is a characteristic of most solid tumors. Clinically, TIFP may hamper the uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs into the tumor tissue reducing their therapeutic efficacy. In this study, a means of modulating TIFP to increase the flux of macromolecules into tumor tissue is presented, which is based on the rationale that elevated plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP pulls water from tumor interstitium lowering the TIFP. Concentrated human serum albumin: (20% HSA, used as an agent to enhance COP, reduced the TIFP time-dependently from 8 to 2 mm Hg in human tumor xenograft models bearing A431 epidermoid vulva carcinomas. To evaluate whether this reduction facilitates the uptake of macromolecules, the intratumoral distribution of fluorescently conjugated dextrans (2.5 mg/ml and cetuximab (2.0 mg/ml was probed using novel time domain nearinfrared fluorescence imaging. This method permitted discrimination and semiquantification of tumor-accumulated conjugate from background and unspecific probe fluorescence. The coadministration of 20% HSA together with either dextrans or cetuximab was found to lower the TIFP significantly and increase the concentration of the substances within the tumor tissue in comparison to control tumors. Furthermore, combined administration of 20%HSA plus cetuximab reduced the tumor growth significantly in comparison to standard cetuximab treatment. These data demonstrate that increased COP lowers the TIFP within hours and increases the uptake of therapeutic macromolecules into the tumor interstitium leading to reduced tumor growth. This model represents a novel approach to facilitate the delivery of therapeutics into tumor tissue, particularly monoclonal antibodies.

Determination of the dynamics of tumor hypoxia during radiation therapy using biological imaging on mouse xenograft tumors

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Maftei, Constantin Alin

2013-01-01

Background: Chronic, acute and hypoxemic hypoxia can lead to resistance to radiation therapy. The purpose of this thesis was to shed light on the role of these three hypoxia subtypes in radiotherapy. Methods: The amount of total hypoxia and hypoxia subtypes were assessed ex-vivo in xenograft tumors via (immuno-)fluorescence and H&E staining. For the non-invasive detection of hypoxia, tumor-bearing mice were injected with 18F-FMISO and underwent a dynamic PET/CT scan. The hypoxic fraction ...

Calcium antagonist radioprotectors do not reduce radiotherapeutic efficacy in three human tumor xenografts

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Floersheim, G.L.; Racine, C.

1995-01-01

One Ewing's sarcoma and 2 colon carcinomas were grown as xenografts in immunosuppressed mice. The mice were treated with diltiazem, nifedipine, nimodipine and nitrendipine. The effect of whole body γ-radiation on the growth of the subcutaneously implanted tumors was assessed. Growth delay or regression of the tumors in mice treated with the calcium antagonists prior to irradiation was not reduced as compared to only irradiated controls. (orig.) [de

Comparison of intratumoral FDG and Cu-ATSM distributions in cancer tissue originated spheroid (CTOS) xenografts, a tumor model retaining the original tumor properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukawa, Takako; Yuan, Qinghua; Jin, Zhao-Hui; Aung, Winn; Yoshii, Yukie; Hasegawa, Sumitaka; Endo, Hiroko; Inoue, Masahiro; Zhang, Ming-Rong; Fujibayashi, Yasuhisa; Saga, Tsuneo

2014-01-01

Introduction: The intratumoral distributions of [ 18 F]FDG and [ 64 Cu]Cu-ATSM have been reported to be similar in adenocarcinomas but different in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in clinical studies. In the present study, we compared the intratumoral distributions of these two tracers in cancer tissue originated spheroid (CTOS) xenografts derived from adenocarcinoma and SCC, which retain the histological characteristics of the original tumors, and in cancer cell line xenografts of corresponding origin, to investigate the underlying mechanism of the distinct FDG and Cu-ATSM distribution patterns in adenocarcinoma and SCC. Methods: CTOSs derived from colon adenocarcinoma and lung SCC and cell lines established from colon adenocarcinoma and lung SCC, which were used for comparison, were subcutaneously transplanted into immunodeficient mice. One hour after administering [ 14 C]FDG and [ 64 Cu]Cu-ATSM, the intratumoral distributions were compared in the xenografts by using dual-tracer autoradiography. Adjacent sections were evaluated for necrosis, vasculature anatomy, Ki-67 antigen, and pimonidazole adducts using hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Results: There was a higher regional overlap of high FDG and Cu-ATSM accumulations in the adenocarcinoma CTOS xenografts than in the SCC CTOS xenografts, while the overlap in the adenocarcinoma cell line xenograft was lower than that observed in the SCC cell line. High FDG accumulation occurred primarily in proximity to necrotic or pimonidazole adduct positive regions, while high Cu-ATSM accumulation occurred primarily in live cell regions separate from the necrotic regions. The adenocarcinoma CTOS xenograft had the stereotypical glandular structure, resulting in more intricately mixed regions of live and necrotic cells compared to those observed in the SCC CTOS or the cell line xenografts. Conclusion: Tumor morphological characteristics, specifically the spatial distribution of live and necrotic cell

Doxorubicin increases the effectiveness of Apo2L/TRAIL for tumor growth inhibition of prostate cancer xenografts

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El-Zawahry, Ahmed; McKillop, John; Voelkel-Johnson, Christina

2005-01-01

Prostate cancer is a significant health problem among American men. Treatment strategies for androgen-independent cancer are currently not available. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) is a death receptor ligand that can induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell lines, including androgen-independent PC3 prostate carcinoma cells. In vitro, TRAIL-mediated apoptosis of prostate cancer cell lines can be enhanced by doxorubicin and correlates with the downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein c-FLIP. This study evaluated the effects of doxorubicin on c-FLIP expression and tumor growth in combination with Apo2L/TRAIL in a xenograft model. In vitro cytotoxic effects of TRAIL were measured using a MTS-based viability assay. For in vivo studies, PC3 prostate carcinoma cells were grown subcutaneously in athymic nude mice and tumor growth was measured following treatment with doxorubicin and/or Apo2L/TRAIL. c-FLIP expression was determined by western blot analysis. Apoptosis in xenografts was detected using TUNEL. Statistical analysis was performed using the student t-test. In vitro experiments show that PC3 cells are partially susceptible to Apo2L/TRAIL and that susceptibility is enhanced by doxorubicin. In mice, doxorubicin did not significantly affect the growth of PC3 xenografts but reduced c-FLIP expression in tumors. Expression of c-FLIP in mouse heart was decreased only at the high doxorubicin concentration (8 mg/kg). Combination of doxorubicin with Apo2L/TRAIL resulted in more apoptotic cell death and tumor growth inhibition than Apo2L/TRAIL alone. Combination of doxorubicin and Apo2L/TRAIL is more effective in growth inhibition of PC3 xenografts in vivo than either agent alone and could present a novel treatment strategy against hormone-refractory prostate cancer. The intracellular mechanism by which doxorubicin enhances the effect of Apo2L/TRAIL on PC3 xenografts may be by reducing expression of c-FLIP

Targeted Imaging of Tumor-Associated Macrophages by Cyanine 7-Labeled Mannose in Xenograft Tumors

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Chong Jiang MD

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mannose receptor is considered as a hallmark of M2-oriented tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs, but its utility in TAMs was rarely reported. Therefore, deoxymannose (DM, a high-affinity ligand of mannose receptor, was labeled with near-infrared dye cyanine 7 (Cy7, and its feasibility of targeted imaging on TAMs was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The Cy7-DM was synthesized, and its binding affinity with induced TAMs in vitro, whole-body imaging in xenograft tumor mouse model in vivo, and the cellular localization in dissected tissues were evaluated. We demonstrated a high uptake of Cy7-DM by induced M2 macrophages and TAMs in tumor tissues. In vivo near-infrared live imaging visualized abundant TAMs in tumor lesions instead of inflammatory sites by Cy7-DM imaging, and the quantity of Cy7-DM signals in tumors was significantly higher than that shown in inflammatory sites from 1 to 8 hours of imaging. Our results suggest that mannose could rapidly and specifically target TAMs and is a promising candidate for targeted diagnosis of tumor with rich TAMs.

CysLT(1)R antagonists inhibit tumor growth in a xenograft model of colon cancer.

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Savari, Sayeh; Liu, Minghui; Zhang, Yuan; Sime, Wondossen; Sjölander, Anita

2013-01-01

The expression of the inflammatory G-protein coupled receptor CysLT1R has been shown to be upregulated in colon cancer patients and associated with poor prognosis. The present study investigated the correlation between CysLT1R and colon cancer development in vivo using CysLT1R antagonists (ZM198,615 or Montelukast) and the nude mouse xenograft model. Two drug administration regimens were established. The first regimen was established to investigate the importance of CysLT1R in tumor initiation. Nude mice were inoculated with 50 µM CysLT1R antagonist-pretreated HCT-116 colon cancer cells and received continued treatment (5 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally). The second regimen aimed to address the role of CysLT1R in tumor progression. Nude mice were inoculated with non-pretreated HCT-116 cells and did not receive CysLT1R antagonist treatment until recordable tumor appearance. Both regimens resulted in significantly reduced tumor size, attributed to changes in proliferation and apoptosis as determined by reduced Ki-67 levels and increased levels of p21(WAF/Cip1) (Pcolon cancer cell line HCT-116 and CysLT1R antagonists. In addition to significant reductions in cell proliferation, adhesion and colony formation, we observed induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The ability of Montelukast to inhibit growth of human colon cancer xenograft was further validated by using two additional colon cancer cell lines, SW-480 and HT-29. Our results demonstrate that CysLT1R antagonists inhibit growth of colon cancer xenografts primarily by reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of the tumor cells.

Noninvasive detection of temozolomide in brain tumor xenografts by magnetic resonance spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kato, Y.; Holm, David Alberg; Okollie, B.

2010-01-01

demonstrate partial breakdown of the BBB/BTB and good vascularization in U87MG xenografts. A [C-13] TMZ peak was detected at 3.9 ppm by HMQC from a selected volume of about 0.15 cm(3) within the brain tumor with HMQC pulse sequences. This study clearly demonstrates the noninvasive detection of [C-13]TMZ...

Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG inhibits progression of LuCaP35 xenograft prostate tumors to castration resistance.

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O'Malley, Katherine J; Langmann, Gabrielle; Ai, Junkui; Ramos-Garcia, Raquel; Vessella, Robert L; Wang, Zhou

2012-07-01

Advanced prostate cancer is currently treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). ADT initially results in tumor regression; however, all patients eventually relapse with castration-resistant prostate cancer. New approaches to delay the progression of prostate cancer to castration resistance are in desperate need. This study addresses whether targeting Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) regulation of androgen receptor (AR) can inhibit prostate cancer progression to castration resistance. The HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG was injected intraperitoneally into nude mice bearing LuCaP35 xenograft tumors to determine the effect of HSP90 inhibition on prostate cancer progression to castration resistance and host survival. Administration of 17-AAG maintained androgen-sensitivity, delayed the progression of LuCaP35 xenograft tumors to castration resistance, and prolonged the survival of host. In addition, 17-AAG prevented nuclear localization of endogenous AR in LuCaP35 xenograft tumors in castrated nude mice. Targeting Hsp90 or the mechanism by which HSP90 regulates androgen-independent AR nuclear localization and activation may lead to new approaches to prevent and/or treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tumor Repression of VCaP Xenografts by a Pyrrole-Imidazole Polyamide.

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Amanda E Hargrove

Full Text Available Pyrrole-imidazole (Py-Im polyamides are high affinity DNA-binding small molecules that can inhibit protein-DNA interactions. In VCaP cells, a human prostate cancer cell line overexpressing both AR and the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion, an androgen response element (ARE-targeted Py-Im polyamide significantly downregulates AR driven gene expression. Polyamide exposure to VCaP cells reduced proliferation without causing DNA damage. Py-Im polyamide treatment also reduced tumor growth in a VCaP mouse xenograft model. In addition to the effects on AR regulated transcription, RNA-seq analysis revealed inhibition of topoisomerase-DNA binding as a potential mechanism that contributes to the antitumor effects of polyamides in cell culture and in xenografts. These studies support the therapeutic potential of Py-Im polyamides to target multiple aspects of transcriptional regulation in prostate cancers without genotoxic stress.

Combined 5-FU and ChoKα inhibitors as a new alternative therapy of colorectal cancer: evidence in human tumor-derived cell lines and mouse xenografts.

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Ana de la Cueva

Full Text Available Colorectal cancer (CRC is the third major cause of cancer related deaths in the world. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU is widely used for the treatment of colorectal cancer but as a single-agent renders low response rates. Choline kinase alpha (ChoKα, an enzyme that plays a role in cell proliferation and transformation, has been reported overexpressed in many different tumors, including colorectal tumors. ChoKα inhibitors have recently entered clinical trials as a novel antitumor strategy.ChoKα specific inhibitors, MN58b and TCD-717, have demonstrated a potent antitumoral activity both in vitro and in vivo against several tumor-derived cell line xenografts including CRC-derived cell lines. The effect of ChoKα inhibitors in combination with 5-FU as a new alternative for the treatment of colon tumors has been investigated both in vitro in CRC-tumour derived cell lines, and in vivo in mouse xenografts models. The effects on thymidilate synthase (TS and thymidine kinase (TK1 levels, two enzymes known to play an essential role in the mechanism of action of 5-FU, were analyzed by western blotting and quantitative PCR analysis. The combination of 5-FU with ChoKα inhibitors resulted in a synergistic effect in vitro in three different human colon cancer cell lines, and in vivo against human colon xenografts in nude mice. ChoKα inhibitors modulate the expression levels of TS and TK1 through inhibition of E2F production, providing a rational for its mechanism of action.Our data suggest that both drugs in combination display a synergistic antitumoral effect due to ChoKα inhibitors-driven modulation of the metabolization of 5-FU. The clinical relevance of these findings is strongly supported since TCD-717 has recently entered Phase I clinical trials against solid tumors.

Vasculature analysis of patient derived tumor xenografts using species-specific PCR assays: evidence of tumor endothelial cells and atypical VEGFA-VEGFR1/2 signalings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bieche, Ivan; Marangoni, Elisabetta; Roman-Roman, Sergio; Decaudin, Didier; Dangles-Marie, Virginie; Vacher, Sophie; Vallerand, David; Richon, Sophie; Hatem, Rana; De Plater, Ludmilla; Dahmani, Ahmed; Némati, Fariba; Angevin, Eric

2014-01-01

Tumor endothelial transdifferentiation and VEGFR1/2 expression by cancer cells have been reported in glioblastoma but remain poorly documented for many other cancer types. To characterize vasculature of patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDXs), largely used in preclinical anti-angiogenic assays, we designed here species-specific real-time quantitative RT-PCR assays. Human and mouse PECAM1/CD31, ENG/CD105, FLT1/VEGFR1, KDR/VEGFR2 and VEGFA transcripts were analyzed in a large series of 150 PDXs established from 8 different tumor types (53 colorectal, 14 ovarian, 39 breast and 15 renal cell cancers, 6 small cell and 5 non small cell lung carcinomas, 13 cutaneous melanomas and 5 glioblastomas) and in two bevacizumab-treated non small cell lung carcinomas xenografts. As expected, mouse cell proportion in PDXs -evaluated by quantifying expression of the housekeeping gene TBP- correlated with all mouse endothelial markers and human VEGFA RNA levels. More interestingly, we observed human PECAM1/CD31 and ENG/CD105 expression in all tumor types, with higher rate in glioblastoma and renal cancer xenografts. Human VEGFR expression profile varied widely depending on tumor types with particularly high levels of human FLT1/VEGFR1 transcripts in colon cancers and non small cell lung carcinomas, and upper levels of human KDR/VEGFR2 transcripts in non small cell lung carcinomas. Bevacizumab treatment induced significant low expression of mouse Pecam1/Cd31, Eng/Cd105, Flt1/Vegfr1 and Kdr/Vefr2 while the human PECAM1/CD31 and VEGFA were upregulated. Taken together, our results strongly suggest existence of human tumor endothelial cells in all tumor types tested and of both stromal and tumoral autocrine VEGFA-VEGFR1/2 signalings. These findings should be considered when evaluating molecular mechanisms of preclinical response and resistance to tumor anti-angiogenic strategies

Bifidobacterial recombinant thymidine kinase-ganciclovir gene therapy system induces FasL and TNFR2 mediated antitumor apoptosis in solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Changdong; Ma, Yongping; Hu, Qiongwen; Xie, Tingting; Wu, Jiayan; Zeng, Fan; Song, Fangzhou

2016-01-01

Directly targeting therapeutic suicide gene to a solid tumor is a hopeful approach for cancer gene therapy. Treatment of a solid tumor by an effective vector for a suicide gene remains a challenge. Given the lack of effective treatments, we constructed a bifidobacterial recombinant thymidine kinase (BF-rTK) -ganciclovir (GCV) targeting system (BKV) to meet this requirement and to explore antitumor mechanisms. Bifidobacterium (BF) or BF-rTK was injected intratumorally with or without ganciclovir in a human colo320 intestinal xenograft tumor model. The tumor tissues were analyzed using apoptosis antibody arrays, real time PCR and western blot. The colo320 cell was analyzed by the gene silencing method. Autophagy and necroptosis were also detected in colo320 cell. Meanwhile, three human digestive system xenograft tumor models (colorectal cancer colo320, gastric cancer MKN-45 and liver cancer SSMC-7721) and a breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) model were employed to validate the universality of BF-rTK + GCV in solid tumor gene therapy. The survival rate was evaluated in three human cancer models after the BF-rTK + GCV intratumor treatment. The analysis of inflammatory markers (TNF-α) in tumor indicated that BF-rTK + GCV significantly inhibited TNF-α expression. The results suggested that BF-rTK + GCV induced tumor apoptosis without autophagy and necroptosis occurrence. The apoptosis was transduced by multiple signaling pathways mediated by FasL and TNFR2 and mainly activated the mitochondrial control of apoptosis via Bid and Bim, which was rescued by silencing Bid or/and Bim. However, BF + GCV only induced apoptosis via Fas/FasL signal pathway accompanied with increased P53 expression. We further found that BF-rTK + GCV inhibited the expression of the inflammatory maker of TNF-α. However, BF-rTK + GCV did not result in necroptosis and autophagy. BF-rTK + GCV induced tumor apoptosis mediated by FasL and TNFR2 through the mitochondrial control of apoptosis via Bid and Bim

Irradiation combined with SU5416: Microvascular changes and growth delay in a human xenograft glioblastoma tumor line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuuring, Janneke; Bussink, Johan; Bernsen, Hans; Peeters, Wenny; Kogel, Albert J. van der

2005-01-01

Purpose: The combination of irradiation and the antiangiogenic compound SU5416 was tested and compared with irradiation alone in a human glioblastoma tumor line xenografted in nude mice. The aim of this study was to monitor microenvironmental changes and growth delay. Methods and materials: A human glioblastoma xenograft tumor line was implanted in nude mice. Irradiations consisted of 10 Gy or 20 Gy with and without SU5416. Several microenvironmental parameters (tumor cell hypoxia, tumor blood perfusion, vascular volume, and microvascular density) were analyzed after imunohistochemical staining. Tumor growth delay was monitored for up to 200 days after treatment. Results: SU5416, when combined with irradiation, has an additive effect over treatment with irradiation alone. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment showed a decreased vascular density during treatment with SU5416. In tumors regrowing after reaching only a partial remission, vascular characteristics normalized shortly after cessation of SU5416. However, in tumors regrowing after reaching a complete remission, permanent microenvironmental changes and an increase of tumor necrosis with a subsequent slower tumor regrowth was found. Conclusions: Permanent vascular changes were seen after combined treatment resulting in complete remission. Antiangiogenic treatment with SU5416 when combined with irradiation has an additive effect over treatment with irradiation or antiangiogenic treatment alone

Targeting tissue factor as a novel therapeutic oncotarget for eradication of cancer stem cells isolated from tumor cell lines, tumor xenografts and patients of breast, lung and ovarian cancer.

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Hu, Zhiwei; Xu, Jie; Cheng, Jijun; McMichael, Elizabeth; Yu, Lianbo; Carson, William E

2017-01-03

Targeting cancer stem cell (CSC) represents a promising therapeutic approach as it can potentially fight cancer at its root. The challenge is to identify a surface therapeutic oncotarget on CSC. Tissue factor (TF) is known as a common yet specific surface target for cancer cells and tumor neovasculature in several solid cancers. However, it is unknown if TF is expressed by CSCs. Here we demonstrate that TF is constitutively expressed on CD133 positive (CD133+) or CD24-CD44+ CSCs isolated from human cancer cell lines, tumor xenografts from mice and breast tumor tissues from patients. TF-targeted agents, i.e., a factor VII (fVII)-conjugated photosensitizer (fVII-PS for targeted photodynamic therapy) and fVII-IgG1Fc (Immunoconjugate or ICON for immunotherapy), can eradicate CSC via the induction of apoptosis and necrosis and via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity, respectively. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that TF is a novel surface therapeutic oncotarget for CSC, in addition to cancer cell TF and tumor angiogenic vascular endothelial TF. Moreover, this research highlights that TF-targeting therapeutics can effectively eradicate CSCs, without drug resistance, isolated from breast, lung and ovarian cancer with potential to translate into other most commonly diagnosed solid cancer, in which TF is also highly expressed.

The lifetime of hypoxic human tumor cells

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Durand, Ralph E.; Sham, Edward

1998-01-01

Purpose: For hypoxic and anoxic cells in solid tumors to be a therapeutic problem, they must live long enough to be therapeutically relevant, or else be rapidly recruited into the proliferating compartment during therapy. We have, therefore, estimated lifetime and recruitment rate of hypoxic human tumor cells in multicell spheroids in vitro, or in xenografted tumors in SCID mice. Materials and Methods: Cell turnover was followed by flow cytometry techniques, using antibodies directed at incorporated halogenated pyrimidines. The disappearance of labeled cells was quantified, and verified to be cell loss rather than label dilution. Repopulation was studied in SiHa tumor xenografts during twice-daily 2.5-Gy radiation exposures. Results: The longevity of hypoxic human tumor cells in spheroids or xenografts exceeded that of rodent cell lines, and cell turnover was slower in xenografts than under static growth as spheroids. Human tumor cells remained viable in the hypoxic regions of xenografts for 4-10 days, compared to 3-5 days in spheroids, and 1-3 days for most rodent cells in spheroids. Repopulation was observed within the first few radiation treatments for the SiHa xenografts and, with accumulated doses of more than 10 Gy, virtually all recovered cells had progressed through at least one S-phase. Conclusion: Our results suggest an important difference in the ability of human vs. rodent tumor cells to withstand hypoxia, and raise questions concerning the increased longevity seen in vivo relative to the steady-state spheroid system

Enhanced tumor control of human Glioblastoma Multiforme xenografts with the concomitant use of radiotherapy and an attenuated herpes simplex-1 virus (ASTRO research fellowship)

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Song, Paul Y.; Sibley, Gregory S.; Advani, Sunil; Hallahan, Dennis; Hyland, John; Kufe, Donald W.; Chou, Joany; Roizman, Bernard; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Glioblastoma Multiforme remains one of the most incurable of human tumors. The current treatment outcomes are dismal. There are several recent reports which suggest that some human glioblastoma xenografts implanted in the brains of athymic mice may be potentially cured with the use of an attenuated herpes simplex-1 virus alone. We have chosen a replication competent, non-neurovirulent HSV-1 mutant, designated R3616 to determine whether there is an interactive cell killing and enhanced tumor control with radiotherapy in the treatment of a human glioblastoma xenograft. Materials and Methods: In vivo, 1 mm 3 pieces of U-87 human glioblastoma cell line xenografts were implanted into the right hind limb of athymic mice and grown to > 200 mm 3 . A total of 112 mice were then equally distributed within four treatment arms (see chart below) based upon tumor volume. Xenografts selected to receive virus as part of the therapy were inoculated with three injections of 2 x 10 7 plaque forming units (PFU) of R3616 virus given on day 1, 2, and 3 for a total dose of 6 x 10 7 PFU. R3616 is a non-neurovirulent HSV-1 mutant created by the deletion of the γ 34.5 gene. Local field irradiation was delivered on day 2 (20 Gy) and day 3 (25 Gy). The mice were then followed for 60 days during which time the xenografts were measured twice weekly. A clinically non-palpable tumor (< 10% original volume) was scored as a cure. In addition percent-fractional tumor volume (FTV) and mean tumor volume (MTV) were calculated for each group. Results: Conclusion: While our tumor control with R3616 alone is similar to that reported in the literature, we have seen significantly enhanced tumor control and cell killing with the addition of RT suggesting a synergistic interaction between an oncolytic virus and radiation in the treatment of human glioblastoma multiforme xenografts

Trastuzumab anti-tumor efficacy in patient-derived esophageal squamous cell carcinoma xenograft (PDECX mouse models

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Wu Xianhua

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Trastuzumab is currently approved for the clinical treatment of breast and gastric cancer patients with HER-2 positive tumors, but not yet for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma patients, whose tumors typically show 5 ~ 35% HER-2 gene amplification and 0 ~ 56% HER-2 protein expression. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Trastuzumab in patient-derived esophageal squamous cell carcinoma xenograft (PDECX mouse models. Methods PDECX models were established by implanting patient esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC tissues into immunodeficient (SCID/nude mice. HER-2 gene copy number (GCN and protein expression were determined in xenograft tissues and corresponding patient EC samples by FISH and IHC analysis. Trastuzumab anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated within these PDECX models (n = 8 animals/group. Furthermore, hotspot mutations of EGFR, K-ras, B-raf and PIK3CA genes were screened for in the PDECX models and their corresponding patient’s ESCC tissues. Similarity between the PDECX models and their corresponding patient’s ESCC tissue was confirmed by histology, morphology, HER-2 GCN and mutation. Results None of the PDECX models (or their corresponding patient’s ESCC tissues harbored HER-2 gene amplification. IHC staining showed HER-2 positivity (IHC 2+ in 2 PDECX models and negativity in 3 PDECX models. Significant tumor regression was observed in the Trastuzumab-treated EC044 HER-2 positive model (IHC 2+. A second HER-2 positive (IHC 2+ model, EC039, harbored a known PIK3CA mutation and showed strong activation of the AKT signaling pathway and was insensitive to Trastuzumab treatment, but could be resensitised using a combination of Trastuzumab and AKT inhibitor AZD5363. In summary, we established 5 PDECX mouse models and demonstrated tumor regression in response to Trastuzumab treatment in a HER-2 IHC 2+ model, but resistance in a HER-2 IHC 2+/PIK3CA mutated model. Conclusions

Blockade of the ERK pathway enhances the therapeutic efficacy of the histone deacetylase inhibitor MS-275 in human tumor xenograft models

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Sakamoto, Toshiaki; Ozaki, Kei-ichi; Fujio, Kohsuke; Kajikawa, Shu-hei [Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan); Uesato, Shin-ichi [Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Kansai University, Osaka 564-8680 (Japan); Watanabe, Kazushi [Proubase Technology Inc., Kanagawa 211-0063 (Japan); Tanimura, Susumu [Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan); Koji, Takehiko [Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523 (Japan); Kohno, Michiaki, E-mail: kohnom@nagasaki-u.ac.jp [Laboratory of Cell Regulation, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan); Proubase Technology Inc., Kanagawa 211-0063 (Japan); Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan)

2013-04-19

Highlights: •Blockade of the ERK pathway enhances the anticancer efficacy of HDAC inhibitors. •MEK inhibitors sensitize human tumor xenografts to HDAC inhibitor cytotoxicity. •Such the enhanced efficacy is achieved by a transient blockade of the ERK pathway. •This drug combination provides a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer patients. -- Abstract: The ERK pathway is up-regulated in various human cancers and represents a prime target for mechanism-based approaches to cancer treatment. Specific blockade of the ERK pathway alone induces mostly cytostatic rather than pro-apoptotic effects, however, resulting in a limited therapeutic efficacy of the ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors. We previously showed that MEK inhibitors markedly enhance the ability of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors to induce apoptosis in tumor cells with constitutive ERK pathway activation in vitro. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of such drug combinations, we administered the MEK inhibitor PD184352 or AZD6244 together with the HDAC inhibitor MS-275 in nude mice harboring HT-29 or H1650 xenografts. Co-administration of the MEK inhibitor markedly sensitized the human xenografts to MS-275 cytotoxicity. A dose of MS-275 that alone showed only moderate cytotoxicity thus suppressed the growth of tumor xenografts almost completely as well as induced a marked reduction in tumor cellularity when administered with PD184352 or AZD6244. The combination of the two types of inhibitor also induced marked oxidative stress, which appeared to result in DNA damage and massive cell death, specifically in the tumor xenografts. The enhanced therapeutic efficacy of the drug combination was achieved by a relatively transient blockade of the ERK pathway. Administration of both MEK and HDAC inhibitors represents a promising chemotherapeutic strategy with improved safety for cancer patients.

Carnosine inhibits carbonic anhydrase IX-mediated extracellular acidosis and suppresses growth of HeLa tumor xenografts

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Ditte, Zuzana; Ditte, Peter; Labudova, Martina; Simko, Veronika; Iuliano, Filippo; Zatovicova, Miriam; Csaderova, Lucia; Pastorekova, Silvia; Pastorek, Jaromir

2014-01-01

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is a transmembrane enzyme that is present in many types of solid tumors. Expression of CA IX is driven predominantly by the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway and helps to maintain intracellular pH homeostasis under hypoxic conditions, resulting in acidification of the tumor microenvironment. Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is an anti-tumorigenic agent that inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the role of CA IX in carnosine-mediated antitumor activity and whether the underlying mechanism involves transcriptional and translational modulation of HIF-1α and CA IX and/or altered CA IX function. The effect of carnosine was studied using two-dimensional cell monolayers of several cell lines with endogenous CA IX expression as well as Madin Darby canine kidney transfectants, three-dimensional HeLa spheroids, and an in vivo model of HeLa xenografts in nude mice. mRNA and protein expression and protein localization were analyzed by real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence staining, respectively. Cell viability was measured by a flow cytometric assay. Expression of HIF-1α and CA IX in tumors was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Real-time measurement of pH was performed using a sensor dish reader. Binding of CA IX to specific antibodies and metabolon partners was investigated by competitive ELISA and proximity ligation assays, respectively. Carnosine increased the expression levels of HIF-1α and HIF targets and increased the extracellular pH, suggesting an inhibitory effect on CA IX-mediated acidosis. Moreover, carnosine significantly inhibited the growth of three-dimensional spheroids and tumor xenografts compared with untreated controls. Competitive ELISA showed that carnosine disrupted binding between CA IX and antibodies specific for its catalytic domain. This finding was supported by reduced formation of the functional metabolon of CA IX and anion exchanger 2 in the

Cross-immunity among allogeneic tumors of rats immunized with solid tumors

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Ogasawara, Masamichi

1979-01-01

Several experiments were done for the study of cross-immunity among allogeneic rat tumors by immunization using gamma-irradiated or non-irradiated solid tumors. Each group of rats which were immunized with gamma-irradiation solid tumor inocula from ascites tumor cell line of tetra-ploid Hirosaki sarcoma, Usubuchi sarcoma or AH 130, showed an apparent resistance against the intraperitoneal challenge with Hirosaki sarcoma. A similar resistance was demonstrated in the case of the challenge with Usubuchi sarcoma into rats immunized with non-irradiated methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced tumors. In using solid MCA tumors as immunogen and Hirosaki sarcoma as challenge tumor, it was also demonstrated in 2 out of 3 groups immunized with non-irradiated tumors. In the experiment of trying to induce cross-immunity between 2 MCA tumors by immunization with irradiated solid tumor only, the inhibitory effect on the growth was observed in the early stage in the treated groups as compared with the control one. From the above results, it may be considered that the immunization with irradiated solid tumors fromas cites cell lines and non-irradiated solid MCA tumors induced strong cross-immunity in general, but that the immunization with only irradiated solid MCA tumors induced weak cross-immunity commonly. (author)

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy change vessel tree geometry and metastatic spread in a small cell lung cancer xenograft mouse tumor model.

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Thorsten Frenzel

Full Text Available Tumor vasculature is critical for tumor growth, formation of distant metastases and efficiency of radio- and chemotherapy treatments. However, how the vasculature itself is affected during cancer treatment regarding to the metastatic behavior has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hypofractionated radiotherapy and cisplatin chemotherapy on vessel tree geometry and metastasis formation in a small cell lung cancer xenograft mouse tumor model to investigate the spread of malignant cells during different treatments modalities.The biological data gained during these experiments were fed into our previously developed computer model "Cancer and Treatment Simulation Tool" (CaTSiT to model the growth of the primary tumor, its metastatic deposit and also the influence on different therapies. Furthermore, we performed quantitative histology analyses to verify our predictions in xenograft mouse tumor model.According to the computer simulation the number of cells engrafting must vary considerably to explain the different weights of the primary tumor at the end of the experiment. Once a primary tumor is established, the fractal dimension of its vasculature correlates with the tumor size. Furthermore, the fractal dimension of the tumor vasculature changes during treatment, indicating that the therapy affects the blood vessels' geometry. We corroborated these findings with a quantitative histological analysis showing that the blood vessel density is depleted during radiotherapy and cisplatin chemotherapy. The CaTSiT computer model reveals that chemotherapy influences the tumor's therapeutic susceptibility and its metastatic spreading behavior.Using a system biological approach in combination with xenograft models and computer simulations revealed that the usage of chemotherapy and radiation therapy determines the spreading behavior by changing the blood vessel geometry of the primary tumor.

Biodistribution of immunoliposome labeled with Tc-99m in tumor xenografted mice

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Kitamura, Naoto; Shigematsu, Naoyuki; Nakahara, Tadaki; Kanoh, Momoe; Hashimoto, Jun; Kunieda, Etsuo; Kubo, Atsushi

2009-01-01

Immunoliposome (PEG, GAH, liposome; PGL), consisting of F(ab') 2 fragment of monoclonal antibody, GAH and polyethyleneglycol-coated (PEGylated) liposome was provided. Immunoliposome, PGL was labeled with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) by two methods: labeling F(ab') 2 fragment with Tc-99m; Tc-99m-PGL, and entrapping Tc-99m into liposome; PGL[Tc-99m]. The objective of this study was to compare the biodistribution of Tc-99m-PGL and PGL[Tc-99m] in human gastric cancer xenografted mice. Tc-99m-PGL, PGL[Tc-99m], and Tc-99m-entrapped liposome; Lipo[Tc-99m] were prepared. They were injected into human gastric cancer, MKN45, xenografted mice via the tail vein, and their biodistribution was studied. No marked accumulation of either PGL[Tc-99m] or Lipo[Tc-99m] was observed in the stomach. The uptake of Tc-99m-PGL by the liver, spleen, and lung was higher than that by the tumor. On the other hand, the uptake of PGL[Tc-99m] by the lung and spleen was markedly lower as compared with that of Tc-99m-PGL; the accumulation of PGL[Tc-99m] was lower in the lung and higher in the spleen as compared with that of the tumor. Although the liver uptake of PGL[Tc-99m] was markedly decreased as compared with that of Tc-99m-PGL, it was higher than the uptake of the tumor. The Tc-99m-PGL was strongly taken up by the tumor, with a high level of incorporation also seen in the stomach. These findings suggest the need for further study of the labeling stability. PGL[Tc-99m] appears to show promise for high tumor uptake and retention. This is an important implication for the potential application of immunoliposomes entrapped with Re-186, instead of Tc-99m, in internal radiotherapy. (author)

Intraductal delivery of adenoviruses targets pancreatic tumors in transgenic Ela-myc mice and orthotopic xenografts.

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José, Anabel; Sobrevals, Luciano; Miguel Camacho-Sánchez, Juan; Huch, Meritxell; Andreu, Núria; Ayuso, Eduard; Navarro, Pilar; Alemany, Ramon; Fillat, Cristina

2013-01-01

Gene-based anticancer therapies delivered by adenoviruses are limited by the poor viral distribution into the tumor. In the current work we have explored the feasibility of targeting pancreatic tumors through a loco-regional route. We have taken advantage of the ductal network in the pancreas to retrogradelly inject adenoviruses through the common bile duct in two different mouse models of pancreatic carcinogenesis: The transgenic Ela-myc mice that develop mixed neoplasms displaying both acinar-like and duct-like neoplastic cells affecting the whole pancreas; and mice bearing PANC-1 and BxPC-3 orthotopic xenografts that constitute a model of localized human neoplastic tumors. We studied tumor targeting and the anticancer effects of newly thymidine kinase-engineered adenoviruses both in vitro and in vivo, and conducted comparative studies between intraductal or intravenous administration. Our data indicate that the intraductal delivery of adenovirus efficiently targets pancreatic tumors in the two mouse models. The in vivo application of AduPARTKT plus ganciclovir (GCV) treatment induced tumor regression in Ela-myc mice. Moreover, the intraductal injection of ICOVIR15-TKT oncolytic adenoviruses significantly improved mean survival of mice bearing PANC-1 and BxPC-3 pancreatic xenografts from 30 to 52 days and from 20 to 68 days respectively (p less than 0.0001) when combined with GCV. Of notice, both AduPARTKT and ICOVIR15-TKT antitumoral responses were stronger by ductal viral application than intravenously, in line with the 38-fold increase in pancreas transduction observed upon ductal administration. In summary our data show that cytotoxic adenoviruses retrogradelly injected to the pancreas can be a feasible approach to treat localized pancreatic tumors.

Radiosensitivity of four human tumor xenografts. Influence of hypoxia and cell-cell contact

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Guichard, M.; Dertinger, H.; Malaise, E.P.

1983-01-01

Contact effect (CE) and hypoxia have been studied in human tumor cell lines transplanted in athymic nude mice. Four cell lines - one melanoma (Bell) and three colorectal adenocarcinomas (HT29, HRT18, and HCT8) - were studied. Cell survival was determined with an in vivo in vitro colony-forming assay. Survival curves were obtained under three different conditions: (1) tumor cells irradiated in air-breathing mice, (2) tumor cells irradiated in animals asphyxiated for 10 min, and (3) tumor cells plated and irradiated either immediately or 5 hr later. For all cell lines, radiosensitivity appeared to be lower when cells were irradiated in vivo than when they were irradiated in vitro. Only in the case of the HCT8 tumor did the relative in vivo radioresistance seem to be linked to hypoxia; in the other cell lines, hypoxia alone could not account for the lower in vivo radiosensitivity. Our results suggest that a CE plays an important role in the response of human xenografts to irradiation

Comparative analyses of gene copy number and mRNA expression in GBM tumors and GBM xenografts

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Hodgson, J. Graeme; Yeh, Ru-Fang; Ray, Amrita; Wang, Nicholas J.; Smirnov, Ivan; Yu, Mamie; Hariono, Sujatmi; Silber, Joachim; Feiler, Heidi S.; Gray, Joe W.; Spellman, Paul T.; Vandenberg, Scott R.; Berger, Mitchel S.; James, C. David

2009-04-03

Development of model systems that recapitulate the molecular heterogeneity observed among glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors will expedite the testing of targeted molecular therapeutic strategies for GBM treatment. In this study, we profiled DNA copy number and mRNA expression in 21 independent GBM tumor lines maintained as subcutaneous xenografts (GBMX), and compared GBMX molecular signatures to those observed in GBM clinical specimens derived from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The predominant copy number signature in both tumor groups was defined by chromosome-7 gain/chromosome-10 loss, a poor-prognosis genetic signature. We also observed, at frequencies similar to that detected in TCGA GBM tumors, genomic amplification and overexpression of known GBM oncogenes, such as EGFR, MDM2, CDK6, and MYCN, and novel genes, including NUP107, SLC35E3, MMP1, MMP13, and DDX1. The transcriptional signature of GBMX tumors, which was stable over multiple subcutaneous passages, was defined by overexpression of genes involved in M phase, DNA replication, and chromosome organization (MRC) and was highly similar to the poor-prognosis mitosis and cell-cycle module (MCM) in GBM. Assessment of gene expression in TCGA-derived GBMs revealed overexpression of MRC cancer genes AURKB, BIRC5, CCNB1, CCNB2, CDC2, CDK2, and FOXM1, which form a transcriptional network important for G2/M progression and/or checkpoint activation. Our study supports propagation of GBM tumors as subcutaneous xenografts as a useful approach for sustaining key molecular characteristics of patient tumors, and highlights therapeutic opportunities conferred by this GBMX tumor panel for testing targeted therapeutic strategies for GBM treatment.

Genetic and Genomic Characterization of 462 Melanoma Patient-Derived Xenografts, Tumor Biopsies, and Cell Lines

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Bradley Garman

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Summary: Tumor-sequencing studies have revealed the widespread genetic diversity of melanoma. Sequencing of 108 genes previously implicated in melanomagenesis was performed on 462 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs, cell lines, and tumors to identify mutational and copy number aberrations. Samples came from 371 unique individuals: 263 were naive to treatment, and 108 were previously treated with targeted therapy (34, immunotherapy (54, or both (20. Models of all previously reported major melanoma subtypes (BRAF, NRAS, NF1, KIT, and WT/WT/WT were identified. Multiple minor melanoma subtypes were also recapitulated, including melanomas with multiple activating mutations in the MAPK-signaling pathway and chromatin-remodeling gene mutations. These well-characterized melanoma PDXs and cell lines can be used not only as reagents for a large array of biological studies but also as pre-clinical models to facilitate drug development. : Garman et al. have characterized melanoma PDXs and cell lines described in Krepler et al. (see the related paper in this issue of Cell Reports, identifying major and minor subtypes, some of which were previously not well defined, targeted and immunotherapy resistance, and tumor heterogeneity, creating a set of reagents for future drug discovery and biological studies. Keywords: melanoma, patient-derived xenografts, massively parallel sequencing, cell lines

Inhibition of Xenograft tumor growth by gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide conjugates-assisted delivery of BAX mRNA.

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Ji-Hyun Yeom

Full Text Available Use of non-biological agents for mRNA delivery into living systems in order to induce heterologous expression of functional proteins may provide more advantages than the use of DNA and/or biological vectors for delivery. However, the low efficiency of mRNA delivery into live animals, using non-biological systems, has hampered the use of mRNA as a therapeutic molecule. Here, we show that gold nanoparticle-DNA oligonucleotide (AuNP-DNA conjugates can serve as universal vehicles for more efficient delivery of mRNA into human cells, as well as into xenograft tumors generated in mice. Injections of BAX mRNA loaded on AuNP-DNA conjugates into xenograft tumors resulted in highly efficient mRNA delivery. The delivered mRNA directed the efficient production of biologically functional BAX protein, a pro-apoptotic factor, consequently inhibiting tumor growth. These results demonstrate that mRNA delivery by AuNP-DNA conjugates can serve as a new platform for the development of safe and efficient gene therapy.

The effect of combining recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha with local radiation on tumor control probability of a human glioblastoma multiforme xenograft in nude mice

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Huang, Peigen; Allam, Ayman; Perez, Luis A; Taghian, Alphonse; Freeman, Jill; Suit, Herman D

1995-04-30

Purpose: To evaluate the antitumor activity of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rHuTNF-{alpha}) on a human glioblastoma multiforme (U87) xenograft in nude mice, and to study the effect of combining rHuTNF-{alpha} with local radiation on the tumor control probability of this tumor model. Methods and Materials: U87 xenograft was transplanted SC into the right hindleg of NCr/Sed nude mice (7-8 weeks old, male). When tumors reached a volume of about 110 mm{sup 3}, mice were randomly assigned to treatment: rHuTNF-{alpha} alone compared with normal saline control; or local radiation plus rHuTNF-{alpha} vs. local radiation plus normal saline. Parameters of growth delay, volume doubling time, percentage of necrosis, and cell loss factor were used to assess the antitumor effects of rHuTNF-{alpha} on this tumor. The TCD{sub 50} (tumor control dose 50%) was used as an endpoint to determine the effect of combining rHuTNF-{alpha} with local radiation. Results: Tumor growth in mice treated with a dose of 150 {mu}g/kg body weight rHuTNF-{alpha}, IP injection daily for 7 consecutive days, was delayed about 8 days compared to that in controls. Tumors in the treatment group had a significantly longer volume doubling time, and were smaller in volume and more necrotic than matched tumors in control group. rHuTNF-{alpha} also induced a 2.3 times increase of cell loss factor. The administration of the above-mentioned dose of rHuTNF-{alpha} starting 24 h after single doses of localized irradiation under hypoxic condition, resulted in a significant reduction in TCD{sub 50} from the control value of 60.9 Gy to 50.5 Gy (p < 0.01). Conclusion: rHuTNF-{alpha} exhibits an antitumor effect against U87 xenograft in nude mice, as evidenced by an increased delay in tumor growth as well as cell loss factor. Also, there was an augmentation of tumor curability when given in combination with radiotherapy, resulting in a significantly lower TCD{sub 50} value in the treatment vs. the

EGFR gene overexpression retained in an invasive xenograft model by solid orthotopic transplantation of human glioblastoma multiforme into nude mice.

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Yi, Diao; Hua, Tian Xin; Lin, Huang Yan

2011-03-01

Orthotopic xenograft animal model from human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell lines often do not recapitulate an extremely important aspect of invasive growth and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene overexpression of human GBM. We developed an orthotopic xenograft model by solid transplantation of human GBM into the brain of nude mouse. The orthotopic xenografts sharing the same histopathological features with their original human GBMs were highly invasive and retained the overexpression of EGFR gene. The murine orthotopic GBM models constitute a valuable in vivo system for preclinical studies to test novel therapies for human GBM.

Combining fisetin and ionizing radiation suppresses the growth of mammalian colorectal cancers in xenograft tumor models.

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Leu, Jyh-Der; Wang, Bo-Shen; Chiu, Shu-Jun; Chang, Chun-Yuan; Chen, Chien-Chih; Chen, Fu-Du; Avirmed, Shiirevnyamba; Lee, Yi-Jang

2016-12-01

Fisetin (3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone), which belongs to the flavonoid group of polyphenols and is found in a wide range of plants, has been reported to exhibit a number of biological activities in human cancer cells, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, anti-invasive and antiproliferative effects. Although previous in vitro studies have shown that fisetin treatment increases the apoptotic rate and enhances the radiosensitivity of human colorectal cancer cells, the in vivo effects of fisetin on tumor growth remain unclear. In the present study a murine xenograft tumor model was employed to investigate the therapeutic effects of fisetin in combination with radiation on CT-26 colon cancer cells and human HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. This revealed that intratumoral injection of fisetin significantly suppressed the growth of CT-26 tumors compared with the untreated control group, but had little effect on the growth of HCT116 tumors. However, fisetin in combination with 2-Gy radiation enhanced tumor suppressor activity in murine colon and human colorectal xenograft tumors, as compared with 2-Gy fractionated radiation administered alone for 5 days and fisetin alone. Interestingly, fisetin downregulated the expression of the oncoprotein securin in a p53-independent manner. However, securin-null HCT116 tumors showed only moderate sensitivity to fisetin treatment, and the combination of fisetin and radiation did not significantly suppress securin-null HCT116 tumor growth compared with normal HCT116 tumors. Therefore, the role of securin in mediating the effect of fisetin on colorectal cancer growth warrants further investigation. In conclusion, the results of the current study provide important preclinical data for evaluating the efficacy of fisetin and radiation combination treatment as an adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for human colorectal cancers.

Antitumor activity of erlotinib (OSI-774, Tarceva) alone or in combination in human non-small cell lung cancer tumor xenograft models.

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Higgins, Brian; Kolinsky, Kenneth; Smith, Melissa; Beck, Gordon; Rashed, Mohammad; Adames, Violeta; Linn, Michael; Wheeldon, Eric; Gand, Laurent; Birnboeck, Herbert; Hoffmann, Gerhard

2004-06-01

Our objective was the preclinical assessment of the pharmacokinetics, monotherapy and combined antitumor activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1/EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib in athymic nude mice bearing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenograft models. Immunohistochemistry determined the HER1/EGFR status of the NSCLC tumor models. Pharmacokinetic studies assessed plasma drug concentrations of erlotinib in tumor- and non-tumor-bearing athymic nude mice. These were followed by maximum tolerated dose (MTD) studies for erlotinib and each chemotherapy. Erlotinib was then assessed alone and in combination with these chemotherapies in the NSCLC xenograft models. Complete necropsies were performed on most of the animals in each study to further assess antitumor or toxic effects. Erlotinib monotherapy dose-dependently inhibited tumor growth in the H460a tumor model, correlating with circulating levels of drug. There was antitumor activity at the MTD with each agent tested in both the H460a and A549 tumor models (erlotinib 100 mg/kg: 71 and 93% tumor growth inhibition; gemcitabine 120 mg/kg: 93 and 75% tumor growth inhibition; cisplatin 6 mg/kg: 81 and 88% tumor growth inhibition). When each compound was given at a fraction of the MTD, tumor growth inhibition was suboptimal. Combinations of gemcitabine or cisplatin with erlotinib were assessed at 25% of the MTD to determine efficacy. In both NSCLC models, doses of gemcitabine (30 mg/kg) or cisplatin (1.5 mg/kg) with erlotinib (25 mg/kg) at 25% of the MTD were well tolerated. For the slow growing A549 tumor, there was significant tumor growth inhibition in the gemcitabine/erlotinib and cisplatin/erlotinib combinations (above 100 and 98%, respectively), with partial regressions. For the faster growing H460a tumor, there was significant but less remarkable tumor growth inhibition in these same combinations (86 and 53% respectively). These results show that in NSCLC xenograft tumors with similar

Hypoxic cell turnover in different solid tumor lines

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Ljungkvist, Anna S.E.; Bussink, Johan; Kaanders, Johannes H.A.M.; Rijken, Paulus F.J.W.; Begg, Adrian C.; Raleigh, James A.; Kogel, Albert J. van der

2005-01-01

Purpose: Most solid tumors contain hypoxic cells, and the amount of tumor hypoxia has been shown to have a negative impact on the outcome of radiotherapy. The efficacy of combined modality treatments depends both on the sequence and timing of the treatments. Hypoxic cell turnover in tumors may be important for optimal scheduling of combined modality treatments, especially when hypoxic cell targeting is involved. Methods and Materials: Previously we have shown that a double bioreductive hypoxic marker assay could be used to detect changes of tumor hypoxia in relation to the tumor vasculature after carbogen and hydralazine treatments. This assay was used in the current study to establish the turnover rate of hypoxic cells in three different tumor models. The first hypoxic marker, pimonidazole, was administered at variable times before tumor harvest, and the second hypoxic marker, CCI-103F, was injected at a fixed time before harvest. Hypoxic cell turnover was defined as loss of pimonidazole (first marker) relative to CCI-103F (second marker). Results: The half-life of hypoxic cell turnover was 17 h in the murine C38 colon carcinoma line, 23 h and 49 h in the human xenograft lines MEC82 and SCCNij3, respectively. Within 24 h, loss of pimonidazole-stained areas in C38 and MEC82 occurred concurrent with the appearance of pimonidazole positive cell debris in necrotic regions. In C38 and MEC82, most of the hypoxic cells had disappeared after 48 h, whereas in SCCNij3, viable cells that had been labeled with pimonidazole were still observed after 5 days. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the double hypoxia marker assay can be used to study changes in both the proportion of hypoxic tumor cells and their lifespan at the same time. The present study shows that large differences in hypoxic cell turnover rates may exist among tumor lines, with half-lives ranging from 17-49 h

Solid pseudopapillary pancreas tumors. Often neglected

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Herrmann, K.A.; Reiser, M.F.; Zech, C.J.; Helmberger, T.; Bruns, C.

2008-01-01

Solid pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas (SPTP) are rare tumors of the pancreas with low malignancy potential and a very good prognostic outcome after surgery. They typically occur in young women or adolescents and consist of solid, cystic and cystic-hemorrhagic components. Imaging findings in these tumors are characteristic and include a fibrotic capsule with a clear delineation and exhibit solid and cystic-hemorrhagic signal and density characteristics. Calcifications may be present in the periphery of the tumor. The tumor capsule shows contrast enhancement, the solid components in the periphery enhance in the early phase and gradually and inhomogeneously in late phases. MRI is superior to CT and other imaging modalities for characterization of SPTP. Awareness and knowledge of this tumor entity with an excellent prognosis is crucial to guide the patient towards effective, predominantly organ-sparing surgical treatment. (orig.) [de

Concurrent Longitudinal EPR Monitoring of Tissue Oxygenation, Acidosis, and Reducing Capacity in Mouse Xenograft Tumor Models.

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Bobko, Andrey A; Evans, Jason; Denko, Nicholas C; Khramtsov, Valery V

2017-06-01

Tissue oxygenation, extracellular acidity, and tissue reducing capacity are among crucial parameters of tumor microenvironment (TME) of significant importance for tumor pathophysiology. In this paper, we demonstrate the complementary application of particulate lithium octa-n-butoxy-naphthalocyanine and soluble nitroxide paramagnetic probes for monitoring of these TME parameters using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique. Two different types of therapeutic interventions were studied: hypothermia and systemic administration of metabolically active drug. In summary, the results demonstrate the utility of EPR technique for non-invasive concurrent longitudinal monitoring of physiologically relevant chemical parameters of TME in mouse xenograft tumor models, including that under therapeutic intervention.

The use of matrigel has no influence on tumor development or PET imaging in FaDu human head and neck cancer xenografts

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Fliedner, Frederikke P.; Hansen, Anders Elias; Jorgensen, Jesper T.

2016-01-01

is currently available. This study evaluates the potential effect of matrigel use in a human head and neck cancer xenograft model (FaDu; hypopharyngeal carcinoma) in NMRI nude mice. The FaDu cell line was chosen based on its frequent use in studies of cancer imaging and tumor microenvironment. Methods: NMRI...... nude mice (n = 34) were divided into two groups and subcutaneously injected with FaDu cells in medium either including (+MG) or excluding matrigel (-MG). In sub study I seven mice from each group (+MG, n = 7; -MG, n = 7) were 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT scanned on Day 5, 8, 12, 15, and 19...... for the FaDu xenograft model evaluated. Tumors in the -MG group displayed increased angiogenesis compared to the +MG tumors. No difference in 18F-FDG PET uptake for tumors of different groups was found. Based on these observations the influence of matrigel on tumor imaging and tumor microenvironment seems...

Radiobiological hypoxic fraction does not correlate with pO2 measurements in eight human tumor xenografts into nude mice

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Taghian, A.; Huang, P.; Griffon, G.; Hartford, A.; Allam, A.; Costa, A. da; Kozin, S.; Suit, H.D.

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective: Clinical and laboratory reports suggest that hypoxia limits local control probability in tumors treated by radiation. Significant increase in the TCD 50 (the dose of radiation needed to control 50% of the tumors) was obtained in a number of tumor models when the tumors were rendered hypoxic by clamping. Furthermore, recent data have shown the value of measuring the pO2 using electrodes in predicting the tumor response to radiation in cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the radiobiological hypoxic fraction (HF) and the pO2 measurements of human tumor xenografts. Materials and Methods: Eight human tumor xenografts (five glioblastoma, one squamous cell carcinoma, one colon cancer, and one soft tissue sarcoma) were used in these experiments. Tumor chunks 2 mm in diameter were implanted into the hindleg of 5 Gy whole-body irradiated nude mice. When the tumor size reached 110 mm 3 , radiation was administered in a single dose ranging from 17.5 Gy to 90 Gy in hypoxic conditions. Acute hypoxia was induced by clamping the tumor bearing leg three minutes before and during the treatment. When aerobic conditions were required, the tumor bearing leg was immobilized by a hook which fitted around the ankle. Seven to 10 tumors were assigned to each dose level in each assay; there were 6 to 8 dose levels per assay. Starting at 2-3 weeks after irradiation, the animals were examined once per week and scored for presence of local tumor; if present, tumor diameters were measured. Tumor response is described in terms of radiation dose (in Gy) required to control 50% of the xenografts (TCD 50 ). The (HF) was determined using the formula of Howes (HF=e - ((TCD 50 hypoxic-TCD 50 air)(Do hypoxic)) and assuming an oxygen enhancement ratio of 3.0: (D o hyp=D o air x 3.0) (the D o air was separately determined in vitro for the corresponding cell lines). The pO2 measurements used electrodes as published (Boucher et al

Stereotactic intracranial implantation and in vivo bioluminescent imaging of tumor xenografts in a mouse model system of glioblastoma multiforme.

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Baumann, Brian C; Dorsey, Jay F; Benci, Joseph L; Joh, Daniel Y; Kao, Gary D

2012-09-25

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a high-grade primary brain cancer with a median survival of only 14.6 months in humans despite standard tri-modality treatment consisting of surgical resection, post-operative radiation therapy and temozolomide chemotherapy. New therapeutic approaches are clearly needed to improve patient survival and quality of life. The development of more effective treatment strategies would be aided by animal models of GBM that recapitulate human disease yet allow serial imaging to monitor tumor growth and treatment response. In this paper, we describe our technique for the precise stereotactic implantation of bio-imageable GBM cancer cells into the brains of nude mice resulting in tumor xenografts that recapitulate key clinical features of GBM. This method yields tumors that are reproducible and are located in precise anatomic locations while allowing in vivo bioluminescent imaging to serially monitor intracranial xenograft growth and response to treatments. This method is also well-tolerated by the animals with low perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Metformin decreases the dose of chemotherapy for prolonging tumor remission in mouse xenografts involving multiple cancer cell types.

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Iliopoulos, Dimitrios; Hirsch, Heather A; Struhl, Kevin

2011-05-01

Metformin, the first-line drug for treating diabetes, selectively kills the chemotherapy resistant subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSC) in genetically distinct types of breast cancer cell lines. In mouse xenografts, injection of metformin and the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin near the tumor is more effective than either drug alone in blocking tumor growth and preventing relapse. Here, we show that metformin is equally effective when given orally together with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and doxorubicin, indicating that metformin works together with a variety of standard chemotherapeutic agents. In addition, metformin has comparable effects on tumor regression and preventing relapse when combined with a four-fold reduced dose of doxorubicin that is not effective as a monotherapy. Finally, the combination of metformin and doxorubicin prevents relapse in xenografts generated with prostate and lung cancer cell lines. These observations provide further evidence for the CSC hypothesis for cancer relapse, an experimental rationale for using metformin as part of combinatorial therapy in a variety of clinical settings, and for reducing the chemotherapy dose in cancer patients.

Microarray analysis in clinical oncology: pre-clinical optimization using needle core biopsies from xenograft tumors

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Goley, Elizabeth M; Anderson, Soni J; Ménard, Cynthia; Chuang, Eric; Lü, Xing; Tofilon, Philip J; Camphausen, Kevin

2004-01-01

DNA microarray profiling performed on clinical tissue specimens can potentially provide significant information regarding human cancer biology. Biopsy cores, the typical source of human tumor tissue, however, generally provide very small amounts of RNA (0.3–15 μg). RNA amplification is a common method used to increase the amount of material available for hybridization experiments. Using human xenograft tissue, we sought to address the following three questions: 1) is amplified RNA representative of the original RNA profile? 2) what is the minimum amount of total RNA required to perform a representative amplification? 3) are the direct and indirect methods of labeling the hybridization probe equivalent? Total RNA was extracted from human xenograft tissue and amplified using a linear amplification process. RNA was labeled and hybridized, and the resulting images yielded data that was extracted into two categories using the mAdb system: 'all genes' and 'outliers'. Scatter plots were generated for each slide and Pearson Coefficients of correlation were obtained. Results show that the amplification of 5 μg of total RNA yields a Pearson Correlation Coefficient of 0.752 (N = 6,987 genes) between the amplified and total RNA samples. We subsequently determined that amplification of 0.5 μg of total RNA generated a similar Pearson Correlation Coefficient as compared to the corresponding original RNA sample. Similarly, sixty-nine percent of total RNA outliers were detected with 5 μg of amplified starting RNA, and 55% of outliers were detected with 0.5 μg of starting RNA. However, amplification of 0.05 μg of starting RNA resulted in a loss of fidelity (Pearson Coefficient 0.669 between amplified and original samples, 44% outlier concordance). In these studies the direct or indirect methods of probe labeling yielded similar results. Finally, we examined whether RNA obtained from needle core biopsies of human tumor xenografts, amplified and indirectly

Radioimmunodetection of human tumor xenografts by monoclonal antibody F(ab')/sub 2/ fragments

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Herlyn, D.; Munz, D.L.; Herlyn, M.; Koprowski, H.; Powe, J.; Alavi, A.; Meinken, G.E.; Srivastava, S.C.

1986-01-01

Procedures are described for the radiolocalization of human tumors by murine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) in animal model systems. Visualization of tumor xenografts was clearer in nude mice compared to experimentally immunosuppressed mice due to the higher tumor viability. MAb localization in tumor tissue was greatly enhanced when F(ab')/sub 2/ fragments rather than intact antibody molecules were used. Although tumors could be visualized with /sup 131/I-, /sup 123/I-or /sup 111/In-labeled MAb fragments without background subtraction, tumor-to-background ratios of radioactivity were highest for /sup 131/I-labeled fragments. /sup 131/I-labeled F(ab')/sub 2/ fragments of eight MAb against human colorectal carcinoma, melanoma or lung carcinoma localized specifically only in those tumors that bound the MAb in vitro and not in unrelated tumors. Radiolabeled fragments of MAb with other specificities (anti-hepatitis virus MAb) did not localize in tumors. All MAb that inhibited tumor growth in nude mice effectively localized these tumors by ..gamma..-scintigraphy. Some MAb were effective in localizing tumors but ineffective in inhibiting their growth. The ability of the specific radiolabeled F(ab')/sub 2/ fragments to localize in tumor grafts correlated significantly with MAb binding affinity and density of antigenic sites on tumor cells together, but not with either in vitro binding parameter alone.

Impact of MLH1 expression on tumor evolution after curative surgical tumor resection in a murine orthotopic xenograft model for human MSI colon cancer.

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Meunier, Katy; Ferron, Marianne; Calmel, Claire; Fléjou, Jean-François; Pocard, Marc; Praz, Françoise

2017-09-01

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) displaying microsatellite instability (MSI) most often result from MLH1 deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of MLH1 expression per se on tumor evolution after curative surgical resection using a xenograft tumor model. Transplantable tumors established with the human MLH1-deficient HCT116 cell line and its MLH1-complemented isogenic clone, mlh1-3, were implanted onto the caecum of NOD/SCID mice. Curative surgical resection was performed at day 10 in half of the animals. The HCT116-derived tumors were more voluminous compared to the mlh1-3 ones (P = .001). Lymph node metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis occurred significantly more often in the group of mice grafted with HCT116 (P = .007 and P = .035, respectively). Mlh1-3-grafted mice did not develop peritoneal carcinomatosis or liver metastasis. After surgical resection, lymph node metastases only arose in the group of mice implanted with HCT116 and the rate of cure was significantly lower than in the mlh1-3 group (P = .047). The murine orthotopic xenograft model based on isogenic human CRC cell lines allowed us to reveal the impact of MLH1 expression on tumor evolution in mice who underwent curative surgical resection and in mice whose tumor was left in situ. Our data indicate that the behavior of MLH1-deficient CRC is not only governed by mutations arising in genes harboring microsatellite repeated sequences but also from their defect in MLH1 as such. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of planar, PET and well-counter measurements of total tumor radioactivity in a mouse xenograft model

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Green, Michael V.; Seidel, Jurgen; Williams, Mark R.; Wong, Karen J.; Ton, Anita; Basuli, Falguni; Choyke, Peter L.; Jagoda, Elaine M.

2017-01-01

Introduction: Quantitative small animal radionuclide imaging studies are often carried out with the intention of estimating the total radioactivity content of various tissues such as the radioactivity content of mouse xenograft tumors exposed to putative diagnostic or therapeutic agents. We show that for at least one specific application, positron projection imaging (PPI) and PET yield comparable estimates of absolute total tumor activity and that both of these estimates are highly correlated with direct well-counting of these same tumors. These findings further suggest that in this particular application, PPI is a far more efficient data acquisition and processing methodology than PET. Methods: Forty-one athymic mice were implanted with PC3 human prostate cancer cells transfected with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA (+)) and one additional animal (for a total of 42) with a control blank vector (PSMA (−)). All animals were injected with [ 18 F] DCFPyl, a ligand for PSMA, and imaged for total tumor radioactivity with PET and PPI. The tumors were then removed, assayed by well counting for total radioactivity and the values between these methods intercompared. Results: PET, PPI and well-counter estimates of total tumor radioactivity were highly correlated (R 2 > 0.98) with regression line slopes near unity (0.95 < slope ≤ 1.02) and intercepts near zero (−0.001 MBq ≤ intercept ≤0.004 MBq). Conclusion: Total mouse xenograft tumor radioactivity can be measured with PET or PPI with an accuracy comparable to well counting if certain experimental and pharmacokinetic conditions are met. In this particular application, PPI is significantly more efficient than PET in making these measurements.

Long-term fluorescence lifetime imaging of a genetically encoded sensor for caspase-3 activity in mouse tumor xenografts

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Zherdeva, Victoria; Kazachkina, Natalia I.; Shcheslavskiy, Vladislav; Savitsky, Alexander P.

2018-03-01

Caspase-3 is known for its role in apoptosis and programmed cell death regulation. We detected caspase-3 activation in vivo in tumor xenografts via shift of mean fluorescence lifetimes of a caspase-3 sensor. We used the genetically encoded sensor TR23K based on the red fluorescent protein TagRFP and chromoprotein KFP linked by 23 amino acid residues (TagRFP-23-KFP) containing a specific caspase cleavage DEVD motif to monitor the activity of caspase-3 in tumor xenografts by means of fluorescence lifetime imaging-Forster resonance energy transfer. Apoptosis was induced by injection of paclitaxel for A549 lung adenocarcinoma and etoposide and cisplatin for HEp-2 pharynx adenocarcinoma. We observed a shift in lifetime distribution from 1.6 to 1.9 ns to 2.1 to 2.4 ns, which indicated the activation of caspase-3. Even within the same tumor, the lifetime varied presumably due to the tumor heterogeneity and the different depth of tumor invasion. Thus, processing time-resolved fluorescence images allows detection of both the cleaved and noncleaved states of the TR23K sensor in real-time mode during the course of several weeks noninvasively. This approach can be used in drug screening, facilitating the development of new anticancer agents as well as improvement of chemotherapy efficiency and its adaptation for personal treatment.

Matrigel alters the pathophysiology of orthotopic human breast adenocarcinoma xenografts with implications for nanomedicine evaluation.

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Shuhendler, Adam J; Prasad, Preethy; Cai, Ping; Hui, Kelvin K W; Henderson, Jeffrey T; Rauth, Andrew M; Wu, Xiao Yu

2013-08-01

Matrigel, a mouse sarcoma-derived basement membrane protein mixture, is frequently used to facilitate human tumor xenograft growth in rodents. Despite its known effects on tumor growth and metastasis, its impact on tumor pathophysiology and preclinical evaluation of nanomedicines in tumor xenografts has not been reported previously. Herein bilateral MDA435 tumors were established orthotopically with (Mat+) or without (Mat-) co-injection of Matrigel. Tumor perfusion, morphology and nanoparticle retention were evaluated. As compared to Mat- tumors, Mat+tumors exhibited enhanced vascular perfusion and lymphatic flow, greater blood vessel and lymphatic growth within the tumor core, and more deformation and collapse of lymphatics in tumor-associated lymph nodes. These changes were accompanied by reduced nanoparticle retention in Mat+tumors. The results suggest that Matrigel is not a passive medium for tumor growth, but rather significantly alters long-term tumor architecture. These findings have significant implications for the evaluation of therapeutic nanomedicine in xenograft mouse models. Matrigel is utilized in facilitating human tumor xenograft growth in rodents. The authors demonstrate that Matrigel is not a passive medium for tumor growth; instead it significantly alters long-term tumor architecture, with major implications in the evaluation of therapeutic nanomedicine in xenograft mouse models. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

18F-FDG and 18F-FLT-PET imaging for monitoring everolimus effect on tumor-growth in neuroendocrine tumors: studies in human tumor xenografts in mice.

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Camilla Bardram Johnbeck

Full Text Available The mTOR inhibitor everolimus has shown promising results in some but not all neuroendocrine tumors. Therefore, early assessment of treatment response would be beneficial. In this study, we investigated the in vivo and in vitro treatment effect of everolimus in neuroendocrine tumors and evaluated the performance of 18F-FDG and the proliferation tracer 18F-FLT for treatment response assessment by PET imaging.The effect of everolimus on the human carcinoid cell line H727 was examined in vitro with the MTT assay and in vivo on H727 xenograft tumors. The mice were scanned at baseline with 18F-FDG or 18F-FLT and then treated with either placebo or everolimus (5 mg/kg daily for 10 days. PET/CT scans were repeated at day 1,3 and 10.Everolimus showed significant inhibition of H727 cell proliferation in vitro at concentrations above 1 nM. In vivo tumor volumes measured relative to baseline were significantly lower in the everolimus group compared to the control group at day 3 (126±6% vs. 152±6%; p = 0.016, day 7 (164±7% vs. 226±13%; p<0.001 and at day 10 (194±10% vs. 281±18%; p<0.001. Uptake of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT showed little differences between control and treatment groups, but individual mean uptake of 18F-FDG at day 3 correlated with tumor growth day 10 (r2 = 0.45; P = 0.034, 18F-FLT mean uptake at day 1 correlated with tumor growth day 7 (r2 = 0.63; P = 0.019 and at day 3 18F-FLT correlated with tumor growth day 7 (r2 = 0.87; P<0.001 and day 10 (r2 = 0.58; P = 0.027.Everolimus was effective in vitro and in vivo in human xenografts lung carcinoid NETs and especially early 18F-FLT uptake predicted subsequent tumor growth. We suggest that 18F-FLT PET can be used for tailoring therapy for neuroendocrine tumor patients through early identification of responders and non-responders.

Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) of radiation-induced re-oxygenation in sensitive and resistant head and neck tumor xenografts

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Dadgar, Sina; Rodríguez Troncoso, Joel; Rajaram, Narasimhan

2018-02-01

Currently, anatomical assessment of tumor volume performed several weeks after completion of treatment is the clinical standard to determine whether a cancer patient has responded to a treatment. However, functional changes within the tumor could potentially provide information regarding treatment resistance or response much earlier than anatomical changes. We have used diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to assess the short and long-term re-oxygenation kinetics of a human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma xenografts in response to radiation therapy. First, we injected UM-SCC-22B cell line into the flank of 50 mice to grow xenografts. Once the tumor volume reached 200 mm3 (designated as Day 1), the mice were distributed into radiation and control groups. Members of radiation group underwent a clinical dose of radiation of 2 Gy/day on Days 1, 4, 7, and 10 for a cumulative dose of 8 Gy. DRS spectra of these tumors were collected for 14 days during and after therapy, and the collected spectra of each tumor were converted to its optical properties using a lookup table-base inverse model. We found statistically significant differences in tumor growth rate between two groups which is in indication of the sensitivity of this cell line to radiation. We further acquired significantly different contents of hemoglobin and scattering magnitude and size in two groups. The scattering has previously been associated with necrosis. We furthermore found significantly different time-dependent changes in vascular oxygenation and tumor hemoglobin concentration in post-radiation days.

Imaging Tumor Variation in Response to Photodynamic Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer Xenograft Models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samkoe, Kimberley S.; Chen, Alina; Rizvi, Imran; O'Hara, Julia A.; Hoopes, P. Jack; Pereira, Stephen P.; Hasan, Tayyaba; Pogue, Brian W.

2010-01-01

Purpose: A treatment monitoring study investigated the differential effects of orthotopic pancreatic cancer models in response to interstitial photodynamic therapy (PDT), and the validity of using magnetic resonance imaging as a surrogate measure of response was assessed. Methods and Materials: Different orthotopic pancreatic cancer xenograft models (AsPC-1 and Panc-1) were used to represent the range of pathophysiology observed in human beings. Identical dose escalation studies (10, 20, and 40J/cm) using interstitial verteporfin PDT were performed, and magnetic resonance imaging with T2-weighted and T1-weighted contrast were used to monitor the total tumor volume and the vascular perfusion volume, respectively. Results: There was a significant amount of necrosis in the slower-growing Panc-1 tumor using high light dose, although complete necrosis was not observed. Lower doses were required for the same level of tumor kill in the faster-growing AsPC-1 cell line. Conclusions: The tumor growth rate and vascular pattern of the tumor affect the optimal PDT treatment regimen, with faster-growing tumors being relatively easier to treat. This highlights the fact that therapy in human beings shows a heterogeneous range of outcomes, and suggests a need for careful individualized treatment outcomes assessment in clinical work.

Antibody Drug Conjugates Differentiate Uptake and DNA Alkylation of Pyrrolobenzodiazepines in Tumors from Organs of Xenograft Mice.

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Ma, Yong; Khojasteh, S Cyrus; Hop, Cornelis E C A; Erickson, Hans K; Polson, Andrew; Pillow, Thomas H; Yu, Shang-Fan; Wang, Hong; Dragovich, Peter S; Zhang, Donglu

2016-12-01

Pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer is a DNA minor groove alkylator, and its CD22 THIOMAB antibody drug conjugate (ADC) demonstrated, through a disulfide linker, an efficacy in tumor reduction for more than 7 weeks with minimal body weight loss in xenograft mice after a single 0.5-1 mg/kg i.v. dose. The DNA alkylation was investigated here in tumors and healthy organs of mice to understand the sustained efficacy and tolerability. The experimental procedures included the collection of tumors and organ tissues of xenograft mice treated with the ADC followed by DNA isolation/hydrolysis/quantitation and payload recovery from reversible DNA alkylation. PBD-dimer formed a considerable amount of adducts with tissue DNA, representing approximately 98% (at 24 hours), and 99% (at 96 hours) of the total PBD-dimer in tumors, and 78-89% in liver and lung tissues, suggesting highly efficient covalent binding of the released PBD-dimer to tissue DNA. The amount of PBD-DNA adducts in tumor tissues was approximately 24-fold (at 24 hours) and 70-fold (at 96 hours) greater than the corresponding amount of adducts in liver and lung tissues. In addition, the DNA alkylation levels increased 3-fold to 4-fold from 24 to 96 hours in tumors [41/10 6 base pairs (bp) at 96 hours] but remained at the same level (1/10 6 bp) in livers and lungs. These results support the typical target-mediated cumulative uptake of ADC into tumors and payload release that offers an explanation for its sustained antitumor efficacy. In addition, the low level of DNA alkylation in normal tissues is consistent with the tolerability observed in mice. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Selenite Treatment Inhibits LAPC-4 Tumor Growth and Prostate-Specific Antigen Secretion in a Xenograft Model of Human Prostate Cancer

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Bhattacharyya, Rumi S.; Husbeck, Bryan; Feldman, David; Knox, Susan J.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Selenium compounds have known chemopreventive effects on prostate cancer. However selenite, an inorganic form of selenium, has not been extensively studied as a treatment option for prostate cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated the inhibition of androgen receptor expression and androgen stimulated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression by selenite in human prostate cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated the in vivo effects of selenite as a therapy to treat mice with established LAPC-4 tumors. Methods and Materials: Male mice harboring androgen-dependent LAPC-4 xenograft tumors were treated with selenite (2 mg/kg intraperitoneally three times per week) or vehicle for 42 days. In addition, androgen-independent LAPC-4 xenograft tumors were generated in female mice over 4 to 6 months. Once established, androgen-independent LAPC-4 tumor fragments were passaged into female mice and were treated with selenite or vehicle for 42 days. Changes in tumor volume and serum PSA levels were assessed. Results: Selenite significantly decreased androgen-dependent LAPC-4 tumor growth in male mice over 42 days (p < 0.001). Relative tumor volume was decreased by 41% in selenite-treated animals compared with vehicle-treated animals. The inhibition of LAPC-4 tumor growth corresponded to a marked decrease in serum PSA levels (p < 0.01). In the androgen-independent LAPC-4 tumors in female mice, selenite treatment decreased tumor volume by 58% after 42 days of treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that selenite may have potential as a novel therapeutic agent to treat both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer

Temporal morphologic changes in human colorectal carcinomas following xenografting.

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Barkla, D H; Tutton, P J

1983-03-01

The temporal morphologic changes of human colorectal carcinomas following xenografting into immunosuppressed mice were investigated by the use of light and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that colorectal carcinomas undergo a series of morphologic changes during the initial 30-day period following transplantation. During the initial 1-5-day period the majority of tumor cells die, and during the following 5-10-day period the necrotic debris created during the 1-5-day period is removed by host-supplied inflammatory cells. Only small groups of peripherally placed tumor cells survived at the end of the first 10 days. During the 10-20-day period the tumor cell populations of xenografts were reestablished by a morphologically heterogeneous population of tumor cells, and during the 20-30 day period consolidation of this process continued and some xenografts showed macroscopic evidence of growth. The authors hypothesize that human colorectal carcinomas, like the antecedent epithelium, contain subpopulations of undifferentiated cells that give rise to populations of more-differentiated cells.

Imaging of solid tumor using near-infrared emitting purple bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Sung Min; Min, Jung Joon; Kim, Sun A; Choy, Hyon E.; Bom, Hee Seung

2005-01-01

Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 is α-3 purple nonsulfur eubacterium with an extensive metabolism. Under anaerobic conditions, it is able to grow by photosynthesis, respiration and fermentation. When grown photosynthetically, it uses wavelengths of light in the near-infrared and contains a reaction center that is the peripheral light-harvesting (LH2) complex. These molecules absorb and emit near-infrared light. Using this near-infrared fluorescent bacterial we investigated its targeting capacity of solid tumor in small animals. R. sphaeroides 2.4.1 strains were cultured in sistrons minimal medium A (SIS) at 32 C. Xenograft tumor model has been established by subcutaneous injection of CT26 mouse colon cancer cell line. 1X10 8 Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells suspended in 100 ul of PBS were injected via tail vein with 1-cc insulin syringe into tumor bearing mouse. In vivo fluorescence imaging has been done after 20 min to 30 days of purple bacteria using indocyanine (ICG) emission filter (Em=810∼835 nm). Near-infrared imaging signal from Rhodobacter sphaeroides was initially detected at liver for 3 days but at the necrotic region of tumor mass thereafter. Total photon flux measured 5.5X10 8 (p/s/cm 2 /sr) at Day 1. Also it was increased to 7.8X10 8 (p/s/cm 2 /sr) at 12 day. One of important characteristic is that the signal appeared only at central necrosis area. It has been monitored for 36 day. We successfully imaged cancer with near-infrared fluorescence bacteria. Our result indicate that near-infrared fluorescence purple bacteria are able to be used to monitor bacterial trafficking in living tumor models

Gleditsia Saponin C Induces A549 Cell Apoptosis via Caspase-Dependent Cascade and Suppresses Tumor Growth on Xenografts Tumor Animal Model

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Ye Cheng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Saponins are natural compounds and possess the most promising anti-cancer function. Here, a saponin gleditsia saponin C (GSC, extracted from gleditsiae fructus abnormalis, could induce apoptosis of lung tumor cell line A549 via caspase dependent cascade and this effect could be prevented by the caspase inhibitors. In addition, GSC induced cell death companied with an increase ratio of Bax:Bcl-2 and inhibition of ERK and Akt signaling pathways. Meanwhile, GSC suppressed TNFα inducing NF-κB activation and increased the susceptibility of lung cancer cell to TNFα induced apoptosis. Furthermore, on mouse xenograft model, GSC significantly suppressed tumor growth and induced cancer cell apoptosis, which validated the anti-tumor effect of GSC. Based on these results, GSC might be a promising drug candidate of anti-lung cancer for its potential clinical applications.

Optical Imaging of Tumor Hypoxia and Evaluation of Efficacy of a Hypoxia-Targeting Drug in Living Animals

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Hiroshi Harada

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Solid tumors containing more hypoxic regions show a more malignant phenotype by increasing the expression of genes encoding angiogenic and metastatic factors. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1 is a master transcriptional activator of such genes, and thus, imaging and targeting hypoxic tumor cells where HIF-1 is active are important in cancer therapy. In the present study, HIF-1 activity was monitored via an optical in vivo imaging system by using a luciferase reporter gene under the regulation of an artificial HIF-1-dependent promoter, 5HRE. To monitor tumor hypoxia, we isolated a stable reporter-transfectant, HeLa/5HRE-Luc, which expressed more than 100-fold luciferase in response to hypoxic stress, and observed bioluminescence from its xenografts. Immunohistochemical analysis of the xenografts with a hypoxia marker, pimonidazole, confirmed that the luciferase-expressing cells were hypoxic. Evaluation of the efficacy of a hypoxia-targeting prodrug, TOP3, using this optical imaging system revealed that hypoxic cells were significantly diminished by TOP3 treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis of the TOP3-treated xenografts confirmed that hypoxic cells underwent apoptosis and were removed after TOP3 treatment. These results demonstrate that this model system using the 5HRE-luciferase reporter construct provides qualitative information (hypoxic status of solid tumors and enables one to conveniently evaluate the efficacy of cancer therapy on hypoxia in malignant solid tumors.

The effect of combining recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha with local radiation on tumor control probability of a human glioblastoma multiforme xenograft in nude mice

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Huang, Peigen; Allam, Ayman; Perez, Luis A.; Taghian, Alphonse; Freeman, Jill; Suit, Herman D.

1995-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the antitumor activity of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rHuTNF-α) on a human glioblastoma multiforme (U87) xenograft in nude mice, and to study the effect of combining rHuTNF-α with local radiation on the tumor control probability of this tumor model. Methods and Materials: U87 xenograft was transplanted SC into the right hindleg of NCr/Sed nude mice (7-8 weeks old, male). When tumors reached a volume of about 110 mm 3 , mice were randomly assigned to treatment: rHuTNF-α alone compared with normal saline control; or local radiation plus rHuTNF-α vs. local radiation plus normal saline. Parameters of growth delay, volume doubling time, percentage of necrosis, and cell loss factor were used to assess the antitumor effects of rHuTNF-α on this tumor. The TCD 50 (tumor control dose 50%) was used as an endpoint to determine the effect of combining rHuTNF-α with local radiation. Results: Tumor growth in mice treated with a dose of 150 μg/kg body weight rHuTNF-α, IP injection daily for 7 consecutive days, was delayed about 8 days compared to that in controls. Tumors in the treatment group had a significantly longer volume doubling time, and were smaller in volume and more necrotic than matched tumors in control group. rHuTNF-α also induced a 2.3 times increase of cell loss factor. The administration of the above-mentioned dose of rHuTNF-α starting 24 h after single doses of localized irradiation under hypoxic condition, resulted in a significant reduction in TCD 50 from the control value of 60.9 Gy to 50.5 Gy (p 50 value in the treatment vs. the control groups

Prevention of Human Lymphoproliferative Tumor Formation in Ovarian Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts

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Kristina A. Butler

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Interest in preclinical drug development for ovarian cancer has stimulated development of patient-derived xenograft (PDX or tumorgraft models. However, the unintended formation of human lymphoma in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV–infected human lymphocytes can be problematic. In this study, we have characterized ovarian cancer PDXs which developed human lymphomas and explore methods to suppress lymphoproliferative growth. Fresh human ovarian tumors from 568 patients were transplanted intraperitoneally in SCID mice. A subset of PDX models demonstrated atypical patterns of dissemination with mediastinal masses, hepatosplenomegaly, and CD45-positive lymphoblastic atypia without ovarian tumor engraftment. Expression of human CD20 but not CD3 supported a B-cell lineage, and EBV genomes were detected in all lymphoproliferative tumors. Immunophenotyping confirmed monoclonal gene rearrangements consistent with B-cell lymphoma, and global gene expression patterns correlated well with other human lymphomas. The ability of rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody, to suppress human lymphoproliferation from a patient's ovarian tumor in SCID mice and prevent growth of an established lymphoma led to a practice change with a goal to reduce the incidence of lymphomas. A single dose of rituximab during the primary tumor heterotransplantation process reduced the incidence of CD45-positive cells in subsequent PDX lines from 86.3% (n = 117 without rituximab to 5.6% (n = 160 with rituximab, and the lymphoma rate declined from 11.1% to 1.88%. Taken together, investigators utilizing PDX models for research should routinely monitor for lymphoproliferative tumors and consider implementing methods to suppress their growth.

Improving CART-Cell Therapy of Solid Tumors with Oncolytic Virus-Driven Production of a Bispecific T-cell Engager.

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Wing, Anna; Fajardo, Carlos Alberto; Posey, Avery D; Shaw, Carolyn; Da, Tong; Young, Regina M; Alemany, Ramon; June, Carl H; Guedan, Sonia

2018-05-01

T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CART) have shown significant promise in clinical trials to treat hematologic malignancies, but their efficacy in solid tumors has been limited. Oncolytic viruses have the potential to act in synergy with immunotherapies due to their immunogenic oncolytic properties and the opportunity of incorporating therapeutic transgenes in their genomes. Here, we hypothesized that an oncolytic adenovirus armed with an EGFR-targeting, bispecific T-cell engager (OAd-BiTE) would improve the outcome of CART-cell therapy in solid tumors. We report that CART cells targeting the folate receptor alpha (FR-α) successfully infiltrated preestablished xenograft tumors but failed to induce complete responses, presumably due to the presence of antigen-negative cancer cells. We demonstrated that OAd-BiTE-mediated oncolysis significantly improved CART-cell activation and proliferation, while increasing cytokine production and cytotoxicity, and showed an in vitro favorable safety profile compared with EGFR-targeting CARTs. BiTEs secreted from infected cells redirected CART cells toward EGFR in the absence of FR-α, thereby addressing tumor heterogeneity. BiTE secretion also redirected CAR-negative, nonspecific T cells found in CART-cell preparations toward tumor cells. The combinatorial approach improved antitumor efficacy and prolonged survival in mouse models of cancer when compared with the monotherapies, and this was the result of an increased BiTE-mediated T-cell activation in tumors. Overall, these results demonstrated that the combination of a BiTE-expressing oncolytic virus with adoptive CART-cell therapy overcomes key limitations of CART cells and BiTEs as monotherapies in solid tumors and encourage its further evaluation in human trials. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(5); 605-16. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

The use of matrigel has no influence on tumor development or PET imaging in FaDu human head and neck cancer xenografts

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Fliedner, Frederikke P.; Hansen, Anders Elias; Jorgensen, Jesper T.

2016-01-01

Background: In preclinical research MatrixgelTM Basement Membrane Matrix (MG) is used frequently for the establishment of syngeneic and xenograft cancer models. Limited information on its influence on parameters including; tumor growth, vascularization, hypoxia and imaging characteristics....... In sub study II ten mice from each group (+MG, n = 10; -MG, n = 10) were included and tumors collected for immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of tumor microenvironment including; proliferation ratio, micro vessel density, average vessel area, hypoxia, nuclear density, and necrosis. Tumors for IHC were...

In Vivo Imaging of Xenograft Tumors Using an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Specific Affibody Molecule Labeled with a Near-infrared Fluorophore

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Haibiao Gong

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR is associated with many types of cancers. It is of great interest to noninvasively image the EGFR expression in vivo. In this study, we labeled an EGFR-specific Affibody molecule (Eaff with a near-infrared (NIR dye IRDye800CW maleimide and tested the binding of this labeled molecule (Eaff800 in cell culture and xenograft mouse tumor models. Unlike EGF, Eaff did not activate the EGFR signaling pathway. Results showed that Eaff800 was bound and taken up specifically by EGFR-overexpressing A431 cells. When Eaff800 was intravenously injected into nude mice bearing A431 xenograft tumors, the tumor could be identified 1 hour after injection and it became most prominent after 1 day. Images of dissected tissue sections demonstrated that the accumulation of Eaff800 was highest in the liver, followed by the tumor and kidney. Moreover, in combination with a human EGFR type 2 (HER2-specific probe Haff682, Eaff800 could be used to distinguish between EGFR- and HER2-overexpressing tumors. Interestingly, the organ distribution pattern and the clearance rate of Eaff800 were different from those of Haff682. In conclusion, Eaff molecule labeled with a NIR fluorophore is a promising molecular imaging agent for EGFR-overexpressing tumors.

DCE-MRI of patient-derived xenograft models of uterine cervix carcinoma: associations with parameters of the tumor microenvironment

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Anette Hauge

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Abnormalities in the tumor microenvironment are associated with resistance to treatment, aggressive growth, and poor clinical outcome in patients with advanced cervical cancer. The potential of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE MRI to assess the microvascular density (MVD, interstitial fluid pressure (IFP, and hypoxic fraction of patient-derived cervical cancer xenografts was investigated in the present study. Methods Four patient-derived xenograft (PDX models of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix (BK-12, ED-15, HL-16, and LA-19 were subjected to Gd-DOTA-based DCE-MRI using a 7.05 T preclinical scanner. Parametric images of the volume transfer constant (K trans and the fractional distribution volume (v e of the contrast agent were produced by pharmacokinetic analyses utilizing the standard Tofts model. Whole tumor median values of the DCE-MRI parameters were compared with MVD and the fraction of hypoxic tumor tissue, as determined histologically, and IFP, as measured with a Millar catheter. Results Both on the PDX model level and the single tumor level, a significant inverse correlation was found between K trans and hypoxic fraction. The extent of hypoxia was also associated with the fraction of voxels with unphysiological v e values (v e > 1.0. None of the DCE-MRI parameters were related to MVD or IFP. Conclusions DCE-MRI may provide valuable information on the hypoxic fraction of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and thereby facilitate individualized patient management.

Melatonin exerts anti-oral cancer effect via suppressing LSD1 in patient-derived tumor xenograft models

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Yang, Cheng-Yu; Lin, Chih-Kung; Tsao, Chang-Huei; Hsieh, Cheng-Chih; Lin, Gu-Jiun; Ma, Kuo-Hsing; Shieh, Yi-Shing; Sytwu, Huey-Kang; Chen, Yuan-Wu

2017-01-01

Aberrant activation of histone lysine-specific demethylase (LSD1) increases tumorigenicity; hence, LSD1 is considered a therapeutic target for various human cancers. Although melatonin, an endogenously produced molecule, may defend against various cancers, the precise mechanism involved in its anti-oral cancer effect remains unclear. Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) models are preclinical models that can more accurately reflect human tumor biology compared with cell line xenograft models. Here, we evaluated the anticancer activity of melatonin by using LSD1-overexpressing oral cancer PDTX models. By assessing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissue arrays through immunohistochemistry, we examined whether aberrant LSD1 overexpression in OSCC is associated with poor prognosis. We also evaluated the action mechanism of melatonin against OSCC with lymphatic metastases by using the PDTX models. Our results indicated that melatonin, at pharmacological concentrations, significantly suppresses cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The observed suppression of proliferation was accompanied by the melatonin-mediated inhibition of LSD1 in oral cancer PDTXs and oral cancer cell lines. In conclusion, we determined that the beneficial effects of melatonin in reducing oral cancer cell proliferation are associated with reduced LSD1 expression in vivo and in vitro. PMID:28422711

Interleukin-12 Inhibits Tumor Growth in a Novel Angiogenesis Canine Hemangiosarcoma Xenograft Model

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Nasim Akhtar

2004-03-01

Full Text Available We established a canine hemangiosarcoma cell line derived from malignant endothelial cells comprising a spontaneous tumor in a dog to provide a renewable source of endothelial cells for studies of angiogenesis in malignancy. Pieces of the hemangiosarcoma biopsy were engrafted subcutaneously in a bg/nu/XID mouse allowing the tumor cells to expand in vivo. A cell line, SB-HSA, was derived from the xenograft. SB-HSA cells expressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF receptors 1 and 2, CD31, CD146, and αvβ3 integrin, and produced several growth factors and cytokines, including VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, and interleukin (IL-8 that are stimulatory to endothelial cell growth. These results indicated that the cells recapitulated features of mitotically activated endothelia. In vivo, SB-HSA cells stimulated robust angiogenic responses in mice and formed tumor masses composed of aberrant vascular channels in immunocompromised mice providing novel opportunities for investigating the effectiveness of antiangiogenic agents. Using this model, we determined that IL-12, a cytokine with both immunostimulatory and antiangiogenic effects, suppressed angiogenesis induced by, and tumor growth of, SB-HSA cells. The endothelial cell model we have described offers unique opportunities to pursue further investigations with IL-12, as well as other antiangiogenic approaches in cancer therapy.

Anti-EGFR therapy radiosensitizes human lung adenocarcinoma xenograft in nude mouse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hui; Li Tianran; Tian Jiahe; Qu Baolin; Zhu Hui

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of Gefitinib on radiosensitivity of human lung adenocarcinoma xenograft in nude mouse. Methods: Human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 was used to establish nude mouse xenograft tumor model. The mice were derided into 4 groups: control, irradiation alone, Gefinitib alone and radiation combined with Genifitib. Radiation schedule was 3 fractions of 5 Gy, once daily. Gefitinib was daily administered by gavage at 100 mg/(kg·day -1 ) for 14 days. In the combination group, radiotherapy was performed 2 hours after Gefitinib administration. Tumor diameter was measured every other day. Percentage of tumor growth inhibition, growth delay time and regrowth delay time were evaluated. Results: For A549 xenografts in radiation alone, gefitinib alone and combination therapy groups, the percentage of tumor growth inhibition was 22.7%, 12.4% and 38.2%, respectively (F=25.75, P=0.000). Tumor growth delay time was 6.0, 7.8 and 21.6 days, respectively (F=70.49, P=0.000). Tumor regrowth delay time in combination therapy and irradiation alone groups was 23.4 and 10.2 days. (F=174.24, P= 0.000). Sensitizing enhancement ratio of combination group was 1.5 in growth and 1.7 in regrowth. Conclusions: Anti-EGFR therapy enhances the radiosensitivity of human lung adenocarcinoma xenograft in nude mouse. (authors)

The decreased influence of overall treatment time on the response of human breast tumor xenografts following prolongation of the potential doubling time (T{sub pot})

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Sarkaria, Jann N; Fowler, John F; Lindstrom, Mary J; Jordan, V Craig; Mulcahy, R Timothy

1995-02-15

Purpose: Repopulation during fractionated radiotherapy has been postulated to result in a significant loss in local control in rapidly proliferating tumors. Clinical data suggest that accelerated fractionation schedules can overcome the influence of repopulation by limiting the overall treatment time. Unfortunately, accelerated therapy frequently leads to increased acute reactions, which may become dose limiting. An alternative to accelerated fractionation would be to decrease the rate of repopulation during therapy. To test the potential efficacy of this alternative, we examined the effect of reducing tumor proliferation rate on the response of MCF-7 human breast carcinoma xenografts treated with a short vs. a long course of fractionated therapy. To reduce the proliferation rate, we deprived nude mice transplanted with MCF-7 xenografts of the growth-stimulating hormone estradiol (E{sub 2}). We have previously reported that E{sub 2} deprivation increases the potential doubling time (T{sub pot}) for MCF-7 xenografts from a mean of 2.6 days to 5.3 days (p < 0.001). Methods and Materials: E{sub 2}-stimulated and E{sub 2}-deprived MCF-7 breast carcinoma xenografts were clamped hypoxically and irradiated with four fractions of 5 Gy each, using either a short (3-day) or long (9-day) treatment course. E{sub 2} stimulation was restored in all animals at the completion of irradiation. Radiation response was determined by regrowth time and regrowth delay of the irradiated tumors as compared to unirradiated controls. Results: Prolongation of therapy in rapidly proliferating, E{sub 2}-stimulated tumors (T{sub pot} {approx} 2.6 days) resulted in a significant decrease in regrowth time in two identical experiments. With results pooled for analysis, the regrowth times for the short and long treatments were 62 and 32 days, respectively (combined p < 0.001). The shorter regrowth times suggest that there was less overall tumor damage with the longer fractionated radiotherapy course

Development of a Novel Preclinical Pancreatic Cancer Research Model: Bioluminescence Image-Guided Focal Irradiation and Tumor Monitoring of Orthotopic Xenografts1

OpenAIRE

Tuli, Richard; Surmak, Andrew; Reyes, Juvenal; Hacker-Prietz, Amy; Armour, Michael; Leubner, Ashley; Blackford, Amanda; Tryggestad, Erik; Jaffee, Elizabeth M; Wong, John; DeWeese, Theodore L; Herman, Joseph M

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: We report on a novel preclinical pancreatic cancer research model that uses bioluminescence imaging (BLI)-guided irradiation of orthotopic xenograft tumors, sparing of surrounding normal tissues, and quantitative, noninvasive longitudinal assessment of treatment response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Luciferase-expressing MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic carcinoma cells were orthotopically injected in nude mice. BLI was compared to pathologic tumor volume, and photon emission was assessed over time. B...

Establishment of canine hemangiosarcoma xenograft models expressing endothelial growth factors, their receptors, and angiogenesis-associated homeobox genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, Atsushi; Yanai, Tokuma; Sakai, Hiroki; Matsuura, Satoko; Murakami, Mami; Murai, Atsuko; Mori, Takashi; Maruo, Kouji; Kimura, Tohru; Masegi, Toshiaki

2009-01-01

Human hemangiosarcoma (HSA) tends to have a poor prognosis; its tumorigenesis has not been elucidated, as there is a dearth of HSA clinical specimens and no experimental model for HSA. However, the incidence of spontaneous HSA is relatively high in canines; therefore, canine HSA has been useful in the study of human HSA. Recently, the production of angiogenic growth factors and their receptors in human and canine HSA has been reported. Moreover, the growth-factor environment of HSA is very similar to that of pathophysiological angiogenesis, which some homeobox genes regulate in the transcription of angiogenic molecules. In the present study, we established 6 xenograft canine HSA tumors and detected the expression of growth factors, their receptors, and angiogenic homeobox genes. Six primary canine HSAs were xenografted to nude mice subcutaneously and serially transplanted. Subsequently, the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF), flt-1 and flk-1 (receptors of VEGF-A), FGFR-1, and angiogenic homeobox genes HoxA9, HoxB3, HoxB7, HoxD3, Pbx1, and Meis1 were investigated in original and xenograft tumors by histopathology, immunostaining, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), using canine-specific primer sets. Histopathologically, xenograft tumors comprised a proliferation of neoplastic cells that were varied in shape, from spindle-shaped and polygonal to ovoid; some vascular-like structures and vascular clefts of channels were observed, similar to those in the original tumors. The expression of endothelial markers (CD31 and vWF) was detected in xenograft tumors by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Moreover, the expression of VEGF-A, bFGF, flt-1, flk-1, FGFR-1, HoxA9, HoxB3, HoxB7, HoxD3, Pbx1, and Meis1 was detected in xenograft tumors. Interestingly, expressions of bFGF tended to be higher in 3 of the xenograft HSA tumors than in the other tumors. We established 6 xenograft canine HSA

Tumor xenograft modeling identifies an association between TCF4 loss and breast cancer chemoresistance

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Gorka Ruiz de Garibay

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Understanding the mechanisms of cancer therapeutic resistance is fundamental to improving cancer care. There is clear benefit from chemotherapy in different breast cancer settings; however, knowledge of the mutations and genes that mediate resistance is incomplete. In this study, by modeling chemoresistance in patient-derived xenografts (PDXs, we show that adaptation to therapy is genetically complex and identify that loss of transcription factor 4 (TCF4; also known as ITF2 is associated with this process. A triple-negative BRCA1-mutated PDX was used to study the genetics of chemoresistance. The PDX was treated in parallel with four chemotherapies for five iterative cycles. Exome sequencing identified few genes with de novo or enriched mutations in common among the different therapies, whereas many common depleted mutations/genes were observed. Analysis of somatic mutations from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA supported the prognostic relevance of the identified genes. A mutation in TCF4 was found de novo in all treatments, and analysis of drug sensitivity profiles across cancer cell lines supported the link to chemoresistance. Loss of TCF4 conferred chemoresistance in breast cancer cell models, possibly by altering cell cycle regulation. Targeted sequencing in chemoresistant tumors identified an intronic variant of TCF4 that may represent an expression quantitative trait locus associated with relapse outcome in TCGA. Immunohistochemical studies suggest a common loss of nuclear TCF4 expression post-chemotherapy. Together, these results from tumor xenograft modeling depict a link between altered TCF4 expression and breast cancer chemoresistance.

Anti-tumor activity of high-dose EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and sequential docetaxel in wild type EGFR non-small cell lung cancer cell nude mouse xenografts

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Tang, Ning; Zhang, Qianqian; Fang, Shu; Han, Xiao; Wang, Zhehai

2017-01-01

Treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is still a challenge. This study explored antitumor activity of high-dose icotinib (an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor) plus sequential docetaxel against wild-type EGFR NSCLC cells-generated nude mouse xenografts. Nude mice were subcutaneously injected with wild-type EGFR NSCLC A549 cells and divided into different groups for 3-week treatment. Tumor xenograft volumes were monitored and recorded, and at the end of experiments, tumor xenografts were removed for Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Compared to control groups (negative control, regular-dose icotinib [IcoR], high-dose icotinib [IcoH], and docetaxel [DTX]) and regular icotinib dose (60 mg/kg) with docetaxel, treatment of mice with a high-dose (1200 mg/kg) of icotinib plus sequential docetaxel for 3 weeks (IcoH-DTX) had an additive effect on suppression of tumor xenograft size and volume (P Icotinib-containing treatments markedly reduced phosphorylation of EGFR, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), and protein kinase B (Akt), but only the high-dose icotinib-containing treatments showed an additive effect on CD34 inhibition (P icotinib plus docetaxel had a similar effect on mouse weight loss (a common way to measure adverse reactions in mice), compared to the other treatment combinations. The study indicate that the high dose of icotinib plus sequential docetaxel (IcoH-DTX) have an additive effect on suppressing the growth of wild-type EGFR NSCLC cell nude mouse xenografts, possibly through microvessel density reduction. Future clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings of this study. PMID:27852073

pO2 Fluctuation Pattern and Cycling Hypoxia in Human Cervical Carcinoma and Melanoma Xenografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellingsen, Christine; Øvrebø, Kirsti Marie; Galappathi, Kanthi; Mathiesen, Berit; Rofstad, Einar K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Blood perfusion in tumors is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, resulting in local fluctuations in tissue oxygen tension (pO 2 ) and tissue regions showing cycling hypoxia. In this study, we investigated whether the pO 2 fluctuation pattern and the extent of cycling hypoxia differ between tumor types showing high (e.g., cervical carcinoma xenograft) and low (e.g., melanoma xenograft) fractions of connective tissue-associated blood vessels. Methods and Materials: Two cervical carcinoma lines (CK-160 and TS-415) and two melanoma lines (A-07 and R-18) transplanted into BALB/c nu/nu mice were included in the study. Tissue pO 2 was measured simultaneously in two positions in each tumor by using a two-channel OxyLite fiber-optic oxygen-sensing device. The extent of acute and chronic hypoxia was assessed by combining a radiobiological and a pimonidazole-based immunohistochemical assay of tumor hypoxia. Results: The proportion of tumor regions showing pO 2 fluctuations, the pO 2 fluctuation frequency in these regions, and the relative amplitude of the pO 2 fluctuations were significantly higher in the melanoma xenografts than in the cervical carcinoma xenografts. Cervical carcinoma and melanoma xenografts did not differ significantly in the fraction of acutely hypoxic cells or the fraction of chronically hypoxic cells. However, the ratio between fraction of acutely hypoxic cells and fraction of chronically hypoxic cells was significantly higher in melanoma than in cervical carcinoma xenografts. Conclusions: Temporal heterogeneity in blood flow and tissue pO 2 in tumors may depend on tumor histology. Connective tissue surrounding microvessels may stabilize blood flow and pO 2 and, thus, protect tumor tissue from cycling hypoxia.

Adoptively transferred human lung tumor specific cytotoxic T cells can control autologous tumor growth and shape tumor phenotype in a SCID mouse xenograft model

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Ferrone Soldano

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The anti-tumor efficacy of human immune effector cells, such as cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs, has been difficult to study in lung cancer patients in the clinical setting. Improved experimental models for the study of lung tumor-immune cell interaction as well as for evaluating the efficacy of adoptive transfer of immune effector cells are needed. Methods To address questions related to the in vivo interaction of human lung tumor cells and immune effector cells, we obtained an HLA class I + lung tumor cell line from a fresh surgical specimen, and using the infiltrating immune cells, isolated and characterized tumor antigen-specific, CD8+ CTLs. We then established a SCID mouse-human tumor xenograft model with the tumor cell line and used it to study the function of the autologous CTLs provided via adoptive transfer. Results The tumor antigen specific CTLs isolated from the tumor were found to have an activated memory phenotype and able to kill tumor cells in an antigen specific manner in vitro. Additionally, the tumor antigen-specific CTLs were fully capable of homing to and killing autologous tumors in vivo, and expressing IFN-γ, each in an antigen-dependent manner. A single injection of these CTLs was able to provide significant but temporary control of the growth of autologous tumors in vivo without the need for IL-2. The timing of injection of CTLs played an essential role in the outcome of tumor growth control. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis of surviving tumor cells following CTL treatment indicated that the surviving tumor cells expressed reduced MHC class I antigens on their surface. Conclusion These studies confirm and extend previous studies and provide additional information regarding the characteristics of CTLs which can be found within a patient's tumor. Moreover, the in vivo model described here provides a unique window for observing events that may also occur in patients undergoing adoptive cellular

Investigating tumor perfusion by hyperpolarized (13) C MRI with comparison to conventional gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI and pathology in orthotopic human GBM xenografts

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Park, Ilwoo; von Morze, Cornelius; Lupo, Janine M

2016-01-01

glioblastoma (GBM) model for the characterization of tumor perfusion and compared with standard Gd-based dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI data and immunohistochemical analysis from resected brains. Distinct HMCP perfusion characteristics were observed within the GBM tumors compared with contralateral...... for tumor that exhibited high levels of hyperpolarized HMCP signal. The results from this study have demonstrated that hyperpolarized HMCP data can be used as an indicator of tumor perfusion in an orthotopic xenograft model for GBM. Magn Reson Med, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc....

Appropriateness of using patient-derived xenograft models for pharmacologic evaluation of novel therapies for esophageal/gastro-esophageal junction cancers.

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Lorin Dodbiba

Full Text Available The high morbidity and mortality of patients with esophageal (E and gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ cancers, warrants new pre-clinical models for drug testing. The utility of primary tumor xenografts (PTXGs as pre-clinical models was assessed. Clinicopathological, immunohistochemical markers (p53, p16, Ki-67, Her-2/neu and EGFR, and global mRNA abundance profiles were evaluated to determine selection biases of samples implanted or engrafted, compared with the underlying population. Nine primary E/GEJ adenocarcinoma xenograft lines were further characterized for the spectrum and stability of gene/protein expression over passages. Seven primary esophageal adenocarcinoma xenograft lines were treated with individual or combination chemotherapy. Tumors that were implanted (n=55 in NOD/SCID mice had features suggestive of more aggressive biology than tumors that were never implanted (n=32. Of those implanted, 21/55 engrafted; engraftment was associated with poorly differentiated tumors (p=0.04 and older patients (p=0.01. Expression of immunohistochemical markers were similar between patient sample and corresponding xenograft. mRNA differences observed between patient tumors and first passage xenografts were largely due to loss of human stroma in xenografts. mRNA patterns of early vs late passage xenografts and of small vs large tumors of the same passage were similar. Complete resistance was present in 2/7 xenografts while the remaining tumors showed varying degrees of sensitivity, that remained constant across passages. Because of their ability to recapitulate primary tumor characteristics during engraftment and across serial passaging, PTXGs can be useful clinical systems for assessment of drug sensitivity of human E/GEJ cancers.

Single and 30 fraction tumor control doses correlate in xenografted tumor models: implications for predictive assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerweck, Leo E.; Dubois, Willum; Baumann, Michael; Suit, Herman D.

1995-01-01

Purpose/Objective: In a previous publication we reported that laboratory assays of tumor clonogen number, in combination with intrinsic radiosensitivity measured in-vitro, accurately predicted the rank-order of single fraction 50% tumor control doses, in six rodent and xenografted human tumors. In these studies, tumor hypoxia influenced the absolute value of the tumor control doses across tumor types, but not their rank-order. In the present study we hypothesize that determinants of the single fraction tumor control dose, may also strongly influence the fractionaled tumor control doses, and that knowledge of tumor clonogen number and their sensitivity to fractionated irradiation, may be useful for predicting the relative sensitivity of tumors treated by conventional fractionated irradiation. Methods/Materials: Five tumors of human origin were used for these studies. Special care was taken to ensure that all tumor control dose assays were performed over the same time frame, i.e., in-vitro cells of a similar passage were used to initiate tumor sources which were expanded and used in the 3rd or 4th generation. Thirty fraction tumor control doses were performed in air breathing mice, under normal blood flow conditions (two fractions/day). The results of these studies have been previously published. For studies under uniformly (clamp) hypoxic conditions, tumors arising from the same transplantation were randomized into single or fractionated dose protocols. For estimation of the fractionated TCD50 under hypoxic conditions, tumors were exposed to six 5.4 Gy fractions (∼ 2 Gy equivalent under air), followed by graded 'top-up' dose irradiation for determination of the TCD50; the time interval between doses was 6-9 hours. The single dose equivalent of the six 5.4 Gy doses was used to calculate an extrapolated 30 fraction hypoxic TCD50. Results: Fractionation substantially increased the dose required for tumor control in 4 of the 5 tumors investigated. For these 4 tumors

Evaluation of 6-([18F] fluoroacetamido)-1-hexanoic-anilide (18F-FAHA) as imaging probe in tumor xenograft mice model

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Li, Fiona; Cho, Sung Ju; Yu, Lihai; Hudson, Robert H. E.; Luyt, Leonard G.; Pin, Christopher L.; Kovacs, Michael S.; Koropatnick, James; Lee, Ting-Yim

2016-03-01

Alteration in genetic expression is as important as gene mutation in cancer development and proliferation. Epigenetic changes affect gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. Histone deacetylase (HDAC), an enzyme facilitating histone remodelling, can lead to silencing of tumor suppressor genes making HDAC inhibitors viable anticancer drugs against tumors with increased activity of the enzyme. In this study we evaluated 18F-fluroacetamido-1-hexanoicanilide (18F-FAHA), an artificial HDAC substrate, as imaging probe of HDAC activity of human tumor xenografts in immunocompromised host mice. Human breast and melanoma cell lines, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-435 respectively, known to overexpress HDAC activity were xenografted into immunocompromised mice and HDAC activity was imaged using 18F-FAHA. The melanoma group was treated with saline, SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, an approved anticancer HDAC inhibitor) in DMSO, or DMSO as positive control. Tracer kinetic modelling and SUV were used to estimate HDAC activity from dynamic PET data. Both breast tumor and melanoma group showed great variability in binding rate constant (BRC) of 18F-FAHA suggesting highly variable inter- and intra-tumoral HDAC activity. For the SAHA treated melanoma group, HDAC activity, as monitored by BRC of 18F-FAHA, decreased more than the two (positive and negative) control groups but not tumor growth. Our preliminary study showed that noninvasive PET imaging with 18F-FAHA has the potential to identify patients for whom treatment with HDAC inhibitors are appropriate, to assess the effectiveness of that treatment as an early marker of target reduction, and also eliminate the need for invasive tissue biopsy to individualize treatment.

Effects of MRI-assayed microvascular permeability on the accumulation of vinorelbine in xenograft tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raatschen, H.J.; Fu, Y.; Rogut, V.; Brasch, R.C.; Simon, G.H.; Sennino, B.; Wolf, K.J.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To determine the effects of MRI-assayed vascular leakiness on the delivery of macro-molecular therapeutics to tumors. Materials and Methods: MDA-MB 435 tumors, subcutaneously implanted into nude rats were treated with a single dose of bevacizumab at levels of 0.1 mg (n = 5) or 1.0 mg (n = 10) or received saline (control animals, n = 8). After 24 hours, albumin-(Gd-DTPA) 30 -enhanced MRI was performed. Just prior to MRI, the cytotoxic drug vinorelbine was administered intravenously. Upon completion of the MR experiment, tumor vinorelbine concentrations were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Vascular leakiness (K PS ) was calculated based on the MRI data using a pharmacokinetic model. Results: K PS was calculated as 3.70 ± 1.12 (control tumors), 1.95 ± 0.70 (0.1 mg group) and 0.75 ± 0.46 μl min -1 cm -3 (1.0 mg group). K PS was significantly higher in the control group compared to the 1.0 mg bevacizumab group. Vinorelbine concentrations were measured as 409.4 ± 109.7 (control tumors), 387.5 ± 47.5 (0.1 mg group) and 250.7 ± 71.9 (1.0 mg group). These differences were not significant. A moderate and significant correlation was found between K PS and Vinorelbine concentrations in tumors (r = 0.49, p PS based on dynamic MRI enhanced by albumin-(Gd-DTPA) 30 correlated significantly with vinorelbine accumulation in experimental xenograft tumors under angiogenesis inhibition. Thus, the MRI technique applied in our study could potentially help to predict accumulation of macromolecular cytotoxic drugs and to optimize individual therapeutic regimes in tumors. (orig.)

Detecting Vascular-Targeting Effects of the Hypoxic Cytotoxin Tirapazamine in Tumor Xenografts Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bains, Lauren J.; Baker, Jennifer; Kyle, Alastair H.; Minchinton, Andrew I.; Reinsberg, Stefan A.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To determine whether vascular-targeting effects can be detected in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and Materials: MR images of HCT-116 xenograft-bearing mice were acquired at 7 Tesla before and 24 hours after intraperitoneal injections of tirapazamine. Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI analyses were performed to evaluate changes in tumor perfusion using two biomarkers: the volume transfer constant (K trans ) and the initial area under the concentration-time curve (IAUC). We used novel implanted fiducial markers to obtain cryosections that corresponded to MR image planes from excised tumors; quantitative immunohistochemical mapping of tumor vasculature, perfusion, and necrosis enabled correlative analysis between these and MR images. Results: Conventional histological analysis showed lower vascular perfusion or greater amounts of necrosis in the central regions of five of eight tirapazamine-treated tumors, with three treated tumors showing no vascular dysfunction response. MRI data reflected this result, and a striking decrease in both K trans and IAUC values was seen with the responsive tumors. Retrospective evaluation of pretreatment MRI parameters revealed that those tumors that did not respond to the vascular-targeting effects of tirapazamine had significantly higher pretreatment K trans and IAUC values. Conclusions: MRI-derived parameter maps showed good agreement with histological tumor mapping. MRI was found to be an effective tool for noninvasively monitoring and predicting tirapazamine-mediated central vascular dysfunction.

Potent efficacy signals from systemically administered oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV1716 in hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft models

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Braidwood L

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Lynne Braidwood, Kirsty Learmonth, Alex Graham, Joe Conner Virttu Biologics Ltd, Department of Neurology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, UK Abstract: Oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV1716, lacking the neurovirulence factor ICP34.5, has highly selective replication competence for cancer cells and has been used in clinical studies of glioma, melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pediatric non-central nervous system solid tumors, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. To date, 88 patients have received HSV1716 and the virus is well tolerated, with selective replication in tumor cells and no spread to surrounding normal tissue. We assessed the potential value of HSV1716 in preclinical studies with two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, HuH7 and HepG2-luc. HSV1716 displayed excellent replication kinetics in vitro in HepG2-luc cells, a cell line engineered to express luciferase, and virus-mediated cell killing correlated with loss of light emissions from the cells. In vivo, the HepG2-luc cells readily formed light-emitting xenografts that were easily visualized by an in vivo imaging system and efficiently eliminated by HSV1716 oncolysis after intratumoral injection. HSV1716 also demonstrated strong efficacy signals in subcutaneous HuH7 xenografts in nude mice after intravenous administration of virus. In the HuH7 model, the intravenously injected virus replicated prolifically immediately after efficient tumor localization, resulting in highly significant reductions in tumor growth and enhanced survival. Our preclinical results demonstrate excellent tumor uptake of HSV1716, with prolific replication and potent oncolysis. These observations warrant a clinical study of HSV1716 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Keywords: oncolytic herpes simplex virus, HSV1716, hepatocellular carcinoma, xenografts, efficacy 

Hydrogel-based 3D model of patient-derived prostate xenograft tumors suitable for drug screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, Eliza L S; Martinez, Mariane; Yang, Jun; Mikos, Antonios G; Navone, Nora M; Harrington, Daniel A; Farach-Carson, Mary C

2014-07-07

The lack of effective therapies for bone metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) underscores the need for accurate models of the disease to enable the discovery of new therapeutic targets and to test drug sensitivities of individual tumors. To this end, the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) PCa model using immunocompromised mice was established to model the disease with greater fidelity than is possible with currently employed cell lines grown on tissue culture plastic. However, poorly adherent PDX tumor cells exhibit low viability in standard culture, making it difficult to manipulate these cells for subsequent controlled mechanistic studies. To overcome this challenge, we encapsulated PDX tumor cells within a three-dimensional hyaluronan-based hydrogel and demonstrated that the hydrogel maintains PDX cell viability with continued native androgen receptor expression. Furthermore, a differential sensitivity to docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic drug, was observed as compared to a traditional PCa cell line. These findings underscore the potential impact of this novel 3D PDX PCa model as a diagnostic platform for rapid drug evaluation and ultimately push personalized medicine toward clinical reality.

Impact of hypoxia and the metabolic microenvironment on radiotherapy of solid tumors. Introduction of a multiinstitutional research project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zips, D.; Petersen, C.; Adam, M.; Molls, M.; Philbrook, C.; Flentje, M.; Haase, A.; Schmitt, P.; Mueller-Klieser, W.; Thews, O.; Walenta, S.; Baumann, M.

2004-01-01

Background: recent developments in imaging technology and tumor biology have led to new techniques to detect hypoxia and related alterations of the metabolic microenvironment in tumors. However, whether these new methods can predict radiobiological hypoxia and outcome after fractionated radiotherapy still awaits experimental evaluation. Material and methods: the present article will introduce a multiinstitutional research project addressing the impact of hypoxia and the metabolic microenvironment on radiotherapy of solid tumors. The four laboratories involved are situated at the universities of Dresden, Mainz, Munich and Wuerzburg, Germany. Results: the joint scientific project started to collect data obtained on a set of ten different human tumor xenografts growing in nude mice by applying various imaging techniques to detect tumor hypoxia and related parameters of the metabolic microenvironment. These techniques include magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, metabolic mapping with quantitative bioluminescence and single-photon imaging, histological multiparameter analysis of biochemical hypoxia, perfusion and vasculature, and immunohistochemistry of factors related to angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. To evaluate the different methods, baseline functional radiobiological data including radiobiological hypoxic fraction and outcome after fractionated irradiation will be determined. Conclusion: besides increasing our understanding of tumor biology, the project will focus on new, clinically applicable strategies for microenvironment profiling and will help to identify those patients that might benefit from targeted interventions to improve tumor oxygenation. (orig.)

pO{sub 2} Fluctuation Pattern and Cycling Hypoxia in Human Cervical Carcinoma and Melanoma Xenografts

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Ellingsen, Christine; Ovrebo, Kirsti Marie; Galappathi, Kanthi; Mathiesen, Berit [Radiation Biology and Tumor Physiology Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo (Norway); Rofstad, Einar K., E-mail: einar.k.rofstad@rr-research.no [Radiation Biology and Tumor Physiology Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo (Norway)

2012-07-15

Purpose: Blood perfusion in tumors is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, resulting in local fluctuations in tissue oxygen tension (pO{sub 2}) and tissue regions showing cycling hypoxia. In this study, we investigated whether the pO{sub 2} fluctuation pattern and the extent of cycling hypoxia differ between tumor types showing high (e.g., cervical carcinoma xenograft) and low (e.g., melanoma xenograft) fractions of connective tissue-associated blood vessels. Methods and Materials: Two cervical carcinoma lines (CK-160 and TS-415) and two melanoma lines (A-07 and R-18) transplanted into BALB/c nu/nu mice were included in the study. Tissue pO{sub 2} was measured simultaneously in two positions in each tumor by using a two-channel OxyLite fiber-optic oxygen-sensing device. The extent of acute and chronic hypoxia was assessed by combining a radiobiological and a pimonidazole-based immunohistochemical assay of tumor hypoxia. Results: The proportion of tumor regions showing pO{sub 2} fluctuations, the pO{sub 2} fluctuation frequency in these regions, and the relative amplitude of the pO{sub 2} fluctuations were significantly higher in the melanoma xenografts than in the cervical carcinoma xenografts. Cervical carcinoma and melanoma xenografts did not differ significantly in the fraction of acutely hypoxic cells or the fraction of chronically hypoxic cells. However, the ratio between fraction of acutely hypoxic cells and fraction of chronically hypoxic cells was significantly higher in melanoma than in cervical carcinoma xenografts. Conclusions: Temporal heterogeneity in blood flow and tissue pO{sub 2} in tumors may depend on tumor histology. Connective tissue surrounding microvessels may stabilize blood flow and pO{sub 2} and, thus, protect tumor tissue from cycling hypoxia.

Reproducibility study of [{sup 18}F]FPP(RGD){sub 2} uptake in murine models of human tumor xenografts

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Chang, Edwin; Liu, Shuangdong; Chin, Frederick; Cheng, Zhen [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Gowrishankar, Gayatri; Yaghoubi, Shahriar [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Wedgeworth, James Patrick [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Berndorff, Dietmar; Gekeler, Volker [Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Global Drug Discovery, Berlin (Germany); Gambhir, Sanjiv S. [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Department of Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States); Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Nuclear Medicine, Departments of Radiology and Bioengineering, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford, CA (United States)

2011-04-15

An {sup 18}F-labeled PEGylated arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) dimer [{sup 18}F]FPP(RGD){sub 2} has been used to image tumor {alpha}{sub v}{beta}{sub 3} integrin levels in preclinical and clinical studies. Serial positron emission tomography (PET) studies may be useful for monitoring antiangiogenic therapy response or for drug screening; however, the reproducibility of serial scans has not been determined for this PET probe. The purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility of the integrin {alpha}{sub v}{beta}{sub 3}-targeted PET probe, [{sup 18}F ]FPP(RGD){sub 2} using small animal PET. Human HCT116 colon cancer xenografts were implanted into nude mice (n = 12) in the breast and scapular region and grown to mean diameters of 5-15 mm for approximately 2.5 weeks. A 3-min acquisition was performed on a small animal PET scanner approximately 1 h after administration of [{sup 18}F]FPP(RGD){sub 2} (1.9-3.8 MBq, 50-100 {mu}Ci) via the tail vein. A second small animal PET scan was performed approximately 6 h later after reinjection of the probe to assess for reproducibility. Images were analyzed by drawing an ellipsoidal region of interest (ROI) around the tumor xenograft activity. Percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g) values were calculated from the mean or maximum activity in the ROIs. Coefficients of variation and differences in %ID/g values between studies from the same day were calculated to determine the reproducibility. The coefficient of variation (mean {+-}SD) for %ID{sub mean}/g and %ID{sub max}/g values between [{sup 18}F]FPP(RGD){sub 2} small animal PET scans performed 6 h apart on the same day were 11.1 {+-} 7.6% and 10.4 {+-} 9.3%, respectively. The corresponding differences in %ID{sub mean}/g and %ID{sub max}/g values between scans were -0.025 {+-} 0.067 and -0.039 {+-} 0.426. Immunofluorescence studies revealed a direct relationship between extent of {alpha}{sub {nu}}{beta}{sub 3} integrin expression in tumors and tumor vasculature

A combination of p53-activating APR-246 and phosphatidylserine-targeting antibody potently inhibits tumor development in hormone-dependent mutant p53-expressing breast cancer xenografts

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Liang Y

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Yayun Liang,1 Benford Mafuvadze,1 Cynthia Besch-Williford,2 Salman M Hyder1 1Deparment of Biomedical Sciences and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA; 2IDEXX BioResearch, Columbia, MO, USA Background: Between 30 and 40% of human breast cancers express a defective tumor suppressor p53 gene. Wild-type p53 tumor suppressor protein promotes cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis and inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor–dependent angiogenesis, whereas mutant p53 protein (mtp53 lacks these functions, resulting in tumor cell survival and metastasis. Restoration of p53 function is therefore a promising drug-targeted strategy for combating mtp53-expressing breast cancer. Methods: In this study, we sought to determine whether administration of APR-246, a small-molecule drug that restores p53 function, in combination with 2aG4, an antibody that targets phosphatidylserine residues on tumor blood vessels and disrupts tumor vasculature, effectively inhibits advanced hormone-dependent breast cancer tumor growth. Results: APR-246 reduced cell viability in mtp53-expressing BT-474 and T47-D human breast cancer cells in vitro, and significantly induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. However, APR-246 did not reduce cell viability in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which express wild-type p53. We next examined APR-246’s anti-tumor effects in vivo using BT-474 and T47-D tumor xenografts established in female nude mice. Tumor-bearing mice were treated with APR-246 and/or 2aG4 and tumor volume followed over time. Tumor growth was more effectively suppressed by combination treatment than by either agent alone, and combination therapy completely eradicated some tumors. Immunohistochemistry analysis of tumor tissue sections demonstrated that combination therapy more effectively induced apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation in tumor xenografts than either agent alone. Importantly, combination therapy dramatically reduced the density of blood

Enhanced efficacy of radiation-induced gene therapy in mice bearing lung adenocarcinoma xenografts using hypoxia responsive elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Wei-dong; Chen Zheng-tang; Li De-zhi; Duan Yu-zhong; Cao Zheng-huai; Li Rong

2005-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the hypoxia responsive element (HRE) could be used to enhance suicide gene (HSV-tk) expression and tumoricidal activity in radiation-controlled gene therapy of human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts. A chimeric promoter, HRE-Egr, was generated by directly linking a 0.3-kb fragment of HRE to a 0.6-kb human Egr-1 promoter. Retroviral vectors containing luciferase or the HSV-tk gene driven by Egr-1 or HRE-Egr were constructed. A human adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) was stably transfected with the above vectors using the lipofectamine method. The sensitivity of transfected cells to prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) and cell survival rates were analyzed after exposure to a dose of 2 Gy radiation and hypoxia (1%). In vivo, tumor xenografts in BALB/c mice were transfected with the constructed retroviruses and irradiated to a total dose of 6 Gy, followed by GCV treatment (20 mg/kg for 14 days). When the HSV-tk gene controlled by the HRE-Egr promoter was introduced into A549 cells by a retroviral vector, the exposure to 1% O 2 and 2 Gy radiation induced significant enhancement of GCV cytotoxicity to the cells. Moreover, in nude mice bearing solid tumor xenografts, only the tumors infected with the hybrid promoter-containing virus gradually disappeared after GCV administration and radiation. These results indicate that HRE can enhance transgene expression and tumoricidal activity in HSV-tk gene therapy controlled by ionizing radiation in hypoxic human lung adenocarcinoma. (author)

Radiosynthesis, biodistribution and imaging of [11C]YM155, a novel survivin suppressant, in a human prostate tumor-xenograft mouse model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Yoshihiro; Matsuya, Takahiro; Kita, Aya; Yamanaka, Kentaro; Noda, Akihiro; Mitsuoka, Keisuke; Nakahara, Takahito; Miyoshi, Sosuke; Nishimura, Shintaro

2013-01-01

Introduction: Sepantronium bromide (YM155) is an antitumor drug in development and is a first-in-class chemical entity, which is a survivin suppressant. We developed a radiosynthesis of [ 11 C]YM155 to non-invasively evaluate its tissue and tumor distribution in mice bearing human prostate tumor xenografts. Methods: Methods utilizing [ 11 C]acetyl chloride and [ 11 C]methyl triflate, both accessible with automated radiosynthesis boxes, were evaluated. The O-methylation of ethanolamine-alkolate with [ 11 C]methyl triflate proved to be the key development toward a rapid and efficient process. The whole-body distribution of [ 11 C]YM155 in PC-3 xenografted mice was examined using a planar positron imaging system (PPIS). Results: Sufficient quantities of radiopharmaceutical grade [ 11 C]YM155 were produced for our PET imaging and distribution studies. The decay corrected (EOB) radiochemical yield was 16–22%, within a synthesis time of 47 min. The radiochemical purity was higher than 99%, and the specific activity was 29–60 GBq/μmol (EOS). High uptake levels of radioactivity (%ID/g, mean ± SE) were observed in tumor (0.0613 ± 0.0056), kidneys (0.0513 ± 0.0092), liver (0.0368 ± 0.0043) and cecum (0.0623 ± 0.0070). The highest tumor uptake was observed at an early time point (from 10 min after) following injection. Tumor-to-blood and tumor-to-muscle uptake ratios of [ 11 C]YM155, at 40 min after injection, were 26.5 (± 2.9) and 25.6 (± 3.6), respectively. Conclusion: A rapid method for producing a radiopharmaceutical grade [ 11 C]YM155 was developed. An in vivo distribution study using PPIS showed high uptake of [ 11 C]YM155 in tumor tissue. Our methodology may facilitate the evaluation and prediction of response to YM155, when given as an anti-cancer agent

Mesenchymal stem cell-based NK4 gene therapy in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts

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Zhu Y

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Yin Zhu,1,* Ming Cheng,2,* Zhen Yang,3 Chun-Yan Zeng,3 Jiang Chen,3 Yong Xie,3 Shi-Wen Luo,3 Kun-He Zhang,3 Shu-Feng Zhou,4 Nong-Hua Lu1,31Department of Gastroenterology, 2Department of Orthopedics, 3Institute of Digestive Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs have been recognized as promising delivery vehicles for gene therapy of tumors. Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of worldwide cancer mortality, and novel treatment modalities are urgently needed. NK4 is an antagonist of hepatocyte growth factor receptors (Met which are often aberrantly activated in gastric cancer and thus represent a useful candidate for targeted therapies. This study investigated MSC-delivered NK4 gene therapy in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts. MSCs were transduced with lentiviral vectors carrying NK4 complementary DNA or enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP. Such transduction did not change the phenotype of MSCs. Gastric cancer xenografts were established in BALB/C nude mice, and the mice were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, MSCs-GFP, Lenti-NK4, or MSCs-NK4. The tropism of MSCs toward gastric cancer cells was determined by an in vitro migration assay using MKN45 cells, GES-1 cells and human fibroblasts and their presence in tumor xenografts. Tumor growth, tumor cell apoptosis and intratumoral microvessel density of tumor tissue were measured in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts treated with PBS, MSCs-GFP, Lenti-NK4, or MSCs-NK4 via tail vein injection. The results showed that MSCs migrated preferably to gastric cancer cells in vitro. Systemic MSCs-NK4 injection significantly suppressed the growth of gastric cancer xenografts. MSCs-NK4 migrated and accumulated in tumor

Anti-tumor activity of high-dose EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and sequential docetaxel in wild type EGFR non-small cell lung cancer cell nude mouse xenografts

OpenAIRE

Tang, Ning; Zhang, Qianqian; Fang, Shu; Han, Xiao; Wang, Zhehai

2016-01-01

Treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is still a challenge. This study explored antitumor activity of high-dose icotinib (an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor) plus sequential docetaxel against wild-type EGFR NSCLC cells-generated nude mouse xenografts. Nude mice were subcutaneously injected with wild-type EGFR NSCLC A549 cells and divided into different groups for 3-week treatment. Tumor xenograft volumes were monitored and record...

Establishment and characterization of 7 novel hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines from patient-derived tumor xenografts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Xin

Full Text Available Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is a common cancer with poor prognosis worldwide and the molecular mechanism is not well understood. This study aimed to establish a collection of human HCC cell lines from patient-derived xenograft (PDX models. From the 20 surgical HCC sample collections, 7 tumors were successfully developed in immunodeficient mice and further established 7 novel HCC cell lines (LIXC002, LIXC003, LIXC004, LIXC006, LIXC011, LIXC012 and CPL0903 by primary culture. The characterization of cell lines was defined by morphology, growth kinetics, cell cycle, chromosome analysis, short tandem repeat (STR analysis, molecular profile, and tumorigenicity. Additionally, response to clinical chemotherapeutics was validated both in vitro and in vivo. STR analysis indicated that all cell lines were unique cells different from known cell lines and free of contamination by bacteria or mycoplasma. The other findings were quite heterogeneous between individual lines. Chromosome aberration could be found in all cell lines. Alpha-fetoprotein was overexpressed only in 3 out of 7 cell lines. 4 cell lines expressed high level of vimentin. Ki67 was strongly stained in all cell lines. mRNA level of retinoic acid induced protein 3 (RAI3 was decreased in all cell lines. The 7 novel cell lines showed variable sensitivity to 8 tested compounds. LIXC011 and CPL0903 possessed multiple drug resistance property. Sorafenib inhibited xenograft tumor growth of LIXC006, but not of LIXC012. Our results indicated that the 7 novel cell lines with low passage maintaining their clinical and pathological characters could be good tools for further exploring the molecular mechanism of HCC and anti-cancer drug screening.

Solid-pseudo papillary tumor of the pancreas: Frantz's tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Bruno Righi Rodrigues de; Moreira, Reni Cecilia Lopes; Campos, Marcelo Esteves Chaves

2010-01-01

The pseudo papillary solid tumor of the pancreas, also known as Frantz's tumor, is a rare disease, taking place in approximately 0.17% to 2.7% of non-endocrine tumors of the pancreas. Recently, the increase of its incidence has been noted with more than two-thirds of the total cases described in the last 10 years. A possible explanation is a greater knowledge of the disease and a greater uniformity of conceptualization in the last years. Generally, it affects young adult females. In most of the series, the tumor principally attacks the body and tail of the pancreas. The objective of the present report is to present the diagnostic and therapeutic option used in this rare pancreatic tumor of low-grade malignancy. (author)

Targeting of human glioma xenografts in vivo utilizing radiolabeled antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.A.; Wessels, B.W.; Wharam, M.D.; Order, S.E.; Wanek, P.M.; Poggenburg, J.K.; Klein, J.L.

1990-01-01

Radiolabeled antibodies provide a potential basis for selective radiotherapy of human gliomas. We have measured tumor targeting by radiolabeled monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies directed against neuroectodermal and tumor-associated antigens in nude mice bearing human glioma xenografts. Monoclonal P96.5, a mouse IgG2a immunoglobulin, defines an epitope of a human melanoma cell surface protein, and specifically binds the U-251 human glioma as measured by immunoperoxidase histochemistry. 111In-radiolabeled P96.5 specifically targets the U-251 human glioma xenograft and yields 87.0 microCuries (microCi) of tumor activity per gram per 100 microCi injected activity compared to 4.5 microCi following administration of radiolabeled irrelevant monoclonal antibody. Calculations of targeting ratios demonstrate deposited dose to be 11.6 times greater with radiolabeled P96.5 administration compared to irrelevant monoclonal antibody. The proportion of tumor dose found in normal organs is less than 10%, further supporting specific targeting of the human glioma xenograft by this antibody. Monoclonal antibody ZME018, which defines a second melanoma-associated antigen, and polyclonal rabbit antiferritin, which defines a tumor-associated antigen, demonstrate positive immunoperoxidase staining of the tumor, but comparatively decreased targeting. When compared to the 111In-radiolabeled antibody, 90Y-radiolabeled P96.5 demonstrates comparable tumor targeting and percentages of tumor dose found in normal organs. To test the therapeutic potential of 90Y-radiolabeled P96.5, tumors and normal sites were implanted with miniature thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). Seven days following administration of 100 microCi 90Y-radiolabeled P96.5, average absorbed doses of 3770, 980, 353, and 274 cGy were observed in tumor, liver, contralateral control site, and total body, respectively

Therapy-associated Solid Tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travis, Lois B.

2002-01-01

As survival after a diagnosis of cancer improves, characterization of the late sequelae of treatment becomes critical. The development of second malignant neoplasms represents one of the most serious side effects of treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. Although secondary leukemia was the first reported carcinogenic effect resulting from cancer treatment, solid tumors now comprise the largest second tumor burden in some populations of survivors. It should be recognized, however, that solid cancers do not necessarily represent an adverse effect of therapy, but may also reflect the operation of shared etiologic factors, host determinants, gene-environment interactions, and other influences. Quantification of second cancer risk is important in terms of patient management, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions with regard to optimal treatment of the initial cancer, balancing efficacy against acute and chronic sequelae. This article focuses on selected highlights and recent developments in treatment-associated solid malignancies, with emphasis on radiotherapy and chemotherapy in adults, and summarizes areas for future research. Although cancer therapy represents a double-edged sword, it should always be recognized that it is advances in treatment that are largely responsible for the tremendous improvement in patient survival. Thus, the benefit derived from many cancer therapies far outweighs any risk of developing a second cancer

High-Dose, Single-Fraction Irradiation Rapidly Reduces Tumor Vasculature and Perfusion in a Xenograft Model of Neuroblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jani, Ashish; Shaikh, Fauzia; Barton, Sunjay [Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Willis, Callen [Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Banerjee, Debarshi [Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Mitchell, Jason [Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Hernandez, Sonia L. [Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Hei, Tom [Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Kadenhe-Chiweshe, Angela [Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Yamashiro, Darrell J. [Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States); Connolly, Eileen P., E-mail: epc2116@cumc.columbia.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York (United States)

2016-04-01

Purpose: To characterize the effects of high-dose radiation therapy (HDRT) on neuroblastoma tumor vasculature, including the endothelial cell (EC)–pericyte interaction as a potential target for combined treatment with antiangiogenic agents. Methods and Materials: The vascular effects of radiation therapy were examined in a xenograft model of high-risk neuroblastoma. In vivo 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (3D-CEUS) imaging and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed. Results: HDRT significantly reduced tumor blood volume 6 hours after irradiation compared with the lower doses used in conventionally fractionated radiation. There was a 63% decrease in tumor blood volume after 12-Gy radiation compared with a 24% decrease after 2 Gy. Analysis of tumor vasculature by lectin angiography showed a significant loss of small vessel ends at 6 hours. IHC revealed a significant loss of ECs at 6 and 72 hours after HDRT, with an accompanying loss of immature and mature pericytes at 72 hours. Conclusions: HDRT affects tumor vasculature in a manner not observed at lower doses. The main observation was an early reduction in tumor perfusion resulting from a reduction of small vessel ends with a corresponding loss of endothelial cells and pericytes.

Cryopreservation of human colorectal carcinomas prior to xenografting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linnebacher, Michael; Maletzki, Claudia; Ostwald, Christiane; Klier, Ulrike; Krohn, Mathias; Klar, Ernst; Prall, Friedrich

2010-01-01

Molecular heterogeneity of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is well recognized, forming the rationale for molecular tests required before administration of some of the novel targeted therapies that now are rapidly entering the clinics. For clinical research at least, but possibly even for future individualized tumor treatment on a routine basis, propagation of patients' CRC tissue may be highly desirable for detailed molecular, biochemical or functional analyses. However, complex logistics requiring close liaison between surgery, pathology, laboratory researchers and animal care facilities are a major drawback in this. We here describe and evaluate a very simple cryopreservation procedure for colorectal carcinoma tissue prior to xenografting that will considerably reduce this logistic complexity. Fourty-eight CRC collected ad hoc were xenografted subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice either fresh from surgery (N = 23) or after cryopreservation (N = 31; up to 643 days). Take rates after cryopreservation were satisfactory (71%) though somewhat lower than with tumor tissues fresh from surgery (74%), but this difference was not statistically significant. Re-transplantation of cryopreserved established xenografts (N = 11) was always successful. Of note, in this series, all of the major molecular types of CRC were xenografted successfully, even after cryopreservation. Our procedure facilitates collection, long-time storage and propagation of clinical CRC specimens (even from different centres) for (pre)clinical studies of novel therapies or for basic research

Negligible colon cancer risk from food-borne acrylamide exposure in male F344 rats and nude (nu/nu mice-bearing human colon tumor xenografts.

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Jayadev Raju

Full Text Available Acrylamide, a possible human carcinogen, is formed in certain carbohydrate-rich foods processed at high temperature. We evaluated if dietary acrylamide, at doses (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg diet reflecting upper levels found in human foods, modulated colon tumorigenesis in two rodent models. Male F344 rats were randomized to receive diets without (control or with acrylamide. 2-weeks later, rats in each group received two weekly subcutaneous injections of either azoxymethane (AOM or saline, and were killed 20 weeks post-injections; colons were assessed for tumors. Male athymic nude (nu/nu mice bearing HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells-derived tumor xenografts received diets without (control or with acrylamide; tumor growth was monitored and mice were killed 4 weeks later. In the F344 rat study, no tumors were found in the colons of the saline-injected rats. However, the colon tumor incidence was 54.2% and 66.7% in the control and the 2 mg/kg acrylamide-treated AOM-injected groups, respectively. While tumor multiplicity was similar across all diet groups, tumor size and burden were higher in the 2 mg/kg acrylamide group compared to the AOM control. These results suggest that acrylamide by itself is not a "complete carcinogen", but acts as a "co-carcinogen" by exacerbating the effects of AOM. The nude mouse study indicated no differences in the growth of human colon tumor xenografts between acrylamide-treated and control mice, suggesting that acrylamide does not aid in the progression of established tumors. Hence, food-borne acrylamide at levels comparable to those found in human foods is neither an independent carcinogen nor a tumor promoter in the colon. However, our results characterize a potential hazard of acrylamide as a colon co-carcinogen in association with known and possibly other environmental tumor initiators/promoters.

Correlation of Somatostatin Receptor-2 Expression with Gallium-68-DOTA-TATE Uptake in Neuroblastoma Xenograft Models.

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Zhang, Libo; Vines, Douglass C; Scollard, Deborah A; McKee, Trevor; Komal, Teesha; Ganguly, Milan; Do, Trevor; Wu, Bing; Alexander, Natasha; Vali, Reza; Shammas, Amer; Besanger, Travis; Baruchel, Sylvain

2017-01-01

Peptide-receptor imaging and therapy with radiolabeled somatostatin analogs such as 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE and 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE have become an effective treatment option for SSTR-positive neuroendocrine tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of somatostatin receptor-2 (SSTR2) expression with 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake and 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE therapy in neuroblastoma (NB) xenograft models. We demonstrated variable SSTR2 expression profiles in eight NB cell lines. From micro-PET imaging and autoradiography, a higher uptake of 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE was observed in SSTR2 high-expressing NB xenografts (CHLA-15) compared to SSTR2 low-expressing NB xenografts (SK-N-BE(2)). Combined autoradiography-immunohistochemistry revealed histological colocalization of SSTR2 and 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake in CHLA-15 tumors. With a low dose of 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE (20 MBq/animal), tumor growth inhibition was achieved in the CHLA-15 high SSTR2 expressing xenograft model. Although, in vitro , NB cells showed variable expression levels of norepinephrine transporter (NET), a molecular target for 131 I-MIBG therapy, low 123 I-MIBG uptake was observed in all selected NB xenografts. In conclusion, SSTR2 expression levels are associated with 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake and antitumor efficacy of 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE. 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE PET is superior to 123 I-MIBG SPECT imaging in detecting NB tumors in our model. Radiolabeled DOTA-TATE can be used as an agent for NB tumor imaging to potentially discriminate tumors eligible for 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE therapy.

Correlation of Somatostatin Receptor-2 Expression with Gallium-68-DOTA-TATE Uptake in Neuroblastoma Xenograft Models

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Libo Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Peptide-receptor imaging and therapy with radiolabeled somatostatin analogs such as 68Ga-DOTA-TATE and 177Lu-DOTA-TATE have become an effective treatment option for SSTR-positive neuroendocrine tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of somatostatin receptor-2 (SSTR2 expression with 68Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake and 177Lu-DOTA-TATE therapy in neuroblastoma (NB xenograft models. We demonstrated variable SSTR2 expression profiles in eight NB cell lines. From micro-PET imaging and autoradiography, a higher uptake of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE was observed in SSTR2 high-expressing NB xenografts (CHLA-15 compared to SSTR2 low-expressing NB xenografts (SK-N-BE(2. Combined autoradiography-immunohistochemistry revealed histological colocalization of SSTR2 and 68Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake in CHLA-15 tumors. With a low dose of 177Lu-DOTA-TATE (20 MBq/animal, tumor growth inhibition was achieved in the CHLA-15 high SSTR2 expressing xenograft model. Although, in vitro, NB cells showed variable expression levels of norepinephrine transporter (NET, a molecular target for 131I-MIBG therapy, low 123I-MIBG uptake was observed in all selected NB xenografts. In conclusion, SSTR2 expression levels are associated with 68Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake and antitumor efficacy of 177Lu-DOTA-TATE. 68Ga-DOTA-TATE PET is superior to 123I-MIBG SPECT imaging in detecting NB tumors in our model. Radiolabeled DOTA-TATE can be used as an agent for NB tumor imaging to potentially discriminate tumors eligible for 177Lu-DOTA-TATE therapy.

Correlation of FMISO simulations with pimonidazole-stained tumor xenografts: A question of O{sub 2} consumption?

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Wack, L. J., E-mail: linda-jacqueline.wack@med.uni-tuebingen.de; Thorwarth, D. [Section for Biomedical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); Mönnich, D. [Section for Biomedical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Tübingen 72076 (Germany); German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69121 (Germany); Yaromina, A. [OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01309, Germany and Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW—School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht 6229 ET (Netherlands); Zips, D. [German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Tübingen 72076 (Germany); German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69121 (Germany); Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen 72076 (Germany); and others

2016-07-15

Purpose: To compare a dedicated simulation model for hypoxia PET against tumor microsections stained for different parameters of the tumor microenvironment. The model can readily be adapted to a variety of conditions, such as different human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) xenograft tumors. Methods: Nine different HNSCC tumor models were transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice. Tumors were excised and immunoflourescently labeled with pimonidazole, Hoechst 33342, and CD31, providing information on hypoxia, perfusion, and vessel distribution, respectively. Hoechst and CD31 images were used to generate maps of perfused blood vessels on which tissue oxygenation and the accumulation of the hypoxia tracer FMISO were mathematically simulated. The model includes a Michaelis–Menten relation to describe the oxygen consumption inside tissue. The maximum oxygen consumption rate M{sub 0} was chosen as the parameter for a tumor-specific optimization as it strongly influences tracer distribution. M{sub 0} was optimized on each tumor slice to reach optimum correlations between FMISO concentration 4 h postinjection and pimonidazole staining intensity. Results: After optimization, high pixel-based correlations up to R{sup 2} = 0.85 were found for individual tissue sections. Experimental pimonidazole images and FMISO simulations showed good visual agreement, confirming the validity of the approach. Median correlations per tumor model varied significantly (p < 0.05), with R{sup 2} ranging from 0.20 to 0.54. The optimum maximum oxygen consumption rate M{sub 0} differed significantly (p < 0.05) between tumor models, ranging from 2.4 to 5.2 mm Hg/s. Conclusions: It is feasible to simulate FMISO distributions that match the pimonidazole retention patterns observed in vivo. Good agreement was obtained for multiple tumor models by optimizing the oxygen consumption rate, M{sub 0}, whose optimum value differed significantly between tumor models.

KRAS Genotype Correlates with Proteasome Inhibitor Ixazomib Activity in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Colon and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Potential Role of Tumor Metabolism.

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Nibedita Chattopadhyay

Full Text Available In non-clinical studies, the proteasome inhibitor ixazomib inhibits cell growth in a broad panel of solid tumor cell lines in vitro. In contrast, antitumor activity in xenograft tumors is model-dependent, with some solid tumors showing no response to ixazomib. In this study we examined factors responsible for ixazomib sensitivity or resistance using mouse xenograft models. A survey of 14 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC and 6 colon xenografts showed a striking relationship between ixazomib activity and KRAS genotype; tumors with wild-type (WT KRAS were more sensitive to ixazomib than tumors harboring KRAS activating mutations. To confirm the association between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity, we used SW48 isogenic colon cancer cell lines. Either KRAS-G13D or KRAS-G12V mutations were introduced into KRAS-WT SW48 cells to generate cells that stably express activated KRAS. SW48 KRAS WT tumors, but neither SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors nor SW48-KRAS-G12V tumors, were sensitive to ixazomib in vivo. Since activated KRAS is known to be associated with metabolic reprogramming, we compared metabolite profiling of SW48-WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors treated with or without ixazomib. Prior to treatment there were significant metabolic differences between SW48 WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors, reflecting higher oxidative stress and glucose utilization in the KRAS-G13D tumors. Ixazomib treatment resulted in significant metabolic regulation, and some of these changes were specific to KRAS WT tumors. Depletion of free amino acid pools and activation of GCN2-eIF2α-pathways were observed both in tumor types. However, changes in lipid beta oxidation were observed in only the KRAS WT tumors. The non-clinical data presented here show a correlation between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity in NSCLC and colon xenografts and provide new evidence of regulation of key metabolic pathways by proteasome inhibition.

KRAS Genotype Correlates with Proteasome Inhibitor Ixazomib Activity in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Colon and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Potential Role of Tumor Metabolism.

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Chattopadhyay, Nibedita; Berger, Allison J; Koenig, Erik; Bannerman, Bret; Garnsey, James; Bernard, Hugues; Hales, Paul; Maldonado Lopez, Angel; Yang, Yu; Donelan, Jill; Jordan, Kristen; Tirrell, Stephen; Stringer, Bradley; Xia, Cindy; Hather, Greg; Galvin, Katherine; Manfredi, Mark; Rhodes, Nelson; Amidon, Ben

2015-01-01

In non-clinical studies, the proteasome inhibitor ixazomib inhibits cell growth in a broad panel of solid tumor cell lines in vitro. In contrast, antitumor activity in xenograft tumors is model-dependent, with some solid tumors showing no response to ixazomib. In this study we examined factors responsible for ixazomib sensitivity or resistance using mouse xenograft models. A survey of 14 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 6 colon xenografts showed a striking relationship between ixazomib activity and KRAS genotype; tumors with wild-type (WT) KRAS were more sensitive to ixazomib than tumors harboring KRAS activating mutations. To confirm the association between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity, we used SW48 isogenic colon cancer cell lines. Either KRAS-G13D or KRAS-G12V mutations were introduced into KRAS-WT SW48 cells to generate cells that stably express activated KRAS. SW48 KRAS WT tumors, but neither SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors nor SW48-KRAS-G12V tumors, were sensitive to ixazomib in vivo. Since activated KRAS is known to be associated with metabolic reprogramming, we compared metabolite profiling of SW48-WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors treated with or without ixazomib. Prior to treatment there were significant metabolic differences between SW48 WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors, reflecting higher oxidative stress and glucose utilization in the KRAS-G13D tumors. Ixazomib treatment resulted in significant metabolic regulation, and some of these changes were specific to KRAS WT tumors. Depletion of free amino acid pools and activation of GCN2-eIF2α-pathways were observed both in tumor types. However, changes in lipid beta oxidation were observed in only the KRAS WT tumors. The non-clinical data presented here show a correlation between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity in NSCLC and colon xenografts and provide new evidence of regulation of key metabolic pathways by proteasome inhibition.

Solid tumors are poroelastic solids with a chemo-mechanical feedback on growth.

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Ambrosi, D; Pezzuto, S; Riccobelli, D; Stylianopoulos, T; Ciarletta, P

2017-12-01

The experimental evidence that a feedback exists between growth and stress in tumors poses challenging questions. First, the rheological properties (the "constitutive equations") of aggregates of malignant cells are still a matter of debate. Secondly, the feedback law (the "growth law") that relates stress and mitotic-apoptotic rate is far to be identified. We address these questions on the basis of a theoretical analysis of in vitro and in vivo experiments that involve the growth of tumor spheroids. We show that solid tumors exhibit several mechanical features of a poroelastic material, where the cellular component behaves like an elastic solid. When the solid component of the spheroid is loaded at the boundary, the cellular aggregate grows up to an asymptotic volume that depends on the exerted compression. Residual stress shows up when solid tumors are radially cut, highlighting a peculiar tensional pattern. By a novel numerical approach we correlate the measured opening angle and the underlying residual stress in a sphere. The features of the mechanobiological system can be explained in terms of a feedback of mechanics on the cell proliferation rate as modulated by the availability of nutrient, that is radially damped by the balance between diffusion and consumption. The volumetric growth profiles and the pattern of residual stress can be theoretically reproduced assuming a dependence of the target stress on the concentration of nutrient which is specific of the malignant tissue.

Ovarian and cervical cancer patient derived xenografts: The past, present, and future.

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Boone, Jonathan D; Dobbin, Zachary C; Straughn, J Michael; Buchsbaum, Donald J

2015-08-01

Preclinical research in gynecologic malignancies has largely relied upon cloned cancer-derived cell lines and tumor xenografts derived from these cell lines. Unfortunately, the use of cell lines for translational research has disadvantages because genetic and phenotypic alterations from serial passaging have resulted in expression profiles that are different from the original patient tumors. The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model derived from human tumor not previously cultured has shown better representation of the heterogeneity of gynecologic malignancies and the human tumor microenvironment with preservation of cytogenetics, cellular complexity, and vascular and stromal tumor architecture. Studies have shown promise with these models to analyze tumor development and adaptation, test drug efficacy, and predict clinical outcomes. Their ultimate value may be seen with preclinical drug screening including novel targeted therapies, biomarker identification, and the development of individualized treatment plans. This article reviews PDX model development, current studies testing chemotherapeutics and targeted therapies, and limitations of the PDX model in gynecologic malignancies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MR Imaging Biomarkers to Monitor Early Response to Hypoxia-Activated Prodrug TH-302 in Pancreatic Cancer Xenografts.

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Xiaomeng Zhang

Full Text Available TH-302 is a hypoxia-activated prodrug known to activate selectively under the hypoxic conditions commonly found in solid tumors. It is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, including two trials in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas (PDAC. The current study was undertaken to evaluate imaging biomarkers for prediction and response monitoring of TH-302 efficacy in xenograft models of PDAC. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE and diffusion weighted (DW magnetic resonance imaging (MRI were used to monitor acute effects on tumor vasculature and cellularity, respectively. Three human PDAC xenografts with known differential responses to TH-302 were imaged prior to, and at 24 h and 48 hours following a single dose of TH-302 or vehicle to determine if imaging changes presaged changes in tumor volumes. DW-MRI was performed at five b-values to generate apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADC maps. For DCE-MRI, a standard clinically available contrast reagent, Gd-DTPA, was used to determine blood flow into the tumor region of interest. TH-302 induced a dramatic decrease in the DCE transfer constant (Ktrans within 48 hours after treatment in the sensitive tumors, Hs766t and Mia PaCa-2, whereas TH-302 had no effect on the perfusion behavior of resistant SU.86.86 tumors. Tumor cellularity, estimated from ADC, was significantly increased 24 and 48 hours after treatment in Hs766t, but was not observed in the Mia PaCa-2 and SU.86.86 groups. Notably, growth inhibition of Hs766t was observed immediately (day 3 following initiation of treatment, but was not observed in MiaPaCa-2 tumors until 8 days after initiation of treatment. Based on these preclinical findings, DCE-MRI measures of vascular perfusion dynamics and ADC measures of cell density are suggested as potential TH-302 response biomarkers in clinical trials.

MR Imaging Biomarkers to Monitor Early Response to Hypoxia-Activated Prodrug TH-302 in Pancreatic Cancer Xenografts.

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Zhang, Xiaomeng; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan W; Martinez, Gary V; Cornnell, Heather H; Hart, Charles P; Baker, Amanda F; Gillies, Robert

2016-01-01

TH-302 is a hypoxia-activated prodrug known to activate selectively under the hypoxic conditions commonly found in solid tumors. It is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, including two trials in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas (PDAC). The current study was undertaken to evaluate imaging biomarkers for prediction and response monitoring of TH-302 efficacy in xenograft models of PDAC. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and diffusion weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to monitor acute effects on tumor vasculature and cellularity, respectively. Three human PDAC xenografts with known differential responses to TH-302 were imaged prior to, and at 24 h and 48 hours following a single dose of TH-302 or vehicle to determine if imaging changes presaged changes in tumor volumes. DW-MRI was performed at five b-values to generate apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADC) maps. For DCE-MRI, a standard clinically available contrast reagent, Gd-DTPA, was used to determine blood flow into the tumor region of interest. TH-302 induced a dramatic decrease in the DCE transfer constant (Ktrans) within 48 hours after treatment in the sensitive tumors, Hs766t and Mia PaCa-2, whereas TH-302 had no effect on the perfusion behavior of resistant SU.86.86 tumors. Tumor cellularity, estimated from ADC, was significantly increased 24 and 48 hours after treatment in Hs766t, but was not observed in the Mia PaCa-2 and SU.86.86 groups. Notably, growth inhibition of Hs766t was observed immediately (day 3) following initiation of treatment, but was not observed in MiaPaCa-2 tumors until 8 days after initiation of treatment. Based on these preclinical findings, DCE-MRI measures of vascular perfusion dynamics and ADC measures of cell density are suggested as potential TH-302 response biomarkers in clinical trials.

Patient-Derived Xenograft Models : An Emerging Platform for Translational Cancer Research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hidalgo, Manuel; Amant, Frederic; Biankin, Andrew V.; Budinska, Eva; Byrne, Annette T.; Caldas, Carlos; Clarke, Robert B.; de Jong, Steven; Jonkers, Jos; Maelandsmo, Gunhild Mari; Roman-Roman, Sergio; Seoane, Joan; Trusolino, Livio; Villanueva, Alberto

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the development and characterization of patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models for cancer research. PDX models mostly retain the principal histologic and genetic characteristics of their donor tumor and remain stable across passages. These

HLA-mismatched hematopoietic stem cell tranplantation for pediatric solid tumors

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Andrea Pession

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Even if the overall survival of children with cancer is significantly improved over these decades, the cure rate of high-risk pediatric solid tumors such as neuroblastoma, Ewing’s sarcoma family tumors or rhabdomiosarcoma remain challenging. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT allows chemotherapy dose intensification beyond marrow tolerance and has become a fundamental tool in the multimodal therapeutical approach of these patients. Anyway this procedure does not allow to these children an eventfree survival approaching more than 50% at 5 years. New concepts of allogeneic HSCT and in particular HLA-mismatched HSCT for high risk solid tumors do not rely on escalation of chemo therapy intensity and tumor load reduction but rather on a graft-versus-tumor effect. We here report an experimental study design of HLA-mismatched HSCT for the treatment of pediatric solid tumors and the inherent preliminary results.

Targeting Tumor Cells with Anti-CD44 Antibody Triggers Macrophage-Mediated Immune Modulatory Effects in a Cancer Xenograft Model.

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Maisel, Daniela; Birzele, Fabian; Voss, Edgar; Nopora, Adam; Bader, Sabine; Friess, Thomas; Goller, Bernhard; Laifenfeld, Daphna; Weigand, Stefan; Runza, Valeria

2016-01-01

CD44, a transmembrane receptor reported to be involved in various cellular functions, is overexpressed in several cancer types and supposed to be involved in the initiation, progression and prognosis of these cancers. Since the sequence of events following the blockage of the CD44-HA interaction has not yet been studied in detail, we profiled xenograft tumors by RNA Sequencing to elucidate the mode of action of the anti-CD44 antibody RG7356. Analysis of tumor and host gene-expression profiles led us to the hypothesis that treatment with RG7356 antibody leads to an activation of the immune system. Using cytokine measurements we further show that this activation involves the secretion of chemo-attractants necessary for the recruitment of immune cells (i.e. macrophages) to the tumor site. We finally provide evidence for antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) of the malignant cells by macrophages.

Targeting Tumor Cells with Anti-CD44 Antibody Triggers Macrophage-Mediated Immune Modulatory Effects in a Cancer Xenograft Model.

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Daniela Maisel

Full Text Available CD44, a transmembrane receptor reported to be involved in various cellular functions, is overexpressed in several cancer types and supposed to be involved in the initiation, progression and prognosis of these cancers. Since the sequence of events following the blockage of the CD44-HA interaction has not yet been studied in detail, we profiled xenograft tumors by RNA Sequencing to elucidate the mode of action of the anti-CD44 antibody RG7356. Analysis of tumor and host gene-expression profiles led us to the hypothesis that treatment with RG7356 antibody leads to an activation of the immune system. Using cytokine measurements we further show that this activation involves the secretion of chemo-attractants necessary for the recruitment of immune cells (i.e. macrophages to the tumor site. We finally provide evidence for antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP of the malignant cells by macrophages.

Targeted radionuclide therapy for solid tumors: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Nardo, Sally J.; De Nardo, Gerald L.

2006-01-01

Although radioimmunotherapy (RIT) has been effective in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) as a single agent, solid tumors have shown less clinically significant therapeutic response to RIT alone. The clinical impact of RIT or other forms of targeted radionuclide therapy for solid tumors depends on the development of a high therapeutic index (TI) for the tumor vs. normal tissue effect, and the implementation of RIT as part of synergistic combined modality therapy (CMRIT). Preclinical and clinical studies have provided a wealth of information, and new prototypes or paradigms have shed light on future possibilities in many instances. Evidence suggests that combination and sequencing of RIT in CMRIT appropriately can provide effective treatment for many solid tumors. Vascular targets provide RIT enhancement opportunities and nanoparticles may prove to be effective carriers for RIT combined with intracellular drug delivery or alternating magnetic frequency (AMF) induced thermal tumor necrosis. The sequence and timing of combined modality treatments will be of critical importance to achieve synergy for therapy while minimizing toxicity. Fortunately, the radionuclide used for RIT also provides a signal useful for nondestructive quantitation of the influence of sequence and timing of CMRIT on events in animals and patients. This can be readily accomplished clinically using quantitative high-resolution imaging (e.g., positron emission tomography [PET])

The impact of weakly bound ⁸⁹Zr on preclinical studies: Non-specific accumulation in solid tumors and aspergillus infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Severin, Gregory; Jørgensen, Jesper T.; Wiehr, Stefan

2015-01-01

free or weakly bound 89Zr released in circulation. 89Zr oxalate had the desired characteristics, and was injected into mice bearing FaDu and HT29 solid tumor xenografts, and mice infected in the lungs with the mold Aspergillus fumigatus, as well as in healthy controls (naïve). PET/CT and PET/MR imaging...... followed to quantify the distribution of the radionuclide in the disease models. Results 89Zr oxalate was found to have a plasma half-life of 5.1 ± 2.3 h, accumulating mainly in the bones of all animals. Both tumor types accumulated 89Zr on the order of 2-4% ID/cm3, which is comparable to EPR...... in the disease sites in the present study, we recommend control experiments mapping the biodistribution of free 89Zr in any preclinical study employing 89Zr where bone uptake is observed. Aqueous 89Zr oxalate appears to be a suitable compound for such studies. This is especially relevant in studies where...

Schedule-dependent inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha protein accumulation, angiogenesis, and tumor growth by topotecan in U251-HRE glioblastoma xenografts.

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Rapisarda, Annamaria; Zalek, Jessica; Hollingshead, Melinda; Braunschweig, Till; Uranchimeg, Badarch; Bonomi, Carrie A; Borgel, Suzanne D; Carter, John P; Hewitt, Stephen M; Shoemaker, Robert H; Melillo, Giovanni

2004-10-01

We have previously shown that topotecan, a topoisomerase I poison, inhibits hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha protein accumulation by a DNA damage-independent mechanism. Here, we report that daily administration of topotecan inhibits HIF-1alpha protein expression in U251-HRE glioblastoma xenografts. Concomitant with HIF-1alpha inhibition, topotecan caused a significant tumor growth inhibition associated with a marked decrease of angiogenesis and expression of HIF-1 target genes in tumor tissue. These results provide a compelling rationale for testing topotecan in clinical trials to target HIF-1 in cancer patients.

Reversal of multidrug resistance by magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle copolymerizating daunorubicin and 5-bromotetrandrine in xenograft nude-mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Baoan; Cheng, Jian; Wu, Yanan; Gao, Feng; Xu, Wenlin; Shen, Huilin; Ding, Jiahua; Gao, Chong; Sun, Qian; Sun, Xinchen; Cheng, Hongyan; Li, Guohong; Chen, Wenji; Chen, Ningna; Liu, Lijie; Li, Xiaomao; Wang, Xuemei

2009-01-01

In this paper we establish the xenograft leukemia model with stable multidrug resistance in nude mice and to investigate the reversal effect of 5-bromotetrandrine (5-BrTet) and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) (MNP-Fe(3)O(4)) combined with daunorubicin (DNR) in vivo. Two subclones of K562 and K562/A02 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the back of athymic nude mice (1 x 10(7) cells/each) respectively to establish leukemia xenograft models. Drug-resistant and sensitive tumor-bearing nude mice were assigned randomly into five groups which were treated with normal saline; DNR; NP-Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR; 5-BrTet combined with DNR; 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR, respectively. The incidence of formation, growth characteristics, weight, and volume of tumors were observed. The histopathologic examination of tumors and organs were detected. For resistant tumors, the protein levels of Bcl-2, and BAX were detected by Western blot. Bcl-2, BAX, and caspase-3 genes were also detected. For K562/A02 cells xenograft tumors, 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR significantly suppressed growth of tumor. A histopathologic examination of tumors clearly showed necrosis of the tumors. Application of 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe(3)O(4) inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 protein and upregulated the expression of BAX and caspase-3 proteins in K562/A02 cells xenograft tumor. It is concluded that 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR had a significant tumor-suppressing effect on a MDR leukemia cells xenograft model.

An integrated analysis of miRNA and gene copy numbers in xenografts of Ewing's sarcoma

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Mosakhani Neda

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Xenografts have been shown to provide a suitable source of tumor tissue for molecular analysis in the absence of primary tumor material. We utilized ES xenograft series for integrated microarray analyses to identify novel biomarkers. Method Microarray technology (array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH and micro RNA arrays was used to screen and identify copy number changes and differentially expressed miRNAs of 34 and 14 passages, respectively. Incubated cells used for xenografting (Passage 0 were considered to represent the primary tumor. Four important differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-31, miR-31*, miR-145, miR-106 were selected for further validation by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Integrated analysis of aCGH and miRNA data was performed on 14 xenograft passages by bioinformatic methods. Results The most frequent losses and gains of DNA copy number were detected at 9p21.3, 16q and at 8, 15, 17q21.32-qter, 1q21.1-qter, respectively. The presence of these alterations was consistent in all tumor passages. aCGH profiles of xenograft passages of each series resembled their corresponding primary tumors (passage 0. MiR-21, miR-31, miR-31*, miR-106b, miR-145, miR-150*, miR-371-5p, miR-557 and miR-598 showed recurrently altered expression. These miRNAS were predicted to regulate many ES-associated genes, such as genes of the IGF1 pathway, EWSR1, FLI1 and their fusion gene (EWS-FLI1. Twenty differentially expressed miRNAs were pinpointed in regions carrying altered copy numbers. Conclusion In the present study, ES xenografts were successfully applied for integrated microarray analyses. Our findings showed expression changes of miRNAs that were predicted to regulate many ES associated genes, such as IGF1 pathway genes, FLI1, EWSR1, and the EWS-FLI1 fusion genes.

Comparison of planar, PET and well-counter measurements of total tumor radioactivity in a mouse xenograft model.

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Green, Michael V; Seidel, Jurgen; Williams, Mark R; Wong, Karen J; Ton, Anita; Basuli, Falguni; Choyke, Peter L; Jagoda, Elaine M

2017-10-01

Quantitative small animal radionuclide imaging studies are often carried out with the intention of estimating the total radioactivity content of various tissues such as the radioactivity content of mouse xenograft tumors exposed to putative diagnostic or therapeutic agents. We show that for at least one specific application, positron projection imaging (PPI) and PET yield comparable estimates of absolute total tumor activity and that both of these estimates are highly correlated with direct well-counting of these same tumors. These findings further suggest that in this particular application, PPI is a far more efficient data acquisition and processing methodology than PET. Forty-one athymic mice were implanted with PC3 human prostate cancer cells transfected with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA (+)) and one additional animal (for a total of 42) with a control blank vector (PSMA (-)). All animals were injected with [ 18 F] DCFPyl, a ligand for PSMA, and imaged for total tumor radioactivity with PET and PPI. The tumors were then removed, assayed by well counting for total radioactivity and the values between these methods intercompared. PET, PPI and well-counter estimates of total tumor radioactivity were highly correlated (R 2 >0.98) with regression line slopes near unity (0.95radioactivity can be measured with PET or PPI with an accuracy comparable to well counting if certain experimental and pharmacokinetic conditions are met. In this particular application, PPI is significantly more efficient than PET in making these measurements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reversal of multidrug resistance by magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle copolymerizating daunorubicin and 5-bromotetrandrine in xenograft nude-mice

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Baoan Chen

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Baoan Chen1,* Jian Cheng1,* Yanan Wu1, Feng Gao1, Wenlin Xu2, et al 1Department of Hematology;2Department of Hematology, The Affiliated People’s Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, PR China *These authors have contributed equally to this workAbstract: In this paper we establish the xenograft leukemia model with stable multidrug resistance in nude mice and to investigate the reversal effect of 5-bromotetrandrine (5-BrTet and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe3O4 (MNP-Fe3O4 combined with daunorubicin (DNR in vivo. Two subclones of K562 and K562/A02 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the back of athymic nude mice (1 × 107 cells/each respectively to establish leukemia xenograft models. Drug-resistant and sensitive tumor-bearing nude mice were assigned randomly into five groups which were treated with normal saline; DNR; NP-Fe3O4 combined with DNR; 5-BrTet combined with DNR; 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe3O4 combined with DNR, respectively. The incidence of formation, growth characteristics, weight, and volume of tumors were observed. The histopathologic examination of tumors and organs were detected. For resistant tumors, the protein levels of Bcl-2, and BAX were detected by Western blot. Bcl-2, BAX, and caspase-3 genes were also detected. For K562/A02 cells xenograft tumors, 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe3O4 combined with DNR significantly suppressed growth of tumor. A histopathologic examination of tumors clearly showed necrosis of the tumors. Application of 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe3O4 inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 protein and upregulated the expression of BAX and caspase-3 proteins in K562/A02 cells xenograft tumor. It is concluded that 5-BrTet and MNP-Fe3O4 combined with DNR had a significant tumor-suppressing effect on a MDR leukemia cells xenograft model.Keywords: 5-bromotetrandrine, magnetic nanoparticle of Fe3O4, multidrug-resistance, xenograft model

Oncolytic Herpes Virus rRp450 Shows Efficacy in Orthotopic Xenograft Group 3/4 Medulloblastomas and Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors

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Adam W. Studebaker

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Pediatric brain tumors including medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor are associated with significant mortality and treatment-associated morbidity. While medulloblastoma tumors within molecular subgroups 3 and 4 have a propensity to metastasize, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors frequently afflict a very young patient population. Adjuvant treatment options for children suffering with these tumors are not only sub-optimal but also associated with many neurocognitive obstacles. A potentially novel treatment approach is oncolytic virotherapy, a developing therapeutic platform currently in early-phase clinical trials for pediatric brain tumors and recently US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved to treat melanoma in adults. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of the clinically available oncolytic herpes simplex vector rRp450 in cell lines derived from medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor. Cells of both tumor types were supportive of virus replication and virus-mediated cytotoxicity. Orthotopic xenograft models of medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors displayed significantly prolonged survival following a single, stereotactic intratumoral injection of rRp450. Furthermore, addition of the chemotherapeutic prodrug cyclophosphamide (CPA enhanced rRp450’s in vivo efficacy. In conclusion, oncolytic herpes viruses with the ability to bioactivate the prodrug CPA within the tumor microenvironment warrant further investigation as a potential therapy for pediatric brain tumors.

Combination of Vaccine-Strain Measles and Mumps Viruses Enhances Oncolytic Activity against Human Solid Malignancies.

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Son, Ho Anh; Zhang, LiFeng; Cuong, Bui Khac; Van Tong, Hoang; Cuong, Le Duy; Hang, Ngo Thu; Nhung, Hoang Thi My; Yamamoto, Naoki; Toan, Nguyen Linh

2018-02-07

Oncolytic measles and mumps viruses (MeV, MuV) have a potential for anti-cancer treatment. We examined the anti-tumor activity of MeV, MuV, and MeV-MuV combination (MM) against human solid malignancies (HSM). MeV, MuV, and MM targeted and significantly killed various cancer cell lines of HSM but not normal cells. MM demonstrated a greater anti-tumor effect and prolonged survival in a human prostate cancer xenograft tumor model compared to MeV and MuV. MeV, MuV, and MM significantly induced the expression of immunogenic cell death markers and enhanced spleen-infiltrating immune cells. In conclusion, MM combination significantly improves the treatment of human solid malignancies.

New Strategies for the Treatment of Solid Tumors with CAR-T Cells.

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Zhang, Hao; Ye, Zhen-Long; Yuan, Zhen-Gang; Luo, Zheng-Qiang; Jin, Hua-Jun; Qian, Qi-Jun

2016-01-01

Recent years, we have witnessed significant progresses in both basic and clinical studies regarding novel therapeutic strategies with genetically engineered T cells. Modification with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) endows T cells with tumor specific cytotoxicity and thus induce anti-tumor immunity against malignancies. However, targeting solid tumors is more challenging than targeting B-cell malignancies with CAR-T cells because of the histopathological structure features, specific antigens shortage and strong immunosuppressive environment of solid tumors. Meanwhile, the on-target/off-tumor toxicity caused by relative expression of target on normal tissues is another issue that should be reckoned. Optimization of the design of CAR vectors, exploration of new targets, addition of safe switches and combination with other treatments bring new vitality to the CAR-T cell based immunotherapy against solid tumors. In this review, we focus on the major obstacles limiting the application of CAR-T cell therapy toward solid tumors and summarize the measures to refine this new cancer therapeutic modality.

Anti-tumor effect of 131I labeled 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin on human non-small cell lung cancer in xenograft-bearing nude mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jin; Liu Lu; Zhu Xiaoli; Chen Daozhen; Gao Wen; Jiang Xinyu; Huang Ying

2008-01-01

Objective: 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) has been developed as a novel heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor being used in clinical trials. HSP90 is known as a molecular target for tumor therapy. The goal of this study was to investigate the inhibitive effects of 131 I labeled 17-AAG on human non-small cell lung cancer in xenograft-bearing nude mice. Methods: 17-AAG was labeled with 131 I. Twenty-eight BALB/c nude mice bearing H460 human non-small cell lung carcinoma tumor xenograft were randomly divided into seven groups, one control group and six treatment groups according to the route of administration (via tail vein injection or intratumoral injection) and the doses of injected radio-activity (5.5 MBq x 2 with 8 d interval, 11.0 MBq and 5.5 MBq). Two additional mice were treated with intratumoral injection of Na 131 I solution that was served as seintigraphic imaging controls. In each group two mice underwent scintigraphy at 2 h, 6 h, 24 h, 2 d, 3 d, 7 d, 10 d and 16 d. After 16 d the tumor inhibition rate was calculated. Then all of the mice were sacrificed and the tumor tissues were obtained for histological examination and immunohistochemical assay. Results: Persistent accumulation of 131 I-17-AAG in the tumors was seen on seintigraphic images. Tumor inhibiting effect was demonstrated in all treatment groups with varying degrees. The highest tumor inhibition rate (86.77 ± 4.57)% was shown in the group with interval intratumoral injection (5.5 MBq x 2). There was no significant difference of tumor inhibition rates between 5.5 MBq x 2 group (via tail vein injection) and 11.0 MBq group( via tail vein injection, q=1.67, P>0.05). While among the other treatment groups, there was significant difference in tumor inhibition rates( q=3.16-24.34, all P 131 I-17-AAG may effectively inhibit the tumor growth and expression of HSP90α antigen expression in non-small cell lung cancer bearing nude mice. The more prominent anti-tumor effect may be

A novel rabbit anti-hepatocyte growth factor monoclonal neutralizing antibody inhibits tumor growth in prostate cancer cells and mouse xenografts

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Yu, Yanlan; Chen, Yicheng; Ding, Guoqing; Wang, Mingchao; Wu, Haiyang; Xu, Liwei; Rui, Xuefang; Zhang, Zhigen

2015-01-01

The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met are correlated with castration-resistance in prostate cancer. Although HGF has been considered as an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies, the lack of cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with human/mouse HGFs is a major obstacle in preclinical developments. We generated a panel of anti-HGF RabMAbs either blocking HGF/c-Met interaction or inhibiting c-Met phosphorylation. We selected one RabMAb with mouse cross-reactivity and demonstrated that it blocked HGF-stimulated downstream activation in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibited not only the growth of PC-3 cells but also HGF-dependent proliferation in HUVECs. We further demonstrated the efficacy and potency of the anti-HGF RabMAb in tumor xenograft mice models. Through these in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored a novel therapeutic antibody for advanced prostate cancer. - Highlights: • HGF is an attractive target for castration-refractory prostate cancer. • We generated and characterized a panel of anti-HGF rabbit monoclonal antibodies. • More than half of these anti-HGF RabMAbs was cross-reactive with mouse HGF. • Anti-HGF RabMAb blocks HGF-stimulated phosphorylation and cell growth in vitro. • Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in xenograft mice

A novel rabbit anti-hepatocyte growth factor monoclonal neutralizing antibody inhibits tumor growth in prostate cancer cells and mouse xenografts

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Yu, Yanlan; Chen, Yicheng; Ding, Guoqing; Wang, Mingchao; Wu, Haiyang; Xu, Liwei; Rui, Xuefang; Zhang, Zhigen, E-mail: srrshurology@163.com

2015-08-14

The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met are correlated with castration-resistance in prostate cancer. Although HGF has been considered as an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies, the lack of cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with human/mouse HGFs is a major obstacle in preclinical developments. We generated a panel of anti-HGF RabMAbs either blocking HGF/c-Met interaction or inhibiting c-Met phosphorylation. We selected one RabMAb with mouse cross-reactivity and demonstrated that it blocked HGF-stimulated downstream activation in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibited not only the growth of PC-3 cells but also HGF-dependent proliferation in HUVECs. We further demonstrated the efficacy and potency of the anti-HGF RabMAb in tumor xenograft mice models. Through these in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored a novel therapeutic antibody for advanced prostate cancer. - Highlights: • HGF is an attractive target for castration-refractory prostate cancer. • We generated and characterized a panel of anti-HGF rabbit monoclonal antibodies. • More than half of these anti-HGF RabMAbs was cross-reactive with mouse HGF. • Anti-HGF RabMAb blocks HGF-stimulated phosphorylation and cell growth in vitro. • Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in xenograft mice.

Using Positron Emission Tomography with [18F]FDG to Predict Tumor Behavior in Experimental Colorectal Cancer

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Bryan M. Burt

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the relationship between FDG uptake as determined by positron emission tomography (PET imaging and rates of tumor growth, cellular GLUT1 transporter density, and the activities of hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase in a solid tumor implant model. Five different human colorectal xenografts of different growth properties were implanted in athymic rats and evaluated by dynamic 18F-FDG-PET. The phosphorylating and dephosphorylating activities of the key glycolytic enzymes, hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, were measured in these tumor types by spectrophotometric assays and the expression of GLUT1 glucose transporter protein was determined by immunohistochemistry. Correlations among FDG accumulation, hexokinase activity, and tumor doubling time are reported in these colon xenografts. The results indicate that the activity of tumor hexokinase may be a marker of tumor growth rate that can be determined by 18F-FDG-PET imaging. PET scanning may not only be a useful tool for staging patients for extent of disease, but may provide important prognostic information concerning the proliferative rates of malignancies.

Ovarian tumor attachment, invasion and vascularization reflect unique microenvironments in the peritoneum:Insights from xenograft and mathematical models

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Mara P. Steinkamp

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Ovarian cancer relapse is often characterized by metastatic spread throughout the peritoneal cavity with tumors attached to multiple organs. In this study, interaction of ovarian tumor cells with the peritoneal tumor microenvironment was evaluated in a xenograft model based on intraperitoneal injection of fluorescent SKOV3.ip1 ovarian cancer cells. Intra-vital microscopy of mixed GFP-RFP cell populations injected into the peritoneum demonstrated that tumor cells aggregate and attach as mixed spheroids, emphasizing the importance of homotypic adhesion in tumor formation. Electron microscopy provided high resolution structural information about local attachment sites. Experimental measurements from the mouse model were used to build a three-dimensional cellular Potts ovarian tumor model (OvTM that examines ovarian tumor cell attachment, chemotaxis, growth and vascularization. OvTM simulations provide insight into the relative influence of tumor cell-cell adhesion, oxygen availability, and local architecture on tumor growth and morphology. Notably, tumors on the mesentery, omentum or spleen readily invade the open architecture, while tumors attached to the gut encounter barriers that restrict invasion and instead rapidly expand into the peritoneal space. Simulations suggest that rapid neovascularization of SKOV3.ip1 tumors is triggered by constitutive release of angiogenic factors in the absence of hypoxia. This research highlights the importance of cellular adhesion and tumor microenvironment in the seeding of secondary ovarian tumors on diverse organs within the peritoneal cavity. Results of the OvTM simulations indicate that invasion is strongly influenced by features underlying the mesothelial lining at different sites, but is also affected by local production of chemotactic factors. The integrated in vivo mouse model and computer simulations provide a unique platform for evaluating targeted therapies for ovarian cancer relapse.

Association between tumor-stroma ratio and prognosis in solid tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Wu, Jiayuan; Liang, Caixia; Chen, Manyu; Su, Wenmei

2016-10-18

Tumor-related stroma plays an active role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) in the pathologic specimen has drawn increasing attention from the field of predicting tumor prognosis. However, the prognostic value of TSR in solid tumors necessitates further elucidation. We conducted a meta-analysis on 14 studies with 4238 patients through a comprehensive electronic search on databases updated on May 2016 to explore the relationship between TSR and prognosis of solid tumors. The overall hazard ratio showed that rich stroma in tumor tissue was associated with poor overall survival (OS) (14 studies, 4238 patients) and disease-free survival (DFS) (9 studies, 2235 patients) of patients with solid tumors. The effect of low TSR on poor OS was observed among various cancer types, but not in the early stage of cervical caner. A significant relationship between low TSR and poor OS was also observed in the subgroup analyses based on study region, blinding status, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) score. Subgroup analyses indicated that cancer type, clinical stage, study region, blinding status, and NOS score did not affect the prognostic value of TSR for DFS. Moreover, low TSR was significantly correlated with the serious clinical stage, advanced depth of invasion, and positive lymph node metastasis. These findings indicate that a high proportion of stroma in cancer tissue is associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer patients, and TSR may serve as an independent prognostic factor for solid tumors.

Solid-pseudo papillary tumor of the pancreas: Frantz's tumor

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Oliveira, Bruno Righi Rodrigues de; Moreira, Reni Cecilia Lopes; Campos, Marcelo Esteves Chaves [Instituto Mario Penna, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)], e-mail: brunorighi@yahoo.com.br

2010-07-01

The pseudo papillary solid tumor of the pancreas, also known as Frantz's tumor, is a rare disease, taking place in approximately 0.17% to 2.7% of non-endocrine tumors of the pancreas. Recently, the increase of its incidence has been noted with more than two-thirds of the total cases described in the last 10 years. A possible explanation is a greater knowledge of the disease and a greater uniformity of conceptualization in the last years. Generally, it affects young adult females. In most of the series, the tumor principally attacks the body and tail of the pancreas. The objective of the present report is to present the diagnostic and therapeutic option used in this rare pancreatic tumor of low-grade malignancy. (author)

Engineering a prostate-specific membrane antigen-activated tumor endothelial cell prodrug for cancer therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Denmeade, Samuel R; Mhaka, Annastasiah M; Rosen, D Marc

2012-01-01

adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) pump, whose proper function is required by all cell types for viability. To achieve targeted inhibition, we took advantage of the unique expression of the carboxypeptidase prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) by tumor endothelial cells within the microenvironment...... of solid tumors. We generated a prodrug, G202, consisting of a PSMA-specific peptide coupled to an analog of the potent SERCA pump inhibitor thapsigargin. G202 produced substantial tumor regression against a panel of human cancer xenografts in vivo at doses that were minimally toxic to the host...

Autophagy inhibition synergistically enhances anti-cancer efficacy of RAMBA, VN/12-1 in SKBR-3 cells and tumor xenografts

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Godbole, Abhijit M.; Purushottamachar, Puranik; Martin, Marlena S.; Daskalakis, Constantine; Njar, Vincent C. O.

2012-01-01

VN/12-1 is a novel retinoic acid metabolism blocking agent (RAMBA) discovered in our laboratory. The purpose of the study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism of VN/12-1’s anticancer activity in breast cancer cell lines and in tumor xenografts. We investigated the effects of VN/12-1 on induction of autophagy andapoptosis in SKBR-3 cells. Further, we also examined the impact of pharmacological and genomic inhibition of autophagy on VN/12-1’s anti-cancer activity. Finally, the anti-tumor activity of VN/12-1 was evaluated as a single agent and in combination with autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CHL) in an SKBR-3 mouse xenograft model. Short exposure of low dose (< 10 µM) of VN/12-1 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), autophagy and inhibits G1-S phase transition and caused a protective response. However, higher dose of VN/12-1 initiates apoptosis in vitro. Inhibition of autophagy using either pharmacological inhibitors or RNA interference of Beclin-1 enhanced anti-cancer activity induced by VN/12-1 in SKBR-3 cells by triggering apoptosis. Importantly, VN/12-1 (5 mg/kg twice weekly) and the combination of VN/12-1 (5 mg/kg twice weekly) + chloroquine (50 mg/kg twice weekly) significantly suppressed established SKBR-3 tumor growth by 81.4% (p < 0.001 vs. control) and 96.2% (p < 0.001 vs. control), respectively. Our novel findings suggest that VN/12-1 may be useful as a single agent or in combination with autophagy inhibitors for treating human breast cancers. Our data provides a strong rationale for clinical evaluation of VN/12-1 as single agent or in combination with autophagy inhibitors. PMID:22334589

Comparison of two new angiogenesis PET tracers 68Ga-NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)]2 and 64Cu-NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)]2; in vivo imaging studies in human xenograft tumors

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Oxbøl, Jytte; Brandt-Larsen, Malene; Schjøth-Eskesen, Christina

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to synthesize and perform a side-by-side comparison of two new tumor-angiogenesis PET tracers (68)Ga-NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)](2) and (64)Cu-NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)](2) in vivo using human xenograft tumors in mice. Human radiation burden was estimated to evaluate...... potential for future use as clinical PET tracers for imaging of neo-angiogenesis. METHODS: A (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator was used for the synthesis of (68)Ga-NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)](2). (68)Ga and (64)Cu labeled NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)](2) tracers were administrated in nude mice bearing either human glioblastoma (U87MG......) or human neuroendocrine (H727) xenograft tumors. PET/CT scans at 3 time points were used for calculating the tracer uptake in tumors (%ID/g), integrin αVβ3 target specificity was shown by blocking with cold NODAGA-E[c(RGDyK)](2), and biodistribution in normal organs were also examined. From biodistribution...

Establishment, maintenance and in vitro and in vivo applications of primary human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) xenograft models for translational biology studies and drug discovery.

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Carlson, Brett L; Pokorny, Jenny L; Schroeder, Mark A; Sarkaria, Jann N

2011-03-01

Development of clinically relevant tumor model systems for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is important for advancement of basic and translational biology. One model that has gained wide acceptance in the neuro-oncology community is the primary xenograft model. This model entails the engraftment of patient tumor specimens into the flank of nude mice and subsequent serial passage of these tumors in the flank of mice. These tumors are then used to establish short-term explant cultures or intracranial xenografts. This unit describes detailed procedures for establishment, maintenance, and utilization of a primary GBM xenograft panel for the purpose of using them as tumor models for basic or translational studies.

Quantitative PET of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using 64Cu-labeled cetuximab, a chimeric anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, Weibo; Chen, Kai; He, Lina; Cao, Qizhen; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Koong, Albert

2007-01-01

Cetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the surface of cancer cells, was approved by the FDA to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. It is currently also in advanced-stage development for the treatment of several other solid tumors. Here we report for the first time the quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using 64 Cu-labeled cetuximab. We conjugated cetuximab with macrocyclic chelating agent 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA), labeled with 64 Cu, and tested the resulting 64 Cu-DOTA-cetuximab in seven xenograft tumor models. The tracer uptake measured by PET was correlated with the EGFR expression quantified by western blotting. The estimated human dosimetry based on the PET data in Sprague-Dawley rats was also calculated. MicroPET imaging showed that 64 Cu-DOTA-cetuximab had increasing tumor activity accumulation over time in EGFR-positive tumors but relatively low uptake in EGFR-negative tumors at all times examined ( 2 0.80) between the tracer uptake (measured by PET) and the EGFR expression level (measured by western blotting). Human dosimetry estimation indicated that the tracer may be safely administered to human patients for tumor diagnosis, with the dose-limiting organ being the liver. The success of EGFR-positive tumor imaging using 64 Cu-DOTA-cetuximab can be translated into the clinic to characterize the pharmacokinetics, to select the right population of patients for EGFR-targeted therapy, to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR treatment, and to optimize the dosage of either cetuximab alone or cetuximab in combination with other therapeutic agents. (orig.)

Monitoring tumor proliferative response to radiotherapy using 18F-fluorothymidine in human head and neck cancer xenograft in comparison with Ki-67

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Fatema, Chowdhury Nusrat; Yu, Wenwen; Kitagawa, Yoshimasa; Zhao, Songji; Zhao, Yan; Murakami, Masahiro; Nishijima, Ken-ichi; Tamaki, Nagara; Kuge, Yuji

2013-01-01

Although radiotherapy is an important treatment strategy for head and neck cancers, it induces tumor repopulation which adversely affects therapeutic outcome. In this regard, fractionated radiotherapy is widely applied to prevent tumor repopulation. Evaluation of tumor proliferative activity using 18 F-fluorothymidine (FLT), a noninvasive marker of tumor proliferation, may be useful for determining the optimal timing of and dose in the repetitive irradiation. Thus, to assess the potentials of FLT, we evaluated the sequential changes in intratumoral proliferative activity in head and neck cancer xenografts (FaDu) using FLT. FaDu tumor xenografts were established in nude mice and assigned to control and two radiation-treated groups (10 and 20 Gy). Tumor volume was measured daily. 3 H-FLT was injected intravenously 2 h before killing. Mice were killed 6, 24, 48 h, and 7 days after the radiation treatment. Intratumoral 3 H-FLT level was visually and quantitatively assessed by autoradiography. Ki-67 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed. In radiation-treated mice, the tumor growth was significantly suppressed compared with the control group, but the tumor volume in these mice gradually increased with time. In the visual assessment, intratumoral 3 H-FLT level diffusely decreased 6 h after the radiation treatment and then gradually increased with time, whereas no apparent changes were observed in Ki-67 IHC. Six hours after the radiation treatment at 10 and 20 Gy, the intratumoral 3 H-FLT level markedly decreased to 45 and 40% of the control, respectively (P 3 H-FLT levels at 48 h and on day 7 were significantly higher than that at 6 h. The intratumoral 3 H-FLT levels in both treated groups were 68 and 60% at 24 h (P<0.001), 71 and 77% at 48 h (P<0.001), and 83 and 81% on day 7 (P=NS) compared with the control group. Intratumoral FLT uptake level markedly decreased at 6 h and then gradually increased with time. Sequential evaluation of intratumoral proliferative

Identification of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells in the reactive stroma of a prostate cancer xenograft by side population analysis

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Santamaria-Martinez, Albert [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Barquinero, Jordi [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Banc de Sang i Teixits, Barcelona (Spain); Barbosa-Desongles, Anna; Hurtado, Antoni; Pinos, Tomas [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Seoane, Joan [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Medical Oncology program, Vall d' Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona (Spain); Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona (Spain); Poupon, Marie-France [Institut Curie, Paris (France); Morote, Joan [Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Servei d' Urologia. Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Reventos, Jaume [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Munell, Francina, E-mail: fmunell@ir.vhebron.net [Institut de Recerca Hospital Vall d' Hebron, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain)

2009-10-15

Cancer stem cells are a distinct cellular population that is believed to be responsible for tumor initiation and maintenance. Recent data suggest that solid tumors also contain another type of stem cells, the mesenchymal stem cells or multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which contribute to the formation of tumor-associated stroma. The Hoechst 33342 efflux assay has proved useful to identify a rare cellular fraction, named Side Population (SP), enriched in cells with stem-like properties. Using this assay, we identified SP cells in a prostate cancer xenograft containing human prostate cancer cells and mouse stromal cells. The SP isolation, subculture and sequential sorting allowed the generation of single-cell-derived clones of murine origin that were recognized as MSC by their morphology, plastic adherence, proliferative potential, adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation ability and immunophenotype (CD45{sup -}, CD81{sup +} and Sca-1{sup +}). We also demonstrated that SP clonal cells secrete transforming growth factor {beta}1 (TGF-{beta}1) and that their inhibition reduces proliferation and accelerates differentiation. These results reveal the existence of SP cells in the stroma of a cancer xenograft, and provide evidence supporting their MSC nature and the role of TGF-{beta}1 in maintaining their proliferation and undifferentiated status. Our data also reveal the usefulness of the SP assay to identify and isolate MSC cells from carcinomas.

Identification of Biomarkers of Necrosis in Xenografts Using Imaging Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Roberto; Garate, Jone; Lage, Sergio; Terés, Silvia; Higuera, Mónica; Bestard-Escalas, Joan; López, Daniel H; Guardiola-Serrano, Francisca; Escribá, Pablo V; Barceló-Coblijn, Gwendolyn; Fernández, José A

2016-02-01

Xenografts are commonly used to test the effect of new drugs on human cancer. However, because of their heterogeneity, analysis of the results is often controversial. Part of the problem originates in the existence of tumor cells at different metabolic stages: from metastatic to necrotic cells, as it happens in real tumors. Imaging mass spectrometry is an excellent solution for the analysis of the results as it yields detailed information not only on the composition of the tissue but also on the distribution of the biomolecules within the tissue. Here, we use imaging mass spectrometry to determine the distribution of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and their plasmanyl- and plasmenylether derivatives (PC-P/O and PE-P/O) in xenografts of five different tumor cell lines: A-549, NCI-H1975, BX-PC3, HT29, and U-87 MG. The results demonstrate that the necrotic areas showed a higher abundance of Na(+) adducts and of PC-P/O species, whereas a large abundance of PE-P/O species was found in all the xenografts. Thus, the PC/PC-ether and Na(+)/K(+) ratios may highlight the necrotic areas while an increase on the number of PE-ether species may be pointing to the existence of viable tumor tissues. Furthermore, the existence of important changes in the concentration of Na(+) and K(+) adducts between different tissues has to be taken into account while interpreting the imaging mass spectrometry results. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Nilotinib Enhances Tumor Angiogenesis and Counteracts VEGFR2 Blockade in an Orthotopic Breast Cancer Xenograft Model with Desmoplastic Response

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Sara Zafarnia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF/VEGF receptor (VEGFR-targeted therapies predominantly affect nascent, immature tumor vessels. Since platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR blockade inhibits vessel maturation and thus increases the amount of immature tumor vessels, we evaluated whether the combined PDGFR inhibition by nilotinib and VEGFR2 blockade by DC101 has synergistic therapy effects in a desmoplastic breast cancer xenograft model. In this context, besides immunohistological evaluation, molecular ultrasound imaging with BR55, the clinically used VEGFR2-targeted microbubbles, was applied to monitor VEGFR2-positive vessels noninvasively and to assess the therapy effects on tumor angiogenesis. DC101 treatment alone inhibited tumor angiogenesis, resulting in lower tumor growth and in significantly lower vessel density than in the control group after 14 days of therapy. In contrast, nilotinib inhibited vessel maturation but enhanced VEGFR2 expression, leading to markedly increased tumor volumes and a significantly higher vessel density. The combination of both drugs led to an almost similar tumor growth as in the DC101 treatment group, but VEGFR2 expression and microvessel density were higher and comparable to the controls. Further analyses revealed significantly higher levels of tumor cell–derived VEGF in nilotinib-treated tumors. In line with this, nilotinib, especially in low doses, induced an upregulation of VEGF and IL-6 mRNA in the tumor cells in vitro, thus providing an explanation for the enhanced angiogenesis observed in nilotinib-treated tumors in vivo. These findings suggest that nilotinib inhibits vessel maturation but counteracts the effects of antiangiogenic co-therapy by enhancing VEGF expression by the tumor cells and stimulating tumor angiogenesis.

Dll4 blockade potentiates the anti-tumor effects of VEGF inhibition in renal cell carcinoma patient-derived xenografts.

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Kiersten Marie Miles

Full Text Available The Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (Dll4 is highly expressed in vascular endothelium and has been shown to play a pivotal role in regulating tumor angiogenesis. Blockade of the Dll4-Notch pathway in preclinical cancer models has been associated with non-productive angiogenesis and reduced tumor growth. Given the cross-talk between the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and Delta-Notch pathways in tumor angiogenesis, we examined the activity of a function-blocking Dll4 antibody, REGN1035, alone and in combination with anti-VEGF therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC.Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice bearing patient-derived clear cell RCC xenografts were treated with REGN1035 and in combination with the multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib or the VEGF blocker ziv-aflibercept. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analyses were carried out, as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI examinations pre and 24 hours and 2 weeks post treatment. Single agent treatment with REGN1035 resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition (36-62% that was equivalent to or exceeded the single agent anti-tumor activity of the VEGF pathway inhibitors sunitinib (38-54% and ziv-aflibercept (46%. Importantly, combination treatments with REGN1035 plus VEGF inhibitors resulted in enhanced anti-tumor effects (72-80% growth inhibition, including some tumor regression. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a marked decrease in tumor perfusion in all treatment groups. Interestingly, anti-tumor efficacy of the combination of REGN1035 and ziv-aflibercept was also observed in a sunitinib resistant ccRCC model.Overall, these findings demonstrate the potent anti-tumor activity of Dll4 blockade in RCC patient-derived tumors and a combination benefit for the simultaneous targeting of the Dll4 and VEGF signaling pathways, highlighting the therapeutic potential of this treatment modality in RCC.

Enhanced replication of attenuated HSV-1 in irradiated human glioma xenografts

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Advani, Sunil J.; Kataoka, Yasushi; Sibley, Greg S.; Song, Paul Y.; Hallahan, Dennis E.; Roizman, Bernard; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Previously we had shown that combining ionizing radiation (IR) with attenuated replication competent HSV-1 (R3616) significantly increased glioma xenograft eradication compared to IR or virus alone. One hypothesis is that IR induces cell factors that contribute to augment viral replication thereby increasing the efficacy of attenuated HSV-1. The purpose of this study was to examine if IR altered viral replication of attenuated HSV-1 in glioma xenografts Material and Methods: Human U-87MG glioma cells were grown in the hindlimb of athymic mice and grown to >200 mm 3 . Tumors were infected with 2x10 7 plaque forming units (pfu) of R3616 ( γ1 34.5 - ) or R7020 (multimutated, γ1 34.5 + ) on day 0 and irradiated with 20 Gy on day 1 and 25 Gy on day 2. Tumors were harvested 3, 5, 7, and 14 days after viral injection. Tumors were homogenized and sonnicated. Serial dilutions of tumor extract were overlaid on Vero cells to determine the number of pfu. In addition, in-situ hybridization to HSV-1 DNA was performed on tumors harvested at day 7. Results: In-situ hybridization revealed larger numbers of glial cells infected with HSV along with a greater distribution in the irradiated tumors compared to non-irradiated tumors. We next quantified viral particles in infected tumors +/- IR: Conclusion: Herein we demonstrate radiation enhanced viral replication as one of the interactive effects of combining IR and attenuated HSV in treating glioma xenografts and a potential therapeutic motif in the treatment of gliomas. To reduce normal tissue toxicity of HSV in glioma therapy, viruses must be attenuated. However, attenuating the virus compromises its replication and thus its potential efficacy. Our results indicate that IR augments the amount of virus recovered from human glioma xenografts for up to 3 days post IR. The results do not appear to be related to a specific mutation in the herpes genome but rather to herpes viruses in general. Yields of R7020 were greater than R

Reversal of multidrug resistance in xenograft nude-mice by magnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles combined with daunorubicin and 5-bromotetrandrine.

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Wu, Ya-Nan; Chen, Bao-An; Cheng, Jian; Gao, Feng; Xu, Wen-Lin; Ding, Jia-Hua; Gao, Chong; Sun, Xin-Chen; Li, Guo-Hong; Chen, Wen-Ji; Liu, Li-Jie; Li, Xiao-Mao; Wang, Xue-Mei

2009-02-01

This study was aimed to investigate the reversal effect of 5-bromotetrandrine (5-BrTet) and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) (Fe(3)O(4)-MNPs) combined with DNR in vivo. The xenograft leukemia model with stable multiple drug resistance in nude mice was established. The two sub-clones of K562 and K562/A02 cells were respectively inoculated subcutaneously into back of athymic nude mice (1 x 10(7) cells/each) to establish the leukemia xenograft models. Drug resistant and the sensitive tumor-bearing nude mice were both assigned randomly into 5 groups: group A was treated with NS; group B was treated with DNR; group C was treated with nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR; group D was treated with 5-BrTet combined with DNR; group E was treated with 5-bromotetrandrine and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR. The incidence of tumor formation, growth characteristics, weight and volume of tumor were observed. The histopathologic examination of tumors and organs were carried out. The protein levels of BCL-2, BAX, and Caspase-3 in resistant tumors were detected by Western blot. The results indicated that 5-BrTet and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR significantly suppressed growth of K562/A02 cell xenograft tumor, histopathologic examination of tumors showed the tumors necrosis obviously. Application of 5-BrTet and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) inhibited the expression of BCL-2 protein and up-regulated the expression of BAX, and Caspase-3 protein in K562/A02 cell xenograft tumor. It is concluded that 5-bromotetrandrine and magnetic nanoparticle of Fe(3)O(4) combined with DNR have significant tumor-suppressing effect on MDR leukemia cell xenograft model.

Probing early tumor response to radiation therapy using hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate in MDA-MB-231 xenografts.

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Albert P Chen

Full Text Available Following radiation therapy (RT, tumor morphology may remain unchanged for days and sometimes weeks, rendering anatomical imaging methods inadequate for early detection of therapeutic response. Changes in the hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]lactate signals observed in vivo following injection of pre-polarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate has recently been shown to be a marker for tumor progression or early treatment response. In this study, the feasibility of using ¹³C metabolic imaging with [1-¹³C]pyruvate to detect early radiation treatment response in a breast cancer xenograft model was demonstrated in vivo and in vitro. Significant decreases in hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]lactate relative to [1-¹³C]pyruvate were observed in MDA-MB-231 tumors 96 hrs following a single dose of ionizing radiation. Histopathologic data from the treated tumors showed higher cellular apoptosis and senescence; and changes in the expression of membrane monocarboxylate transporters and lactate dehydrogenase B were also observed. Hyperpolarized ¹³C metabolic imaging may be a promising new tool to develop novel and adaptive therapeutic regimens for patients undergoing RT.

CT differentiation of solid ovarian tumor and uterine subserosal leiomyoma

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Kim, Kyung Rae; Cho, Kyoung Sik [Asan Medical Center, Ulsan Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Sohn, Chul Ho [Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung Univ. College of Medicine, Taegu (Korea, Republic of); Ji, Eun Kyung [Bombit Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-06-01

On the basis of CT findings, to differentiate between solid ovarian tumor and uterine subserosal myoma. In eight surgically proven cases of solid ovarian tumor and in ten uterine subserosal myoma patients, contrast-enhanced CT images were obtained. Two genitourinary radiologists reviewed the findings with regard to degree of enhancement of the mass as compared with enhancement of uterine myometrium, thickening of round ligaments, visualization of normal ovaries, contour of the mass, and the presence of ascites in the pelvic cavity. Six of eight ovarian tumors but only two of ten uterine myomas were less enhanced than normal uterine myometrium (p<0.05). Pelvic ascites were seen in six of eight ovarian tumors, but in only one of ten uterine myomas (P<0.05). Three of 16 ovaries in ovarian tumor patients, but 12 of 20 ovaries in uterine myoma patients, were normal (p<0.05). Six of 16 round ligaments of the uterus in ovarian tumor patients, were thichened but 11 of 20 round ligaments in uterine myoma patients, were thickened (p>0.05). The contour of the mass was lobulated in two of eight ovarian tumor patients, but in five of ten uterine myoma patients (p>0.05). CT findings suggestive of solid ovarian tumor were less contrast enhancement of the mass than of normal uterine myometrium, pelvic ascites, and nonvisualization of normal ovary.

64Cu-NODAGA-c(RGDyK) Is a Promising New Angiogenesis PET Tracer: Correlation between Tumor Uptake and Integrin αvβ3 Expression in Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Xenografts

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Oxbøl, Jytte; Schjøth-Eskesen, Christina; El Ali, Henrik H.

2012-01-01

727) were administered (64)Cu-NODAGA-c(RGDyK) i.v. for study of biodistribution as well as for dynamic PET. Gene expression of angiogenesis markers integrin α(V), integrin β(3), and VEGF-A were analyzed using QPCR and correlated to the tracer uptake in the tumors (%ID/g). From biodistribution data......Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a new PET tracer (64)Cu-NODAGA-c(RGDyK) for imaging of tumor angiogenesis using gene expression of angiogenesis markers as reference and to estimate radiation dosimetry for humans. Procedures. Nude mice with human neuroendocrine tumor xenografts (H...... was estimated to be 0.038 and 0.029 mSv/MBq for females and males, respectively, with highest absorbed dose in bladder wall. Conclusion. (64)Cu-NODAGA-c(RGDyK) is a promising new angiogenesis PET tracer with potential for human use....

NCX-4040, a nitric oxide-releasing aspirin, sensitizes drug-resistant human ovarian xenograft tumors to cisplatin by depletion of cellular thiols

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Ignarro Louis J

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of mortality among gynecological cancers in the world. The high mortality rate is associated with lack of early diagnosis and development of drug resistance. The antitumor efficacy and mechanism of NCX-4040, a nitric oxide-releasing aspirin derivative, against ovarian cancer is studied. Methods NCX-4040, alone or in combination with cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, cDDP, was studied in cisplatin-sensitive (A2780 WT and cisplatin-resistant (A2780 cDDP cell lines as well as xenograft tumors grown in nude mice. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR was used for measurements of nitric oxide and redox state. Immunoblotting analysis of A2780 cDDP tumor xenografts from mice was used for mechanistic studies. Results Cells treated with NCX-4040 (25 μM showed a significant reduction of cell viability (A2780 WT, 34.9 ± 8.7%; A2780 cDDP, 41.7 ± 7.6%; p versus NCX-4040+cisplatin, 26.4 ± 7.6%; p versus NCX-4040+cisplatin, 56.4 ± 7.8%; p Conclusion The results suggested that NCX-4040 could resensitize drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin possibly by depletion of cellular thiols. Thus NCX-4040 appears to be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of human ovarian carcinoma and cisplatin-resistant malignancies.

Irradiation-Dependent Effects on Tumor Perfusion and Endogenous and Exogenous Hypoxia Markers in an A549 Xenograft Model

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Fokas, Emmanouil; Haenze, Joerg; Kamlah, Florentine; Eul, Bastian G.; Lang, Nico; Keil, Boris; Heverhagen, Johannes T.; Engenhart-Cabillic, Rita; An Hanxiang; Rose, Frank

2010-01-01

Purpose: Hypoxia is a major determinant of tumor radiosensitivity, and microenvironmental changes in response to ionizing radiation (IR) are often heterogenous. We analyzed IR-dependent changes in hypoxia and perfusion in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts. Materials and Methods: Immunohistological analysis of two exogenously added chemical hypoxic markers, pimonidazole and CCI-103F, and of the endogenous marker Glut-1 was performed time dependently after IR. Tumor vessels and apoptosis were analyzed using CD31 and caspase-3 antibodies. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and fluorescent beads (Hoechst 33342) were used to monitor vascular perfusion. Results: CCI-103F signals measuring the fraction of hypoxic areas after IR were significantly decreased by approximately 50% when compared with pimonidazole signals, representing the fraction of hypoxic areas from the same tumors before IR. Interestingly, Glut-1 signals were significantly decreased at early time point (6.5 h) after IR returning to the initial levels at 30.5 h. Vascular density showed no difference between irradiated and control groups, whereas apoptosis was significantly induced at 10.5 h post-IR. DCE-MRI indicated increased perfusion 1 h post-IR. Conclusions: The discrepancy between the hypoxic fractions of CCI-103F and Glut-1 forces us to consider the possibility that both markers reflect different metabolic alterations of tumor microenvironment. The reliability of endogenous markers such as Glut-1 to measure reoxygenation in irradiated tumors needs further consideration. Monitoring tumor microvascular response to IR by DCE-MRI and measuring tumor volume alterations should be encouraged.

Recurrence of Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor: A Rare Pancreatic Tumor

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Chandra Punch

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP is a rare disease of young females that does not usually recur after resection. Here we report a case of an elderly female with history of SPTP ten years ago who presented with anorexia and a palpable left lower quadrant abdominal mass. Imaging revealed metastatic disease and US-guided biopsy of the liver confirmed the diagnosis of SPTP. Due to her advanced age and comorbidities, she elected to undergo hospice care. The objective of this case report is to increase awareness of this tumor and its possibility of recurrence, necessitating further guidelines for follow-up.

Emblica officinalis extract induces autophagy and inhibits human ovarian cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, growth of mouse xenograft tumors.

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Alok De

Full Text Available Patients with ovarian cancer (OC may be treated with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, although none of these strategies are very effective. Several plant-based natural products/dietary supplements, including extracts from Emblicaofficinalis (Amla, have demonstrated potent anti-neoplastic properties. In this study we determined that Amla extract (AE has anti-proliferative effects on OC cells under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. We also determined the anti-proliferative effects one of the components of AE, quercetin, on OC cells under in vitro conditions. AE did not induce apoptotic cell death, but did significantly increase the expression of the autophagic proteins beclin1 and LC3B-II under in vitro conditions. Quercetin also increased the expression of the autophagic proteins beclin1 and LC3B-II under in vitro conditions. AE also significantly reduced the expression of several angiogenic genes, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α in OVCAR3 cells. AE acted synergistically with cisplatin to reduce cell proliferation and increase expression of the autophagic proteins beclin1 and LC3B-II under in vitro conditions. AE also had anti-proliferative effects and induced the expression of the autophagic proteins beclin1 and LC3B-II in mouse xenograft tumors. Additionally, AE reduced endothelial cell antigen - CD31 positive blood vessels and HIF-1α expression in mouse xenograft tumors. Together, these studies indicate that AE inhibits OC cell growth both in vitro and in vivo possibly via inhibition of angiogenesis and activation of autophagy in OC. Thus AE may prove useful as an alternative or adjunct therapeutic approach in helping to fight OC.

Targeted tumor theranostics using folate-conjugated and camptothecin-loaded acoustic nanodroplets in a mouse xenograft model.

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Chen, Wei-Tsung; Kang, Shih-Tsung; Lin, Jian-Liang; Wang, Chung-Hsin; Chen, Ran-Chou; Yeh, Chih-Kuang

2015-01-01

In this study, we aimed to validate the feasibility of receptor-targeted tumor theranostics with folate-conjugated (FA) and camptothecin-loaded (CPT) acoustic nanodroplets (NDs) (collectively termed FA-CPT-NDs). The ND formulation was based on lipid-stabilized low-boiling perfluorocarbon that can undergo acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) under ultrasound (US) exposure. Conjugation of folate enhanced the selective delivery to tumors expressing high levels of folate receptor (FR) under mediation by the enhanced permeability and retention effect. In vitro and in vivo studies were performed using FR-positive KB and FR-negative HT-1080 cell lines and mouse xenograft tumor models. Simultaneous therapy and imaging were conducted with a clinical US imaging system at mechanical indices of up to 1.4 at a center frequency of 10 MHz. The results demonstrated that FA-CPT-NDs selectively attached to KB cells, but not HT-1080 cells. The targeted ADV caused instant and delayed damage via mechanical disruption and chemical toxicity to decrease the viability of KB cells by up to 45%, a much higher decrease than that achieved by the NDs without folate conjugation. The in vivo experiments showed that FR-mediated targeting successfully enhanced the EPR of FA-CPT-NDs in KB tumors mainly on the tumor periphery as indicated by immunofluorescence microscopy and US B-mode imaging. Treatments with FA-CPT-NDs at a CPT dose of 50 μg/kg inhibited the growth of KB tumors for up to six weeks, whereas treatment with NDs lacking folate produced a 4.6-fold increase in tumor volume. For HT-1080 tumors, neither the treatments with FA-CPT-NDs nor those with the NDs lacking folate presented tumor growth inhibition. In summary, FR-targeted tumor theranostics has been successfully implemented with FA-CPT-NDs and a clinical US unit. The ligand-directed and EPR-mediated accumulation provides active and passive targeting capabilities, permitting the antitumor effects of FA-CPT-NDs to be exerted

131I-Recombinant human EGF has anti-tumor effects against MCF-7 human breast cancer xenografts with low levels of EGFR

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Li Yunchun; Tan Tianzhi; Xu Weiyun; He Sheng

2004-01-01

Purpose: This study investigated the inhibitory action of 131 I-recombinant human EGF ( 131 I-rhEGF) on MCF-7 human breast cancer tumor development in nude mice. Methods: The activity and tumor uptake of 131 I-rhEGF was measured by tissue distribution assay, and its effect on tumor growth was measured by monitoring tumor size after treatment with 131 I-rhEGF, Changes in tumor cell ultrastructure were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and pathological changes in tumor tissue were observed by light microscopy. Results: The tissue distribution assay revealed that 131 I-rhEGF was markedly absorbed by the tumor and reached its maximal uptake rate (16.73% ID·g-l) at 120 h, at which point the drug concentration in the tumor was 11.1-fold, 8.1-fold, 6.6-fold higher than that in blood, liver, kidneys, respectively. The tumor size measurements showed that tumor development was significantly inhibited by intravenously and intratumorally injected 131 I-rhEGF. The extent of tumor inhibition rates (82.0% and 80.7%, respectively) were significantly higher than those of tumors treated with 131 I (7.49%) and 131 I-HSA (6.91%; P 131 I-rhEGF could significantly damage and ultimately kill tumor cells. Conclusions: Our results suggest that 131 I-rhEGF suppresses development of xenografted breast cancer cells in nude mice, providing a novel candidate for receptor-mediated targeted radiotherapy. Key words. Iodine-131 rhEGF Breast cancer Therapy. (authors)

Patient-Derived Xenografts of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer: Resurgence of an Old Model for Investigation of Modern Concepts of Tailored Therapy and Cancer Stem Cells

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Massimo Moro

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Current chemotherapy regimens have unsatisfactory results in most advanced solid tumors. It is therefore imperative to devise novel therapeutic strategies and to optimize selection of patients, identifying early those who could benefit from available treatments. Mouse models are the most valuable tool for preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies in cancer and, among them, patient-derived xenografts models (PDX have made a recent comeback in popularity. These models, obtained by direct implants of tissue fragments in immunocompromised mice, have great potential in drug development studies because they faithfully reproduce the patient’s original tumor for both immunohistochemical markers and genetic alterations as well as in terms of response to common therapeutics They also maintain the original tumor heterogeneity, allowing studies of specific cellular subpopulations, including their modulation after drug treatment. Moreover PDXs maintain at least some aspects of the human microenvironment for weeks with the complete substitution with murine stroma occurring only after 2-3 passages in mouse and represent therefore a promising model for studies of tumor-microenvironment interaction. This review summarizes our present knowledge on mouse preclinical cancer models, with a particular attention on patient-derived xenografts of non small cell lung cancer and their relevance for preclinical and biological studies.

Bacteria-mediated in vivo delivery of quantum dots into solid tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Ying; Zhou, Mei; Luo, Dan; Wang, Lijun; Hong, Yuankai; Yang, Yepeng; Sha, Yinlin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► New approach using the probiotic Bifidobacterium bifidum as a vehicle to deliver QDs into the deep tissue of solid tumors in vivo was achieved. ► Bifidobacterium bifidum delivery system has intrinsic biocompatibility. ► The targeting efficacy was improved by folic acids. -- Abstract: Semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots (QDs), promise potential application in bioimaging and diagnosis in vitro and in vivo owing to their high-quality photoluminescence and excellent photostability as well as size-tunable spectra. Here, we describe a biocompatible, comparatively safe bacteria-based system that can deliver QDs specifically into solid tumor of living animals. In our strategy, anaerobic bacterium Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) that colonizes selectively in hypoxic regions of animal body was successfully used as a vehicle to load with QDs and transported into the deep tissue of solid tumors. The internalization of lipid-encapsuled QDs into B. bifidum was conveniently carried by electroporation. To improve the efficacy and specificity of tumor targeting, the QDs-carrying bacterium surface was further conjugated with folic acids (FAs) that can bind to the folic acid receptor overexpressed tumor cells. This new approach opens a pathway for delivering different types of functional cargos such as nanoparticles and drugs into solid tumor of live animals for imaging, diagnosis and therapy.

Development of a novel preclinical pancreatic cancer research model: bioluminescence image-guided focal irradiation and tumor monitoring of orthotopic xenografts.

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Tuli, Richard; Surmak, Andrew; Reyes, Juvenal; Hacker-Prietz, Amy; Armour, Michael; Leubner, Ashley; Blackford, Amanda; Tryggestad, Erik; Jaffee, Elizabeth M; Wong, John; Deweese, Theodore L; Herman, Joseph M

2012-04-01

We report on a novel preclinical pancreatic cancer research model that uses bioluminescence imaging (BLI)-guided irradiation of orthotopic xenograft tumors, sparing of surrounding normal tissues, and quantitative, noninvasive longitudinal assessment of treatment response. Luciferase-expressing MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic carcinoma cells were orthotopically injected in nude mice. BLI was compared to pathologic tumor volume, and photon emission was assessed over time. BLI was correlated to positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to estimate tumor dimensions. BLI and cone-beam CT (CBCT) were used to compare tumor centroid location and estimate setup error. BLI and CBCT fusion was performed to guide irradiation of tumors using the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP). DNA damage was assessed by γ-H2Ax staining. BLI was used to longitudinally monitor treatment response. Bioluminescence predicted tumor volume (R = 0.8984) and increased linearly as a function of time up to a 10-fold increase in tumor burden. BLI correlated with PET/CT and necropsy specimen in size (P < .05). Two-dimensional BLI centroid accuracy was 3.5 mm relative to CBCT. BLI-guided irradiated pancreatic tumors stained positively for γ-H2Ax, whereas surrounding normal tissues were spared. Longitudinal assessment of irradiated tumors with BLI revealed significant tumor growth delay of 20 days relative to controls. We have successfully applied the SARRP to a bioluminescent, orthotopic preclinical pancreas cancer model to noninvasively: 1) allow the identification of tumor burden before therapy, 2) facilitate image-guided focal radiation therapy, and 3) allow normalization of tumor burden and longitudinal assessment of treatment response.

Transcriptional profiling provides insights into metronomic cyclophosphamide-activated, innate immune-dependent regression of brain tumor xenografts

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Doloff, Joshua C; Waxman, David J

2015-01-01

Cyclophosphamide treatment on a six-day repeating metronomic schedule induces a dramatic, innate immune cell-dependent regression of implanted gliomas. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms whereby metronomic cyclophosphamide induces innate immune cell mobilization and recruitment, or about the role of DNA damage and cell stress response pathways in eliciting the immune responses linked to tumor regression. Untreated and metronomic cyclophosphamide-treated human U251 glioblastoma xenografts were analyzed on human microarrays at two treatment time points to identify responsive tumor cell-specific factors and their upstream regulators. Mouse microarray analysis across two glioma models (human U251, rat 9L) was used to identify host factors and gene networks that contribute to the observed immune and tumor regression responses. Metronomic cyclophosphamide increased expression of tumor cell-derived DNA damage, cell stress, and cell death genes, which may facilitate innate immune activation. Increased expression of many host (mouse) immune networks was also seen in both tumor models, including complement components, toll-like receptors, interferons, and cytolysis pathways. Key upstream regulators activated by metronomic cyclophosphamide include members of the interferon, toll-like receptor, inflammatory response, and PPAR signaling pathways, whose activation may contribute to anti-tumor immunity. Many upstream regulators inhibited by metronomic cyclophosphamide, including hypoxia-inducible factors and MAP kinases, have glioma-promoting activity; their inhibition may contribute to the therapeutic effectiveness of the six-day repeating metronomic cyclophosphamide schedule. Large numbers of responsive cytokines, chemokines and immune regulatory genes linked to innate immune cell recruitment and tumor regression were identified, as were several immunosuppressive factors that may contribute to the observed escape of some tumors from metronomic CPA

Effects of curcumin on growth of human cervical cancer xenograft in nude mice and underlying mechanism

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Aixue LIU

Full Text Available Abstract The present study investigated the effects of curcumin (Cur on growth of human cervical cancer xenograft in nude mice and underlying mechanism. The nude mice modeled with human cervical cancer HeLa cell xenograft were treated with normal saline (control, 3 mg/kg Cisplatin, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg Cur, respectively. The animal body weight and growth of tumor were measured. The expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, p53, p21, HIF-1α, VEGF and MIF protein in tumor tissue were determined. Results showed that, after treatment for 20 days, the tumor mass and tumor volume in 100 and 200 mg/kg Cur group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.05. The expressions of Bax, p53 and p21 protein in tumor tissue in 200 mg/kg Cur group were significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05, and the expressions of Bcl-2, HIF-1α, VEGF and MIF protein in tumor tissue in 200 mg/kg Cur group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.05. Cur can inhibit the growth of HeLa cell xenograft in nude mice. The possible mechanism may be related to its up-regulation of Bax, p53 and p21 protein expression in tumor tissue, and down-regulation of Bcl-2, HIF-1α, VEGF and MIF protein expression.

Halofuginone suppresses growth of human uterine leiomyoma cells in a mouse xenograft model.

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Koohestani, Faezeh; Qiang, Wenan; MacNeill, Amy L; Druschitz, Stacy A; Serna, Vanida A; Adur, Malavika; Kurita, Takeshi; Nowak, Romana A

2016-07-01

Does halofuginone (HF) inhibit the growth of human uterine leiomyoma cells in a mouse xenograft model? HF suppresses the growth of human uterine leiomyoma cells in a mouse xenograft model through inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract. HF can suppress the growth of human uterine leiomyoma cells in vitro. The mouse xenograft model reflects the characteristics of human leiomyomas. Primary leiomyoma smooth muscle cells from eight patients were xenografted under the renal capsule of adult, ovariectomized NOD-scid IL2Rγ(null) mice (NSG). Mice were treated with two different doses of HF or vehicle for 4 weeks with six to eight mice per group. Mouse body weight measurements and immunohistochemical analysis of body organs were carried out to assess the safety of HF treatment. Xenografted tumors were measured and analyzed for cellular and molecular changes induced by HF. Ovarian steroid hormone receptors were evaluated for possible modulation by HF. Treatment of mice carrying human UL xenografts with HF at 0.25 or 0.50 mg/kg body weight for 4 weeks resulted in a 35-40% (P leiomyoma cells in an in vivo model, HF was administered to mice whose tolerance and metabolism of the drug may differ from that in humans. Also, the longer term effects of HF treatment are yet unclear. The results of this study showing the effectiveness of HF in reducing UL tumor growth by interfering with the main cellular processes regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis are in agreement with previous studies on the effects of HF on other fibrotic diseases. HF can be considered as a candidate for reducing the size of leiomyomas, particularly prior to surgery. This project was funded by NIH PO1HD057877 and R01 HD064402. Authors report no competing interests. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights

A novel, diffusely infiltrative xenograft model of human anaplastic oligodendroglioma with mutations in FUBP1, CIC, and IDH1.

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Barbara Klink

Full Text Available Oligodendroglioma poses a biological conundrum for malignant adult human gliomas: it is a tumor type that is universally incurable for patients, and yet, only a few of the human tumors have been established as cell populations in vitro or as intracranial xenografts in vivo. Their survival, thus, may emerge only within a specific environmental context. To determine the fate of human oligodendroglioma in an experimental model, we studied the development of an anaplastic tumor after intracranial implantation into enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP positive NOD/SCID mice. Remarkably after nearly nine months, the tumor not only engrafted, but it also retained classic histological and genetic features of human oligodendroglioma, in particular cells with a clear cytoplasm, showing an infiltrative growth pattern, and harboring mutations of IDH1 (R132H and of the tumor suppressor genes, FUBP1 and CIC. The xenografts were highly invasive, exhibiting a distinct migration and growth pattern around neurons, especially in the hippocampus, and following white matter tracts of the corpus callosum with tumor cells accumulating around established vasculature. Although tumors exhibited a high growth fraction in vivo, neither cells from the original patient tumor nor the xenograft exhibited significant growth in vitro over a six-month period. This glioma xenograft is the first to display a pure oligodendroglioma histology and expression of R132H. The unexpected property, that the cells fail to grow in vitro even after passage through the mouse, allows us to uniquely investigate the relationship of this oligodendroglioma with the in vivo microenvironment.

Endostar, a recombined humanized endostatin, enhances the radioresponse for human nasopharyngeal carcinoma and human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Qinglian; Meng Maobin; Tu Lingli; Jia Li; Zhou Lin; Xu Yong; Lu You; Yang Bo

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to determine the efficacy of combining radiation therapy with endostar, a recombined humanized endostatin, in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma and human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts. Tumor xenografts were established in the hind limb of male athymic nude mice (BALB/c-nu) by subcutaneous transplantation. The tumor-bearing mice were assigned into four treatment groups: sham therapy (control), endostar (20 mg/kg, once daily for 10 days), radiation therapy (6 Gray per day to 30 Gray, once a day for 1 week), and endostar plus radiation therapy (combination). The experiment was repeated and mice were killed at days 3, 6, and 10 after initiation therapy, and the tumor tissues and blood samples were collected to analyze the kinetics of antitumor, antiangiogenesis, and antivascularization responses of different therapies. In human nasopharyngeal carcinoma and human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts, endostar significantly enhanced the effects of tumor growth inhibition, endothelial cell and tumor cell apoptosis induction, and improved tumor cell hypoxia of radiation therapy. Histological analyses demonstrated that endostar plus radiation also induced a significant reduction in microvascular density, microvascular area, and vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression compared with radiation and endostar alone respectively. We concluded that endostar significantly sensitized the function of radiation in antitumor and antiangiogenesis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma and human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts by increasing the apoptosis of the endothelial cell and tumor cell, improving the hypoxia of the tumor cell, and changing the proangiogenic factors. These data provided a rational basis for clinical practice of this multimodality therapy. (author)

Albumin-bound paclitaxel in solid tumors: clinical development and future directions.

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Kundranda, Madappa N; Niu, Jiaxin

2015-01-01

Albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) is a solvent-free formulation of paclitaxel that was initially developed more than a decade ago to overcome toxicities associated with the solvents used in the formulation of standard paclitaxel and to potentially improve efficacy. Nab-paclitaxel has demonstrated an advantage over solvent-based paclitaxel by being able to deliver a higher dose of paclitaxel to tumors and decrease the incidence of serious toxicities, including severe allergic reactions. To date, nab-paclitaxel has been indicated for the treatment of three solid tumors in the USA. It was first approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in 2005, followed by locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer in 2012, and most recently for metastatic pancreatic cancer in 2013. Nab-paclitaxel is also under investigation for the treatment of a number of other solid tumors. This review highlights key clinical efficacy and safety outcomes of nab-paclitaxel in the solid tumors for which it is currently indicated, discusses ongoing trials that may provide new data for the expansion of nab-paclitaxel's indications into other solid tumors, and provides a clinical perspective on the use of nab-paclitaxel in practice.

Solid and cystic pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas: A case report

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Milošević Bojan Z.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Solid and cystic pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor of the pancreas, for the first time described by Frantz et al. in 1959. The majority of patients are young females and most of them are asymptomatic. Case Outline. We report a case of 25-year old woman who was admitted to our institution with abdominal pain and a palpable mass in the left hypochondrial area. US and CT scan revealed a solid and cystic pseudopapillary tumor in the head of the pancreas. The patient was treated by Whipple procedure, modification Longmire-Traverso. There was no metastatic disease either in the liver or peritoneum. Histologically the tumor was diagnosed as a solid and cystic pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas. Conclusion. The unclear pre-operative diagnoses, together with incidence of potential malignancy as well as good outcome with resection, suggest that all suspected cystic tumors of the pancreas should be resected. The exact diagnosis is based on histological findings. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III41007 i br. III41010

Novel LIMK2 Inhibitor Blocks Panc-1 Tumor Growth in a mouse xenograft model.

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Rak, Roni; Haklai, Roni; Elad-Tzfadia, Galit; Wolfson, Haim J; Carmeli, Shmuel; Kloog, Yoel

2014-01-01

LIM kinases (LIMKs) are important cell cytoskeleton regulators that play a prominent role in cancer manifestation and neuronal diseases. The LIMK family consists of two homologues, LIMK1 and LIMK2, which differ from one another in expression profile, intercellular localization, and function. The main substrate of LIMK is cofilin, a member of the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) protein family. When phosphorylated by LIMK, cofilin is inactive. LIMKs play a contributory role in several neurodevelopmental disorders and in cancer growth and metastasis. We recently reported the development and validation of a novel LIMK inhibitor, referred to here as T56-LIMKi, using a combination of computational methods and classical biochemistry techniques. Here we report that T56-LIMKi inhibits LIMK2 with high specificity, and shows little or no cross-reactivity with LIMK1. We found that T56-LIMKi decreases phosphorylated cofilin (p-cofilin) levels and thus inhibits growth of several cancerous cell lines, including those of pancreatic cancer, glioma and schwannoma. Because the most promising in-vitro effect of T56-LIMKi was observed in the pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1, we tested the inhibitor on a nude mouse Panc-1 xenograft model. T56-LIMKi reduced tumor size and p-cofilin levels in the Panc-1 tumors, leading us to propose T56-LIMKi as a candidate drug for cancer therapy.

Xenograft transplantation of human malignant astrocytoma cells into immunodeficient rats: an experimental model of glioblastoma.

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Miura, Flávio Key; Alves, Maria Jose Ferreira; Rocha, Mussya Cisotto; da Silva, Roseli; Oba-Shinjo, Sueli Mieko; Marie, Suely Kazue Nagahashi

2010-03-01

Astrocytic gliomas are the most common intracranial central nervous system neoplasias, accounting for about 60% of all primary central nervous system tumors. Despite advances in the treatment of gliomas, no effective therapeutic approach is yet available; hence, the search for a more realistic model to generate more effective therapies is essential. To develop an experimental malignant astrocytoma model with the characteristics of the human tumor. Primary cells from subcutaneous xenograft tumors produced with malignant astrocytoma U87MG cells were inoculated intracerebrally by stereotaxis into immunosuppressed (athymic) Rowett rats. All four injected animals developed non-infiltrative tumors, although other glioblastoma characteristics, such as necrosis, pseudopalisading cells and intense mitotic activity, were observed. A malignant astrocytoma intracerebral xenograft model with poorly invasive behavior was achieved in athymic Rowett rats. Tumor invasiveness in an experimental animal model may depend on a combination of several factors, including the cell line used to induce tumor formation, the rat strains and the status of the animal's immune system.

CAR-T cells: the long and winding road to solid tumors.

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D'Aloia, Maria Michela; Zizzari, Ilaria Grazia; Sacchetti, Benedetto; Pierelli, Luca; Alimandi, Maurizio

2018-02-15

Adoptive cell therapy of solid tumors with reprogrammed T cells can be considered the "next generation" of cancer hallmarks. CAR-T cells fail to be as effective as in liquid tumors for the inability to reach and survive in the microenvironment surrounding the neoplastic foci. The intricate net of cross-interactions occurring between tumor components, stromal and immune cells leads to an ineffective anergic status favoring the evasion from the host's defenses. Our goal is hereby to trace the road imposed by solid tumors to CAR-T cells, highlighting pitfalls and strategies to be developed and refined to possibly overcome these hurdles.

Physiologic upper limit of pore size in the blood-tumor barrier of malignant solid tumors

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Griffiths Gary L

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The existence of large pores in the blood-tumor barrier (BTB of malignant solid tumor microvasculature makes the blood-tumor barrier more permeable to macromolecules than the endothelial barrier of most normal tissue microvasculature. The BTB of malignant solid tumors growing outside the brain, in peripheral tissues, is more permeable than that of similar tumors growing inside the brain. This has been previously attributed to the larger anatomic sizes of the pores within the BTB of peripheral tumors. Since in the physiological state in vivo a fibrous glycocalyx layer coats the pores of the BTB, it is possible that the effective physiologic pore size in the BTB of brain tumors and peripheral tumors is similar. If this were the case, then the higher permeability of the BTB of peripheral tumor would be attributable to the presence of a greater number of pores in the BTB of peripheral tumors. In this study, we probed in vivo the upper limit of pore size in the BTB of rodent malignant gliomas grown inside the brain, the orthotopic site, as well as outside the brain in temporalis skeletal muscle, the ectopic site. Methods Generation 5 (G5 through generation 8 (G8 polyamidoamine dendrimers were labeled with gadolinium (Gd-diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid, an anionic MRI contrast agent. The respective Gd-dendrimer generations were visualized in vitro by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Following intravenous infusion of the respective Gd-dendrimer generations (Gd-G5, N = 6; Gd-G6, N = 6; Gd-G7, N = 5; Gd-G8, N = 5 the blood and tumor tissue pharmacokinetics of the Gd-dendrimer generations were visualized in vivo over 600 to 700 minutes by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. One additional animal was imaged in each Gd-dendrimer generation group for 175 minutes under continuous anesthesia for the creation of voxel-by-voxel Gd concentration maps. Results The estimated diameters of Gd-G7 dendrimers were 11 ± 1 nm and those of Gd-G8

Global Conservation of Protein Status between Cell Lines and Xenografts

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Julian Biau

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Common preclinical models for testing anticancer treatment include cultured human tumor cell lines in monolayer, and xenografts derived from these cell lines in immunodeficient mice. Our goal was to determine how similar the xenografts are compared with their original cell line and to determine whether it is possible to predict the stability of a xenograft model beforehand. We studied a selection of 89 protein markers of interest in 14 human cell cultures and respective subcutaneous xenografts using the reverse-phase protein array technology. We specifically focused on proteins and posttranslational modifications involved in DNA repair, PI3K pathway, apoptosis, tyrosine kinase signaling, stress, cell cycle, MAPK/ERK signaling, SAPK/JNK signaling, NFκB signaling, and adhesion/cytoskeleton. Using hierarchical clustering, most cell culture-xenograft pairs cluster together, suggesting a global conservation of protein signature. Particularly, Akt, NFkB, EGFR, and Vimentin showed very stable protein expression and phosphorylation levels highlighting that 4 of 10 pathways were highly correlated whatever the model. Other proteins were heterogeneously conserved depending on the cell line. Finally, cell line models with low Akt pathway activation and low levels of Vimentin gave rise to more reliable xenograft models. These results may be useful for the extrapolation of cell culture experiments to in vivo models in novel targeted drug discovery.

Bacteria-mediated in vivo delivery of quantum dots into solid tumor

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Liu, Ying [Single-molecule and Nanobiology Lab., Dept. of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China); Zhou, Mei [Dept. of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China); Luo, Dan; Wang, Lijun; Hong, Yuankai [Single-molecule and Nanobiology Lab., Dept. of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China); Yang, Yepeng, E-mail: yangyepeng@bjmu.edu.cn [Dept. of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China); Sha, Yinlin, E-mail: shyl@hsc.pku.edu.cn [Single-molecule and Nanobiology Lab., Dept. of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China); Biomed-X Center, Peking University, Peking University, No. 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing 100091 (China)

2012-09-07

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New approach using the probiotic Bifidobacterium bifidum as a vehicle to deliver QDs into the deep tissue of solid tumors in vivo was achieved. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bifidobacterium bifidum delivery system has intrinsic biocompatibility. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The targeting efficacy was improved by folic acids. -- Abstract: Semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots (QDs), promise potential application in bioimaging and diagnosis in vitro and in vivo owing to their high-quality photoluminescence and excellent photostability as well as size-tunable spectra. Here, we describe a biocompatible, comparatively safe bacteria-based system that can deliver QDs specifically into solid tumor of living animals. In our strategy, anaerobic bacterium Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) that colonizes selectively in hypoxic regions of animal body was successfully used as a vehicle to load with QDs and transported into the deep tissue of solid tumors. The internalization of lipid-encapsuled QDs into B. bifidum was conveniently carried by electroporation. To improve the efficacy and specificity of tumor targeting, the QDs-carrying bacterium surface was further conjugated with folic acids (FAs) that can bind to the folic acid receptor overexpressed tumor cells. This new approach opens a pathway for delivering different types of functional cargos such as nanoparticles and drugs into solid tumor of live animals for imaging, diagnosis and therapy.

Obtaining S values for rectangular--solid tumors inside rectangular--solid host organs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stinchcomb, T.G.; Durham, J.S.; Fisher, D.R.

1991-01-01

A method is described for obtaining S values between a tumor and its host organ for use with the MIRD formalism. It applies the point-source specific absorbed fractions for an infinite water medium, tabulated by Berger, to a rectangular solid of arbitrary dimensions which contains a rectangular tumor of arbitrary dimensions. Contributions from pairs of source and target volume elements are summed for the S values between the tumor and itself, between the remaining healthy host organ and itself, and between the tumor and the remaining healthy host organ, with the reciprocity theorem assumed for the last. This method labeled MTUMOR, is interfaced with the widely used MIRDOSE program which incorporates the MIRD formalism. An example is calculated

Combination effect of cisplatin and radiation in murine solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egawa, Shin; Lee, Kan-ei; Ishibashi, Akira; Komiyama, Hiroki; Umezawa, Iwao.

1986-01-01

The combination effect of cisplatin and radiation was studied using the two different murine systems of sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich solid tumors. In sarcoma 180 solid tumor the minimal effective doses (MED) of cisplatin and radiation were 19.5 mg/kg and 10375 rad respectively whereas these doses did not show any effective antitumor activity practically. Administration of cisplatin with a doses of 9 mg/kg given 24 hours before radiation (1000 rad), however, showed synergistic antitumor activity. In Ehrlich solid tumor the MED of cisplatin and radiation were 13.8 mg/kg and 2892 rad respectively. Treatment with cisplatin, 3, 6 or 9 mg/kg, given 24 hours before radiation (1000 rad) showed also synergistic antitumor activity also. Sodium thiosulfate (STS) rescue was effective in reducing toxicity of cisplatin on combined use of the drug with radiation. Cell kinetics of sarcoma 180 solid tumor in vivo after the combined treatment was analyzed by computer aided flowcytometry. Accumulation of cells in the radiosensitive G 2 + M phase was observed 18 to 42 hours after a single intraperitoneal administration of 9 mg/kg of cisplatin. It is strongly suggested that this synchronization is one of the mechanisms of the synergism in the combination therapy. (author)

[Inhibitory effect of Biejiajian pills on HepG2 cell xenograft growth and expression of β-catenin and Tbx3 in nude mice].

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Bin; Sun, Hai-Tao; He, Song-Qi; LA, Lei; An, Hai-Yan; Pang, Jie

2016-02-01

To explore the molecular mechanism by which Biejiajian pills inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma in a nude mouse model bearing HepG2 cell xenograft. The inhibitory effect of Biejiajian pills on the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice was observed. Immunohistochemical method was used to examine proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in HepG2 cell xenograft, and TUNEL method was employed to detect the cell apoptosis; the expression levels of β-catenin and Tbx3 were measured by Western blotting. Biejiajian pills significantly suppressed the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice. The tumor-bearing mice treated with a high and a moderate dose of Biejiajian pills showed significantly increased apoptosis rate of the tumor cells [(22.9±1.220)% and (14.7±0.50)%, respectively] compared with the control group [(5.5±0.90)%, Ppills significantly decreased the expressions of PNCA, β-catenin, and Tbx3 in the cell xenograft (Ppills can inhibit the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice and promote tumor cell apoptosis possibly by inhibiting PNCA expression and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Curcumin-Free Turmeric Exhibits Activity against Human HCT-116 Colon Tumor Xenograft: Comparison with Curcumin and Whole Turmeric

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Prasad, Sahdeo; Tyagi, Amit K.; Siddik, Zahid H.; Aggarwal, Bharat B.

2017-01-01

Extensive research within last two decades has indicated that curcumin extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa), exhibits anticancer potential, in part through the modulation of inflammatory pathways. However, the residual antitumor activity of curcumin-free turmeric (CFT) relative to curcumin or turmeric is not well-understood. In the present study, therefore, we determined activities of these agents in both in vitro and in vivo models of human HCT-116 colorectal cancer (CRC). When examined in an in vitro antiproliferative, clonogenic or anti-inflammatory assay system, we found that curcumin was highly active whereas turmeric and CFT had relatively poor activity against CRC cells. However, when examined in vivo at an oral dose of either 100 or 500 mg/kg given to nude mice bearing CRC xenografts, all three preparations of curcumin, turmeric, and CFT similarly suppressed the growth of the xenograft. The effect of CFT on suppression of tumor growth was dose-dependent, with 500 mg/kg tending to be more effective than 100 mg/kg. Interestingly, 100 mg/kg curcumin or turmeric was found to be more effective than 500 mg/kg. When examined in vivo for the expression of biomarkers associated with cell survival (cIAP-1, Bcl-2, and survivin), proliferation (Ki-67 and cyclin D1) and metastasis (ICAM-1 and VEGF), all were down-modulated. These agents also suppressed inflammatory transcription factors (NF-κB and STAT3) in tumor cells. Overall, our results with CFT provide evidence that turmeric must contain additional bioactive compounds other than curcumin that, in contrast to curcumin, exhibit greater anticancer potential in vivo than in vitro against human CRC. Moreover, our study highlights the fact that the beneficial effects of turmeric and curcumin in humans may be more effectively realized at lower doses, whereas CFT could be given at higher doses without loss in favorable activity. PMID:29311914

Curcumin-Free Turmeric Exhibits Activity against Human HCT-116 Colon Tumor Xenograft: Comparison with Curcumin and Whole Turmeric

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Sahdeo Prasad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Extensive research within last two decades has indicated that curcumin extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa, exhibits anticancer potential, in part through the modulation of inflammatory pathways. However, the residual antitumor activity of curcumin-free turmeric (CFT relative to curcumin or turmeric is not well-understood. In the present study, therefore, we determined activities of these agents in both in vitro and in vivo models of human HCT-116 colorectal cancer (CRC. When examined in an in vitro antiproliferative, clonogenic or anti-inflammatory assay system, we found that curcumin was highly active whereas turmeric and CFT had relatively poor activity against CRC cells. However, when examined in vivo at an oral dose of either 100 or 500 mg/kg given to nude mice bearing CRC xenografts, all three preparations of curcumin, turmeric, and CFT similarly suppressed the growth of the xenograft. The effect of CFT on suppression of tumor growth was dose-dependent, with 500 mg/kg tending to be more effective than 100 mg/kg. Interestingly, 100 mg/kg curcumin or turmeric was found to be more effective than 500 mg/kg. When examined in vivo for the expression of biomarkers associated with cell survival (cIAP-1, Bcl-2, and survivin, proliferation (Ki-67 and cyclin D1 and metastasis (ICAM-1 and VEGF, all were down-modulated. These agents also suppressed inflammatory transcription factors (NF-κB and STAT3 in tumor cells. Overall, our results with CFT provide evidence that turmeric must contain additional bioactive compounds other than curcumin that, in contrast to curcumin, exhibit greater anticancer potential in vivo than in vitro against human CRC. Moreover, our study highlights the fact that the beneficial effects of turmeric and curcumin in humans may be more effectively realized at lower doses, whereas CFT could be given at higher doses without loss in favorable activity.

Radio-immunotherapy of solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatal, J.F.; Faivre Chauvet, A.; Bardies, M.; Kraeber-Bodere, F.; Barbet, J.

2001-01-01

A convincing efficacy of radio-immunotherapy of solid tumors has not been documented yet in clinical studies. Consequently, a methodological optimization is needed within the scope in increasing absorbed doses delivered to tumor targets by amplifying cumulative tumor activity and in the same time in reducing absorbed doses delivered normal organs. Multi-step pre-targeting techniques allow to approach these goals. The most developed technique is based on the high affinity for biotin. In a first step an anti-tumor antibody coupled to avidin or biodin is injected. In a second step, 24 hours later, the circulating residual immuno-conjugate is bound to a molecular complex and eliminated through the reticulo endothelial system of the liver ('chase'phase). A third step, a few hours later, consists in injecting biotin coupled to DOTA chelating agent and labeled with yttrium 90. This small molecule rapidly diffuses to tumor targets and binds to pre-localized immuno-conjugate. Another technique, designed and developed in France, is based on antigen-antibody affinity. In a first step an anti-tumor / anti-hapten bi-specific antibody is injected and, in a second step, a few days later, the small hapten molecule is radiolabeled with I-131 and injected. It diffuses rapidly to the tumor targets and binds to the anti-hapten arm of the pre-localized bi-specific antibody. An alternative way to increase radio-immunotherapy efficacy consists in combining this low-dose rate irradiation to radiosensitizing molecules within the scope of an additive or supra additive effect which has previously documented. (author)

Engineered Breast Cancer Cell Spheroids Reproduce Biologic Properties of Solid Tumors.

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Ham, Stephanie L; Joshi, Ramila; Luker, Gary D; Tavana, Hossein

2016-11-01

Solid tumors develop as 3D tissue constructs. As tumors grow larger, spatial gradients of nutrients and oxygen and inadequate diffusive supply to cells distant from vasculature develops. Hypoxia initiates signaling and transcriptional alterations to promote survival of cancer cells and generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that have self-renewal and tumor-initiation capabilities. Both hypoxia and CSCs are associated with resistance to therapies and tumor relapse. This study demonstrates that 3D cancer cell models, known as tumor spheroids, generated with a polymeric aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) technology capture these important biological processes. Similar to solid tumors, spheroids of triple negative breast cancer cells deposit major extracellular matrix proteins. The molecular analysis establishes presence of hypoxic cells in the core region and expression of CSC gene and protein markers including CD24, CD133, and Nanog. Importantly, these spheroids resist treatment with chemotherapy drugs. A combination treatment approach using a hypoxia-activated prodrug, TH-302, and a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, successfully targets drug resistant spheroids. This study demonstrates that ATPS spheroids recapitulate important biological and functional properties of solid tumors and provide a unique model for studies in cancer research. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Volumetrical and morphological responses of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma xenografts treated with fractionated irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoogenhout, J.; Gasteren, H. van; Jerusalem, C.R.; Kal, H.B.

1988-01-01

Xenografts of both primary human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its metastases were irradiated with five daily fractions of 5.0 Gy. Tumor volume changes, morphology, mitotic index and mitotic figures were studied. Primary xenografts disappeared within 17±3 days. Grafts of metastases showed complete regression within 26±5 days, or regrowth after a delay period. Mitotic activity was higher in the grafts of metastases. The number of mitotic figures decreased and ceased within 14 days in the primary tumor, while some were still occasionally noted in the grafts of metastases. Telophase stages were practically absent after the first fraction. This study suggests that the response of metastases to radiation therapy is lower than the response of the primary tumor. (orig.) [de

PKM2 Thr454 phosphorylation increases its nuclear translocation and promotes xenograft tumor growth in A549 human lung cancer cells

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Yu, Zhenhai, E-mail: tomsyu@163.com [Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, 261031 (China); Huang, Liangqian [Institute of Health Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (SIBS), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) & Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine -SJTUSM, Shanghai, 200025 (China); Qiao, Pengyun; Jiang, Aifang; Wang, Li; Yang, Tingting [Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, 261031 (China); Tang, Shengjian; Zhang, Wei [Plastic Surgery Institute of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, 261041 (China); Ren, Chune, E-mail: ren@wfmc.edu.cn [Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, 261031 (China)

2016-05-13

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a key enzyme of glycolysis which is highly expressed in many tumor cells, and plays an important role in the Warburg effect. In previous study, we found PIM2 phosphorylates PKM2 at Thr454 residue (Yu, etl 2013). However, the functions of PKM2 Thr454 modification in cancer cells still remain unclear. Here we find PKM2 translocates into the nucleus after Thr454 phosphorylation. Replacement of wild type PKM2 with a mutant (T454A) enhances mitochondrial respiration, decreases pentose phosphate pathway, and enhances chemosensitivity in A549 cells. In addition, the mutant (T454A) PKM2 reduces xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. These findings demonstrate that PKM2 T454 phosphorylation is a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer.

Quantitative PET of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using {sup 64}Cu-labeled cetuximab, a chimeric anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Weibo; Chen, Kai; He, Lina; Cao, Qizhen; Chen, Xiaoyuan [Stanford University School of Medicine, The Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology and Bio-X Program, Stanford, CA (United States); Koong, Albert [Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford, CA (United States)

2007-06-15

Cetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the surface of cancer cells, was approved by the FDA to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. It is currently also in advanced-stage development for the treatment of several other solid tumors. Here we report for the first time the quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using {sup 64}Cu-labeled cetuximab. We conjugated cetuximab with macrocyclic chelating agent 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA), labeled with {sup 64}Cu, and tested the resulting {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-cetuximab in seven xenograft tumor models. The tracer uptake measured by PET was correlated with the EGFR expression quantified by western blotting. The estimated human dosimetry based on the PET data in Sprague-Dawley rats was also calculated. MicroPET imaging showed that {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-cetuximab had increasing tumor activity accumulation over time in EGFR-positive tumors but relatively low uptake in EGFR-negative tumors at all times examined (<5%ID/g). There was a good correlation (R {sup 2} = 0.80) between the tracer uptake (measured by PET) and the EGFR expression level (measured by western blotting). Human dosimetry estimation indicated that the tracer may be safely administered to human patients for tumor diagnosis, with the dose-limiting organ being the liver. The success of EGFR-positive tumor imaging using {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-cetuximab can be translated into the clinic to characterize the pharmacokinetics, to select the right population of patients for EGFR-targeted therapy, to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR treatment, and to optimize the dosage of either cetuximab alone or cetuximab in combination with other therapeutic agents. (orig.)

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for management of benign solid pancreatic tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jun-Ho; Seo, Dong-Wan; Song, Tae Jun; Park, Do Hyun; Lee, Sang Soo; Lee, Sung Koo; Kim, Myung-Hwan

2018-05-04

 Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been increasingly employed in experimental and clinical settings for the management of pancreatic lesions. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided RFA for benign solid pancreatic tumors.  In a single-center, prospective study, 10 patients with benign solid pancreatic tumors underwent EUS-RFA. After the RFA electrode had been inserted into the pancreatic mass, the radiofrequency generator was activated to deliver 50 W of ablation power.  Among the 10 patients, 16 sessions of EUS-RFA were successfully performed. Diagnoses included nonfunctioning neuroendocrine tumor (n = 7), solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n = 2), and insulinoma (n = 1); the median largest diameter of the tumors was 20 mm (range 8 - 28 mm). During follow-up (median 13 months), radiologic complete response was achieved in seven patients. Two adverse events (12.4 %; 1 moderate and 1 mild) occurred.  EUS-RFA may be a safe and potentially effective treatment option in selected patients with benign solid pancreatic tumors. Multiple sessions may be required if there is a remnant tumor, and adverse events must be carefully monitored. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for solid tumors

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Kheng Newick

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR T cells are engineered constructs composed of synthetic receptors that direct T cells to surface antigens for subsequent elimination. Many CAR constructs are also manufactured with elements that augment T-cell persistence and activity. To date, CAR T cells have demonstrated tremendous success in eradicating hematological malignancies (e.g., CD19 CARs in leukemias. This success is not yet extrapolated to solid tumors, and the reasons for this are being actively investigated. Here in this mini-review, we discuss some of the key hurdles encountered by CAR T cells in the solid tumor microenvironment.

Hurdles of CAR-T cell-based cancer immunotherapy directed against solid tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bing-Lan; Qin, Di-Yuan; Mo, Ze-Ming; Li, Yi; Wei, Wei; Wang, Yong-Sheng; Wang, Wei; Wei, Yu-Quan

2016-04-01

Recent reports on the impressive efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells against hematologic malignancies have inspired oncologists to extend these efforts for the treatment of solid tumors. Clinical trials of CAR-T-based cancer immunotherapy for solid tumors showed that the efficacies are not as remarkable as in the case of hematologic malignancies. There are several challenges that researchers must face when treating solid cancers with CAR-T cells, these include choosing an ideal target, promoting efficient trafficking and infiltration, overcoming the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and avoiding associated toxicity. In this review, we discuss the obstacles imposed by solid tumors on CAR-T cell-based immunotherapy and strategies adopted to improve the therapeutic potential of this approach. Continued investigations are necessary to improve therapeutic outcomes and decrease the adverse effects of CAR-T cell therapy in patients with solid malignancies in the future.

Potential of epigenetic therapies in the management of solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdespino, Victor; Valdespino, Patricia M

2015-01-01

Cancer is a complex disease with both genetic and epigenetic origins. The growing field of epigenetics has contributed to our understanding of oncogenesis and tumor progression, and has allowed the development of novel therapeutic drugs. First-generation epigenetic inhibitor drugs have obtained modest clinical results in two types of hematological malignancy. Second-generation epigenetic inhibitors are in development, and have intrinsically greater selectivity for their molecular targets. Solid tumors are more genetic and epigenetically complex than hematological malignancies, but the transcriptome and epigenome biomarkers have been identified for many of these malignancies. This solid tumor molecular aberration profile may be modified using specific or quasi-specific epidrugs together with conventional and innovative anticancer treatments. In this critical review, we briefly analyze the strategies to select the targeted epigenetic changes, enumerate the second-generation epigenetic inhibitors, and describe the main signs indicating the potential of epigenetic therapies in the management of solid tumors. We also highlight the work of consortia or academic organizations that support the undertaking of human epigenetic therapeutic projects as well as some examples of transcriptome/epigenome profile determination in clinical assessment of cancer patients treated with epidrugs. There is a good chance that epigenetic therapies will be able to be used in patients with solid tumors in the future. This may happen soon through collaboration of diverse scientific groups, making the selection of targeted epigenetic aberration(s) more rapid, the design and probe of drug candidates, accelerating in vitro and in vivo assays, and undertaking new cancer epigenetic-therapy clinical trails

In vivo bioluminescence imaging using orthotopic xenografts towards patient's derived-xenograft Medulloblastoma models.

Science.gov (United States)

Asadzadeh, Fatemeh; Ferrucci, Veronica; DE Antonellis, Pasqualino; Zollo, Massimo

2017-03-01

Medulloblastoma is a cerebellar neoplasia of the central nervous system. Four molecular subgrups have been identified (MBWNT, MBSHH, MBgroup3 and MBgroup4) with distinct genetics and clinical outcome. Among these, MBgroup3-4 are highly metastatic with the worst prognosis. The current standard therapy includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Thus, specific treatments adapted to cure those different molecular subgroups are needed. The use of orthotopic xenograft models, together with the non-invasive in vivo biolumiscence imaging (BLI) technology, is emerging during preclinical studies to test novel therapeutics for medulloblastoma treatment. Orthotopic MB xenografts were performed by injection of Daoy-luc cells, that had been previously infected with lentiviral particles to stably express luciferase gene, into the fourth right ventricle of the cerebellum of ten nude mice. For the implantation, specific stereotactic coordinates were used. Seven days after the implantation the mice were imaged by acquisitions of bioluminescence imaging (BLI) using IVIS 3D Illumina Imaging System (Xenogen). Tumor growth was evaluated by quantifying the bioluminescence signals using the integrated fluxes of photons within each area of interest using the Living Images Software Package 3.2 (Xenogen-Perkin Elmer). Finally, histological analysis using hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to confirm the presence of tumorigenic cells into the cerebellum of the mice. We describe a method to use the in vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) showing the potential to be used to investigate the potential antitumorigenic effects of a drug for in vivo medulloblastoma treatment. We also discuss other studies in which this technology has been applied to obtain a more comprehensive knowledge of medulloblastoma using orthotopic xenograft mouse models. There is a need to develop patient's derived-xenograft (PDX) model systems to test novel drugs for medulloblastoma treatment within each molecular sub

Establishment of human patient-derived endometrial cancer xenografts in NOD scid gamma mice for the study of invasion and metastasis.

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Kenji Unno

Full Text Available Most endometrial cancers are detected early and have a good prognosis, while some endometrial cancers are highly invasive, metastasize early, and respond suboptimally to therapy. Currently, appropriate model systems to study the aggressive nature of these tumors are lacking. The objective of this study was to establish a mouse xenograft model of endometrial tumors derived from patients in order to study the biological aggressive characteristics that underlie invasion and metastasis.Endometrial tumor tissue fragments (1.5 mm × 1.5 mm from patients undergoing surgery, were transplanted under the renal capsule of NOD scid gamma mice. After 6-8 weeks, tumors were excised and serially transplanted into additional mice for propagation. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumors was done for various tumor markers.Four cases of different subtypes of endometrial cancer were grown and propagated in mice. Three of the four tumor cases invaded into the kidneys and to adjacent organs. While all tumors exhibited minimal to no staining for estrogen receptor α, progesterone receptor staining was observed for tumor grafts. In addition, levels and localization of E-cadherin, cytokeratin and vimentin varied depending on subtype. Finally, all tumor xenografts stained positively for urokinase plasminogen activator while 3 tumor xenografts, which showed invasive characteristics, stained positively for urokinase plasminogen activator receptor.Endometrial tumors transplanted under the renal capsule exhibit growth, invasion and local spread. These tumors can be propagated and used to study aggressive endometrial cancer.

Targeting solid tumors with non-pathogenic obligate anaerobic bacteria.

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Taniguchi, Shun'ichiro; Fujimori, Minoru; Sasaki, Takayuki; Tsutsui, Hiroko; Shimatani, Yuko; Seki, Keiichi; Amano, Jun

2010-09-01

Molecular-targeting drugs with fewer severe adverse effects are attracting great attention as the next wave of cancer treatment. There exist, however, populations of cancer cells resistant to these drugs that stem from the instability of tumor cells and/or the existence of cancer stem cells, and thus specific toxicity is required to destroy them. If such selectivity is not available, these targets may be sought out not by the cancer cell types themselves, but rather in their adjacent cancer microenvironments by means of hypoxia, low pH, and so on. The anaerobic conditions present in malignant tumor tissues have previously been regarded as a source of resistance in cancer cells against conventional therapy. However, there now appears to be a way to make use of these limiting factors as a selective target. In this review, we will refer to several trials, including our own, to direct attention to the utilizable anaerobic conditions present in malignant tumor tissues and the use of bacteria as carriers to target them. Specifically, we have been developing a method to attack solid cancers using the non-pathogenic obligate anaerobic bacterium Bifidobacterium longum as a vehicle to selectively recognize and target the anaerobic conditions in solid cancer tissues. We will also discuss the existence of low oxygen pressure in tumor masses in spite of generally enhanced angiogenesis, overview current cancer therapies, especially the history and present situation of bacterial utility to treat solid tumors, and discuss the rationality and future possibilities of this novel mode of cancer treatment. © 2010 Japanese Cancer Association.

Quantitation of Murine Stroma and Selective Purification of the Human Tumor Component of Patient-Derived Xenografts for Genomic Analysis.

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Valentina E Schneeberger

Full Text Available Patient-derived xenograft (PDX mouse models are increasingly used for preclinical therapeutic testing of human cancer. A limitation in molecular and genetic characterization of PDX tumors is the presence of integral murine stroma. This is particularly problematic for genomic sequencing of PDX models. Rapid and dependable approaches for quantitating stromal content and purifying the malignant human component of these tumors are needed. We used a recently developed technique exploiting species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR amplicon length (ssPAL differences to define the fractional composition of murine and human DNA, which was proportional to the fractional composition of cells in a series of lung cancer PDX lines. We compared four methods of human cancer cell isolation: fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS, an immunomagnetic mouse cell depletion (MCD approach, and two distinct EpCAM-based immunomagnetic positive selection methods. We further analyzed DNA extracted from the resulting enriched human cancer cells by targeted sequencing using a clinically validated multi-gene panel. Stromal content varied widely among tumors of similar histology, but appeared stable over multiple serial tumor passages of an individual model. FACS and MCD were superior to either positive selection approach, especially in cases of high stromal content, and consistently allowed high quality human-specific genomic profiling. ssPAL is a dependable approach to quantitation of murine stromal content, and MCD is a simple, efficient, and high yield approach to human cancer cell isolation for genomic analysis of PDX tumors.

In vivo imaging of cytotoxic T cell infiltration and elimination of a solid tumor.

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Boissonnas, Alexandre; Fetler, Luc; Zeelenberg, Ingrid S; Hugues, Stéphanie; Amigorena, Sebastian

2007-02-19

Although the immune system evolved to fight infections, it may also attack and destroy solid tumors. In most cases, tumor rejection is initiated by CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which infiltrate solid tumors, recognize tumor antigens, and kill tumor cells. We use a combination of two-photon intravital microscopy and immunofluorescence on ordered sequential sections to analyze the infiltration and destruction of solid tumors by CTLs. We show that in the periphery of a thymoma growing subcutaneously, activated CTLs migrate with high instantaneous velocities. The CTLs arrest in close contact to tumor cells expressing their cognate antigen. In regions where most tumor cells are dead, CTLs resume migration, sometimes following collagen fibers or blood vessels. CTLs migrating along blood vessels preferentially adopt an elongated morphology. CTLs also infiltrate tumors in depth, but only when the tumor cells express the cognate CTL antigen. In tumors that do not express the cognate antigen, CTL infiltration is restricted to peripheral regions, and lymphocytes neither stop moving nor kill tumor cells. Antigen expression by tumor cells therefore determines both CTL motility within the tumor and profound tumor infiltration.

Development of a Novel Preclinical Pancreatic Cancer Research Model: Bioluminescence Image-Guided Focal Irradiation and Tumor Monitoring of Orthotopic Xenografts1

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Tuli, Richard; Surmak, Andrew; Reyes, Juvenal; Hacker-Prietz, Amy; Armour, Michael; Leubner, Ashley; Blackford, Amanda; Tryggestad, Erik; Jaffee, Elizabeth M; Wong, John; DeWeese, Theodore L; Herman, Joseph M

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: We report on a novel preclinical pancreatic cancer research model that uses bioluminescence imaging (BLI)-guided irradiation of orthotopic xenograft tumors, sparing of surrounding normal tissues, and quantitative, noninvasive longitudinal assessment of treatment response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Luciferase-expressing MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic carcinoma cells were orthotopically injected in nude mice. BLI was compared to pathologic tumor volume, and photon emission was assessed over time. BLI was correlated to positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to estimate tumor dimensions. BLI and cone-beam CT (CBCT) were used to compare tumor centroid location and estimate setup error. BLI and CBCT fusion was performed to guide irradiation of tumors using the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP). DNA damage was assessed by γ-H2Ax staining. BLI was used to longitudinally monitor treatment response. RESULTS: Bioluminescence predicted tumor volume (R = 0.8984) and increased linearly as a function of time up to a 10-fold increase in tumor burden. BLI correlated with PET/CT and necropsy specimen in size (P < .05). Two-dimensional BLI centroid accuracy was 3.5 mm relative to CBCT. BLI-guided irradiated pancreatic tumors stained positively for γ-H2Ax, whereas surrounding normal tissues were spared. Longitudinal assessment of irradiated tumors with BLI revealed significant tumor growth delay of 20 days relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully applied the SARRP to a bioluminescent, orthotopic preclinical pancreas cancer model to noninvasively: 1) allow the identification of tumor burden before therapy, 2) facilitate image-guided focal radiation therapy, and 3) allow normalization of tumor burden and longitudinal assessment of treatment response. PMID:22496923

Styrene maleic acid-encapsulated RL71 micelles suppress tumor growth in a murine xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer.

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Martey, Orleans; Nimick, Mhairi; Taurin, Sebastien; Sundararajan, Vignesh; Greish, Khaled; Rosengren, Rhonda J

2017-01-01

Patients with triple negative breast cancer have a poor prognosis due in part to the lack of targeted therapies. In the search for novel drugs, our laboratory has developed a second-generation curcumin derivative, 3,5-bis(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-4-one (RL71), that exhibits potent in vitro cytotoxicity. To improve the clinical potential of this drug, we have encapsulated it in styrene maleic acid (SMA) micelles. SMA-RL71 showed improved biodistribution, and drug accumulation in the tumor increased 16-fold compared to control. SMA-RL71 (10 mg/kg, intravenously, two times a week for 2 weeks) also significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to control in a xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer. Free RL71 was unable to alter tumor growth. Tumors from SMA-RL71-treated mice showed a decrease in angiogenesis and an increase in apoptosis. The drug treatment also modulated various cell signaling proteins including the epidermal growth factor receptor, with the mechanisms for tumor suppression consistent with previous work with RL71 in vitro. The nanoformulation was also nontoxic as shown by normal levels of plasma markers for liver and kidney injury following weekly administration of SMA-RL71 (10 mg/kg) for 90 days. Thus, we report clinical potential following encapsulation of a novel curcumin derivative, RL71, in SMA micelles.

A comparison of 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging subcutaneous HER2-positive tumor xenografts in athymic mice using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT

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2011-01-01

Background Our objective was to compare 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging small or large s.c. tumor xenografts in athymic mice that display a wide range of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) expression using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT. Methods Trastuzumab Fab were labeled with 111In or 64Cu by conjugation to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane N, N', N'', N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA). The purity of 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was measured by SDS-PAGE and HPLC. HER2 binding affinity was determined in saturation radioligand binding assays using SKBR-3 cells (1.3 × 106 HER2/cell). MicroSPECT/CT and microPET/CT were performed in athymic mice bearing s.c. BT-20 and MDA-MB-231 xenografts with low (0.5 to 1.6 × 105 receptors/cell), MDA-MB-361 tumors with intermediate (5.1 × 105 receptors/cell) or SKOV-3 xenografts with high HER2 expression (1.2 × 106 receptors/cell) at 24 h p.i. of 70 MBq (10 μg) of 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or 22 MBq (10 μg) of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or irrelevant 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab. Tumor and normal tissue uptake were quantified in biodistribution studies. Results 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab were > 98% radiochemically pure and bound HER2 with high affinity (Kd = 20.4 ± 2.5 nM and 40.8 ± 3.5 nM, respectively). MDA-MB-361 and SKOV-3 tumors were most clearly imaged using 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab. Significantly higher tumor/blood (T/B) ratios were found for 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab than 111In-DOTA-rituximab Fab for BT-20, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-361 xenografts, and there was a direct association between T/B ratios and HER2 expression. In contrast, tumor uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was significantly higher than 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab in MDA-MB-361 tumors but no direct association with HER2 expression was found. Both 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab imaged small (5 to 10 mm) or larger (10 to 15 mm) MDA-MB-361 tumors. Higher blood, liver, and spleen

Experimental investigation of the penetration of ultrasound nanobubbles in a gastric cancer xenograft

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Fan, Xiaozhou; Wang, Luofu; Guo, Yanli; Tong, Haipeng; Li, Lang; Ding, Jun; Huang, Haiyun

2013-08-01

Nanobubbles as a type of ultrasound contrast agent have attracted much interest in recent years due to their many advantages, such as strong penetrating power and high stability. However, there is still insufficient morphological evidence concerning gas-filled nanobubbles in tumor tissue spaces and tumor angiogenesis. We used a gastric cancer xenograft as an example to study this question. Nanobubbles with a particle size of 435.2 ± 60.53 nm were prepared and compared with SonoVue® microbubbles in vitro and in vivo, and they exhibited a superior contrast imaging effect. After excluding the impact of the nanobubbles in blood vessels through saline flush, we used an ultrasound burst and frozen sectioning to investigate the distribution of nanobubbles in the gastric cancer xenografts and confirmed this by transmission electron microscopy. Preliminary results showed that the nanobubbles were able to pass through the gaps between the endothelial cells in the tumor vascular system to enter the tissue space. These findings could provide morphological evidence for extravascular ultrasound imaging of tumors and serve as a foundation for the application of nanobubbles in extravascular tumor-targeted ultrasonic diagnostics and therapy.

Experimental investigation of the penetration of ultrasound nanobubbles in a gastric cancer xenograft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Xiaozhou; Guo Yanli; Tong Haipeng; Li Lang; Ding Jun; Huang Haiyun; Wang Luofu

2013-01-01

Nanobubbles as a type of ultrasound contrast agent have attracted much interest in recent years due to their many advantages, such as strong penetrating power and high stability. However, there is still insufficient morphological evidence concerning gas-filled nanobubbles in tumor tissue spaces and tumor angiogenesis. We used a gastric cancer xenograft as an example to study this question. Nanobubbles with a particle size of 435.2 ± 60.53 nm were prepared and compared with SonoVue ® microbubbles in vitro and in vivo, and they exhibited a superior contrast imaging effect. After excluding the impact of the nanobubbles in blood vessels through saline flush, we used an ultrasound burst and frozen sectioning to investigate the distribution of nanobubbles in the gastric cancer xenografts and confirmed this by transmission electron microscopy. Preliminary results showed that the nanobubbles were able to pass through the gaps between the endothelial cells in the tumor vascular system to enter the tissue space. These findings could provide morphological evidence for extravascular ultrasound imaging of tumors and serve as a foundation for the application of nanobubbles in extravascular tumor-targeted ultrasonic diagnostics and therapy. (paper)

Antitumor Efficacy of the Dual PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor PF-04691502 in a Human Xenograft Tumor Model Derived from Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells Harboring a PIK3CA Mutation.

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Douglas D Fang

Full Text Available PIK3CA (phosphoinositide-3-kinase, catalytic, alpha polypeptide mutations can help predict the antitumor activity of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR pathway inhibitors in both preclinical and clinical settings. In light of the recent discovery of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells (CSCs in various tumor types, we developed an in vitro CSC model from xenograft tumors established in mice from a colorectal cancer patient tumor in which the CD133+/EpCAM+ population represented tumor-initiating cells. CD133+/EpCAM+ CSCs were enriched under stem cell culture conditions and formed 3-dimensional tumor spheroids. Tumor spheroid cells exhibited CSC properties, including the capability for differentiation and self-renewal, higher tumorigenic potential and chemo-resistance. Genetic analysis using an OncoCarta™ panel revealed a PIK3CA (H1047R mutation in these cells. Using a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, PF-04691502, we then showed that blockage of the PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibited the in vitro proliferation of CSCs and in vivo xenograft tumor growth with manageable toxicity. Tumor growth inhibition in mice was accompanied by a significant reduction of phosphorylated Akt (pAKT (S473, a well-established surrogate biomarker of PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway inhibition. Collectively, our data suggest that PF-04691502 exhibits potent anticancer activity in colorectal cancer by targeting both PIK3CA (H1047R mutant CSCs and their derivatives. These results may assist in the clinical development of PF-04691502 for the treatment of a subpopulation of colorectal cancer patients with poor outcomes.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation in solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terzieff, V.; Alonso, I.; Vázquez, A.

2004-01-01

It is estimated that 20-25% of cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) relate to an underlying neoplasia primarily hematologic. It is estimated that about 5% of patients with solid tumors have CID clinic, although the incidence of subclinical alterations is much higher. The CID is not limited to the activation of the coagulation cascade, which leads to bleeding micro thrombosis and consumption of coagulation factors. Solid tumors are frequently associated adenocarcinomas producers mucin (especially gastric), usually in the context of a disseminated disease. The mucin may act as a promoter of the cascade, but probably it is a multi-event. High levels of TNF to produced by the tumor mass and chemotherapy-induced cell lysis have Also linked. Although the bleeding is usually oriented diagnosis, the most frequent cause of death is thrombosis. There are no specific tests for diagnosis. Elevated levels of D-dimer and products oriented fibrinogen degradation diagnosis. No reduction fibrinogen and almost always, one thrombocytopenia consumption. Treatment is complex and there is no consensus on many points. To recover the lost factors for consumption, it is recommended to use fresh frozen plasma and / or washed red blood cells. the heparin anticoagulation low dose is indicated since the disease causal can not be controlled quickly, but should not be initiated if there thrombocytopenia 50.000.El under profuse bleeding can require the use of tranexamic acid or EACA. Acute DIC, the case of our patient, is rare and very serious

The Use of Longitudinal 18F-FET MicroPET Imaging to Evaluate Response to Irinotecan in Orthotopic Human Glioblastoma Multiforme Xenografts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nedergaard, Mette K; Kristoffersen, Karina; Michaelsen, Signe R

2014-01-01

was compared. METHODS: Human GBM cells were injected orthotopically in nude mice and 18F-FET uptake was followed by weekly MicroPET/CT. When tumor take was observed, mice were treated with CPT-11 or saline weekly. After two weeks of treatment the brain tumors were isolated and quantitative polymerase chain......OBJECTIVES: Brain tumor imaging is challenging. Although 18F-FET PET is widely used in the clinic, the value of 18F-FET MicroPET to evaluate brain tumors in xenograft has not been assessed to date. The aim of this study therefore was to evaluate the performance of in vivo 18F-FET Micro......, a 1.6 fold higher expression of LAT1 and a 23 fold higher expression of LAT2 were observed in patient specimens compared to xenografts. CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FET MicroPET can be used to detect a treatment response to CPT-11 in GBM xenografts. The strong negative correlation between SUV max T/B ratio...

Pregnancy following Radical Resection of Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas

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James M. O’Brien

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor seen in predominately young women and carries a low malignant potential. We discuss a patient, who presented to our high risk clinic, with a clinical history of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas, predating her pregnancy. The patient had undergone previous surgery and imaging which had excluded recurrence of disease; however, increased attention was paid to the patient during her pregnancy secondary to elevated hormonal levels of progesterone, which any residual disease would have a heightened sensitivity to. In cases of pregnant patients with a history of pancreatic tumors, a multidisciplinary approach with maternal fetal medicine, medicine, and general surgery is appropriate and can result in a healthy mother and healthy term infant.

Tumor volume in subcutaneous mouse xenografts measured by microCT is more accurate and reproducible than determined by 18F-FDG-microPET or external caliper

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mette Munk; Jørgensen, Jesper Tranekjaer; Binderup, Tina

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: In animal studies tumor size is used to assess responses to anticancer therapy. Current standard for volumetric measurement of xenografted tumors is by external caliper, a method often affected by error. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if microCT gives more accurate...... (n = 20) was determined in vivo by external caliper, microCT and 18F-FDG-PET and subsequently reference volume was determined ex vivo. Intra-observer reproducibility of the microCT and caliper methods were determined by acquiring 10 repeated volume measurements. Volumes of a group of tumors (n = 10......) were determined independently by two observers to assess inter-observer variation. RESULTS: Tumor volume measured by microCT, PET and caliper all correlated with reference volume. No significant bias of microCT measurements compared with the reference was found, whereas both PET and caliper had...

Challenges and prospects of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in solid tumors.

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Jindal, Vishal; Arora, Ena; Gupta, Sorab

2018-05-05

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a novel and innovative immunotherapy. CAR-T cells are genetically engineered T cells, carrying MHC independent specific antigen receptor and co-stimulatory molecule which can activate an immune response to a cancer specific antigen. This therapy showed great results in hematological malignancies but were unable to prove their worth in solid tumors. Likely reasons for their failure are lack of antigens, poor trafficking, and hostile tumor microenvironment. Excessive amount of research is going on to improve the efficacy of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors. In this article, we will discuss the challenges faced in improving the outcome of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors and various strategies adopted to curb them.

Radiotherapy of the most frequent solid tumors in childhood

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Pfeiffer, J.; Kamprad, F.

1980-01-01

During the past decade the prognosis of malignant tumors in childhood could be clearly improved, realized by combining surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Recommendations for the use of radiotherapy for the most frequent solid tumors in childhood are represented basing on the experience of the study groups 'Pediatric Hematology and Oncology' of the Society for Pediatrics of the GDR and 'Tumors in Childhood' of the Section of Children's Surgery of the GDR. Besides general problems which have to be taken into consideration in the treatment of infantile tumors the radiotherapeutical measures for Wilms' tumors, neuroblastomas, cerebral tumors, embryonal sarcomas of the soft parts and bone tumors are discussed. The necessary close cooperation of the attending branches is pointed out and both the regional centralization of patients' care and a superregional cooperation are required. (author)

Intravenous avidin chase improved localization of radiolabeled streptavidin in intraperitoneal xenograft pretargeted with biotinylated antibody

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Meili; Sakahara, Harumi; Yao Zhengsheng; Saga, Tsuneo; Nakamoto, Yuhi; Sato, Noriko; Nakada, Hiroshi; Yamashina, Ikuo; Konishi, Junji

1997-01-01

In the present study, we examined the effect of avidin administered intravenously (i.v.) on the biodistribution of radiolabeled streptavidin in mice bearing intraperitoneal (IP) xenografts pretargeted with biotinylated antibody. Tumors were established in nude mice by IP inoculation of LS180 human colon cancer cells. Monoclonal antibody MLS128, which recognizes Tn antigen on mucin, was biotinylated and injected IP into the IP tumor-bearing mice. Radioiodinated streptavidin was administered IP or i.v. 48 h after pretargeting of biotinylated antibody. Avidin was administered i.v. 30 min prior to streptavidin injection. The localization of radioiodinated streptavidin in the tumor pretargeted with biotinylated antibody was significantly higher than that without pretargeting and that of radioiodinated MLS128 by the one-step method. Avidin administration significantly accelerated the clearance of radioiodinated streptavidin in blood and other normal tissues and increased the tumor-to-blood radioactivity ratio regardless of administration route of streptavidin. The i.v. avidin chase improved tumor localization of radiolabeled streptavidin in the IP xenografts pretargeted with biotinylated antibody

Biodistribution and pharmacokinetic studies of a porphyrin dimer photosensitizer (Oxdime) by fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy in mice bearing xenograft tumors.

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Khurana, Mamta; Ulrich, Sébastien; Kim, Anthony; Moriyama, Yumi; Netchev, George; Akens, Margarete K; Anderson, Harry L; Wilson, Brian C

2012-01-01

Herein, we present a study of the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of a butadiyne-linked conjugated porphyrin dimer (Oxdime) designed to have high near-infrared (NIR) 2-photon absorption cross-section for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Changes in biodistribution over time were monitored in mice carrying B16-F10 melanoma xenografts, following intravenous injection. Using fluorescence imaging of live animals and analyzing isolated organs ex vivo at different time points between 30 min and 24 h after injection, accumulation of Oxdime was measured in several organs (heart, kidney and liver) and in tumor. The concentration in the plasma was about 5-10 times higher than in other tissues. The fluorescence signal peaked at 3-12 h after injection in most tissues, including the tumor and the plasma. The change in the fluorescence emission spectrum of the sensitizer over time was also monitored and a shift in the maximum from 800 to 740 nm was observed over 24 h, showing that the Oxdime is metabolized. Significant quantities accumulated in the tumor, indicating that this PDT sensitizer may be promising for cancer treatment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2012 The American Society of Photobiology.

Folic acid-decorated polyamidoamine dendrimer exhibits high tumor uptake and sustained highly localized retention in solid tumors: Its utility for local siRNA delivery.

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Xu, Leyuan; Yeudall, W Andrew; Yang, Hu

2017-07-15

The utility of folic acid (FA)-decorated polyamidoamine dendrimer G4 (G4-FA) as a vector was investigated for local delivery of siRNA. In a xenograft HN12 (or HN12-YFP) tumor mouse model of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), intratumorally (i.t.) injected G4-FA exhibited high tumor uptake and sustained highly localized retention in the tumors according to near infrared (NIR) imaging assessment. siRNA against vascular endothelial growth factor A (siVEGFA) was chosen as a therapeutic modality. Compared to the nontherapeutic treatment groups (PBS solution or dendrimer complexed with nontherapeutic siRNA against green fluorescent protein (siGFP)), G4-FA/siVEGFA showed tumor inhibition effects in single-dose and two-dose regimen studies. In particular, two doses of G4-FA/siVEGFA i.t. administered eight days apart resulted in a more profound inhibition of tumor growth, accompanied with significant reduction in angiogenesis, as judged by CD31 staining and microvessel counts. Tumor size reduction in the two-dose regimen study was ascertained semi-quantitatively by live fluorescence imaging of YFP tumors and independently supported antitumor effects of G4-FA/siVEGFA. Taken together, G4-FA shows high tumor uptake and sustained retention properties, making it a suitable platform for local delivery of siRNAs to treat cancers that are readily accessible such as HNSCC. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and is difficult to transfect for gene therapy. We developed folate receptor (FR)-targeted polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer for enhanced delivery of genes to HNSCC and gained in-depth understanding of how gene delivery and transfection in head and neck squamous cancer cells can be enhanced via FR-targeted PAMAM dendrimers. The results we report here are encouraging and present latest advances in using dendrimers for cancer therapies, in particular for HNSCC. Our work has demonstrated that localized delivery of FR

[Compound K suppresses myeloid-derived suppressor cells in a mouse model bearing CT26 colorectal cancer xenograft].

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Wang, Rong; Li, Yalin; Wang, Wuzhou; Zhou, Meijuan; Cao, Zhaohui

2015-05-01

To investigate the effect of ginseng-derived compound K (C-K) on apoptosis, immunosuppressive activity, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) from mice bearing colorectal cancer xenograft. Flow-sorted bone marrow MDSCs from Balb/c mice bearing CT26 tumor xenograft were treated with either C-K or PBS for 96 h and examined for apoptosis with Annexin V/7-AAD, Cox-2 and Arg-1 expressions using qRT-PCR, and supernatant IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 levels with ELISA. C-K- or PBS-treated MDSCs were subcutaneously implanted along with CT26 tumor cells in WT Balb/c mice, and the tumor size and morphology were evaluated 21 days later. C-K treatment significantly increased the percentages of early and late apoptotic MDSCs in vitro (Pimmunosuppresive effect of MDSCs to inhibit tumor cell proliferation in mice, which suggests a new strategy of tumor therapy by targeting MDSCs.

Cooperation of Ad-hING4 and 125I seed in tumor-suppression on human pancreatic cancer xenograft in nude mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhai Hongyan; Fa Yihua; Su Chenghai; Yang Jicheng; Sheng Weihua; Xie Yufeng

2009-01-01

This work is to investigate the combined tumor-suppression effect of Adenovirus-mediated human ING4 (Ad-hING4) and 125 I seed on human pancreatic cancer xenograft and the possible mechanisms. Ad-hING4 recombinant adenovirus vector was transected into QBI-293A cells and high titre adenovirus was obtained. Subcutaneous tumor models were established with 25 nude mice with human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1. They were randomly divided into 5 groups: PBS control group, Ad carrier group, 125 I seed brachytherapy group, Ad-hING4 gene treatment group, combined 125 I seed and Ad-hING4 group. The tumor volumes were measured every 5 days after treatment, and were sacrificed on the 20th day. The tumors were measured and weighed to determine the ratio of tumor-suppression and Jin-Shi q value. Morphological changes of tumor cells,the tissue injury and apoptotic index AI were examined on pathological sections. MVD, Survivin and Caspase3 were tested in immunohistochemistry. The results show that the tumor-suppressive ratio of the 125 I seed group, Ad-hING4 group, combined treatment group were,respectively, 34.19%(P 0.05). It can be concluded that 125 I seed and Ad-hING4 inhibit the growth of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer on nude mice significantly. These indicate a synergy of the combined treatments in tumor-suppression and Ad-hING4 is a promising novel radiosensitizer. The mechanisms of tumor-suppressive may be multi-pathways such as down-regulation the expression of Survivin and up-regulation the expression of Caspase3 to induce apoptosis and inhibit angiogenesis. (authors)

Surface Functionalization and Targeting Strategies of Liposomes in Solid Tumor Therapy: A Review

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Riaz, Muhammad Kashif; Riaz, Muhammad Adil; Zhang, Xue; Lin, Congcong; Wong, Ka Hong; Chen, Xiaoyu; Lu, Aiping

2018-01-01

Surface functionalization of liposomes can play a key role in overcoming the current limitations of nanocarriers to treat solid tumors, i.e., biological barriers and physiological factors. The phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) containing anticancer agents produce fewer side effects than non-liposomal anticancer formulations, and can effectively target the solid tumors. This article reviews information about the strategies for targeting of liposomes to solid tumors along with the possible targets in cancer cells, i.e., extracellular and intracellular targets and targets in tumor microenvironment or vasculature. Targeting ligands for functionalization of liposomes with relevant surface engineering techniques have been described. Stimuli strategies for enhanced delivery of anticancer agents at requisite location using stimuli-responsive functionalized liposomes have been discussed. Recent approaches for enhanced delivery of anticancer agents at tumor site with relevant surface functionalization techniques have been reviewed. Finally, current challenges of functionalized liposomes and future perspective of smart functionalized liposomes have been discussed. PMID:29315231

Surface Functionalization and Targeting Strategies of Liposomes in Solid Tumor Therapy: A Review

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Muhammad Kashif Riaz

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Surface functionalization of liposomes can play a key role in overcoming the current limitations of nanocarriers to treat solid tumors, i.e., biological barriers and physiological factors. The phospholipid vesicles (liposomes containing anticancer agents produce fewer side effects than non-liposomal anticancer formulations, and can effectively target the solid tumors. This article reviews information about the strategies for targeting of liposomes to solid tumors along with the possible targets in cancer cells, i.e., extracellular and intracellular targets and targets in tumor microenvironment or vasculature. Targeting ligands for functionalization of liposomes with relevant surface engineering techniques have been described. Stimuli strategies for enhanced delivery of anticancer agents at requisite location using stimuli-responsive functionalized liposomes have been discussed. Recent approaches for enhanced delivery of anticancer agents at tumor site with relevant surface functionalization techniques have been reviewed. Finally, current challenges of functionalized liposomes and future perspective of smart functionalized liposomes have been discussed.

Chimeric Antigen Receptors T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumor: Challenges and Clinical Applications

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Hamid R. Mirzaei

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Adoptive cellular immunotherapy (ACT employing engineered T lymphocytes expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs has demonstrated promising antitumor effects in advanced hematologic cancers, such as relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, supporting the translation of ACT to non-hematological malignancies. Although CAR T cell therapy has made remarkable strides in the treatment of patients with certain hematological cancers, in solid tumors success has been limited likely due to heterogeneous antigen expression, immunosuppressive networks in the tumor microenvironment limiting CAR T cell function and persistence, and suboptimal trafficking to solid tumors. Here, we outline specific approaches to overcome barriers to CAR T cell effectiveness in the context of the tumor microenvironment and offer our perspective on how expanding the use of CAR T cells in solid tumors may require modifications in CAR T cell design. We anticipate these modifications will further expand CAR T cell therapy in clinical practice.

Local delivery of cannabinoid-loaded microparticles inhibits tumor growth in a murine xenograft model of glioblastoma multiforme.

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Dolores Hernán Pérez de la Ossa

Full Text Available Cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana and their derivatives, are currently investigated due to their potential therapeutic application for the management of many different diseases, including cancer. Specifically, Δ(9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC and Cannabidiol (CBD - the two major ingredients of marijuana - have been shown to inhibit tumor growth in a number of animal models of cancer, including glioma. Although there are several pharmaceutical preparations that permit the oral administration of THC or its analogue nabilone or the oromucosal delivery of a THC- and CBD-enriched cannabis extract, the systemic administration of cannabinoids has several limitations in part derived from the high lipophilicity exhibited by these compounds. In this work we analyzed CBD- and THC-loaded poly-ε-caprolactone microparticles as an alternative delivery system for long-term cannabinoid administration in a murine xenograft model of glioma. In vitro characterization of THC- and CBD-loaded microparticles showed that this method of microencapsulation facilitates a sustained release of the two cannabinoids for several days. Local administration of THC-, CBD- or a mixture (1:1 w:w of THC- and CBD-loaded microparticles every 5 days to mice bearing glioma xenografts reduced tumour growth with the same efficacy than a daily local administration of the equivalent amount of those cannabinoids in solution. Moreover, treatment with cannabinoid-loaded microparticles enhanced apoptosis and decreased cell proliferation and angiogenesis in these tumours. Our findings support that THC- and CBD-loaded microparticles could be used as an alternative method of cannabinoid delivery in anticancer therapies.

Effects of antineoplastic agents and ionizing irradiation on a human testicular cancer xenograft

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Osieka, R.; Pfeiffer, R.; Glatte, P.; Schmidt, C.G.; Bamberg, M.; Scherer, E.

1985-01-01

Chemotherapy has afforded a high percentage of definitive cures in advanced testicular cancer. Nevertheless some patients with large tumor burden still succumb to chemorefractory disease. Therefore preclinical and clinical evaluation of new drugs and agents not primarily used against this type of disease are still mandatory. For preclinical drug screening purposes heterotransplantation of specific human tumors yields a model with high validity for tumor markers and drug response. Heterotransplantation of a human embryonal testicular cancer was used for simultaneous testing of established agents such as cisplatin, melphalan, bleomycin, vinblastine, etoposide and adriamycin and some newer derivatives such as PHM or mafosfamide. Furthermore agents such as procarbazine, dacarbazine and methyl-CCNU that cross the blood-brain-barrier displayed some interesting activity. The results hint at a unique chemosensitivity pattern of the xenograft line, with some accordance between clinical response to vinblastine and bleomycin and good response of the xenografts to bleomycin but not to vinblastine. Radiotherapy was also effective against this tumor line, but there was not much difference in response when the schedule of fractionation was changed. It is concluded that a combined modality approach might salvage patients with residual, chemorefractory disease. (orig.) [de

Recent advances of bispecific antibodies in solid tumors

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Shengnan Yu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cancer immunotherapy is the most exciting advancement in cancer therapy. Similar to immune checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T, bispecific antibody (BsAb is attracting more and more attention as a novel strategy of antitumor immunotherapy. BsAb not only offers an effective linkage between therapeutics (e.g., immune effector cells, radionuclides and targets (e.g., tumor cells but also simultaneously blocks two different oncogenic mediators. In recent decades, a variety of BsAb formats have been generated. According to the structure of Fc domain, BsAb can be classified into two types: IgG-like format and Fc-free format. Among these formats, bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs and triomabs are commonly investigated. BsAb has achieved an exciting breakthrough in hematological malignancies and promising outcome in solid tumor as showed in various clinical trials. In this review, we focus on the preclinical experiments and clinical studies of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM, human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER family, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA related BsAbs in solid tumors, as well as discuss the challenges and corresponding approaches in clinical application.

Residual tumor cells that drive disease relapse after chemotherapy do not have enhanced tumor initiating capacity.

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Ganapati V Hegde

Full Text Available Although chemotherapy is used to treat most advanced solid tumors, recurrent disease is still the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs have been the focus of intense research in recent years because they provide a possible explanation for disease relapse. However, the precise role of CSCs in recurrent disease remains poorly understood and surprisingly little attention has been focused on studying the cells responsible for re-initiating tumor growth within the original host after chemotherapy treatment. We utilized both xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC to characterize the residual tumor cells that survive chemotherapy treatment and go on to cause tumor regrowth, which we refer to as tumor re-initiating cells (TRICs. We set out to determine whether TRICs display characteristics of CSCs, and whether assays used to define CSCs also provide an accurate readout of a cell's ability to cause tumor recurrence. We did not find consistent enrichment of CSC marker positive cells or enhanced tumor initiating potential in TRICs. However, TRICs from all models do appear to be in EMT, a state that has been linked to chemoresistance in numerous types of cancer. Thus, the standard CSC assays may not accurately reflect a cell's ability to drive disease recurrence.

Mapping water exchange rates in rat tumor xenografts using the late-stage uptake following bolus injections of contrast agent.

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Bailey, Colleen; Moosvi, Firas; Stanisz, Greg J

2014-05-01

To map the intra-to-extracellular water exchange rate constant in rat xenografts using a two-compartment model of relaxation with water exchange and a range of contrast agent concentrations and compare with histology. MDA-MB-231 cells were xenografted into six nude rats. Three bolus injections of gadodiamide were administered. When uptake in the tumor demonstrated a steady-state, T1 data were acquired by spoiled gradient recalled acquisitions at four flip angles. A global fit of data to a two-compartment model incorporating exchange was performed, assuming a distribution volume of 20% of the rat. Voxels that did not reach steady-state and were excluded from parametric maps tended to be in large necrotic areas. TUNEL-negative (nonapoptotic) regions tended to have well-defined error bounds, with an average intra-to-extracellular exchange rate constant of 0.6 s(-1) . Apoptotic regions had higher exchange, but poorly determined upper bounds, with goodness of fit similar to that for a model assuming infinitely fast exchange. A lower bound of >3 s(-1) was used to establish voxels where the exchange rate constant was fast despite a large upper bound. Water exchange rates were higher in apoptotic regions, but examination of statistical errors was an important step in the mapping process. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New Chimeric Antigen Receptor Design for Solid Tumors

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Yuedi Wang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR T-cell therapy has become popular in immunotherapy, particularly after its tremendous success in the treatment of lineage-restricted hematologic cancers. However, the application of CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors has not reached its full potential because of the lack of specific tumor antigens and inhibitory factors in suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME (e.g., programmed death ligand-1, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and transforming growth factor-β. In this review, we include some limitations in CAR design, such as tumor heterogeneity, indefinite spatial distance between CAR T-cell and its target cell, and suppressive TME. We also summarize some new approaches to overcome these hurdles, including targeting neoantigens and/or multiple antigens at once and depleting some inhibitory factors.

Empirical study of 99Tcm-HYNIC-A(D) A(D) APRPG in rabbit model of inflammation and VX2 tumor xenografted

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Liu Ciyi; Song Shaoli; Xie Wenhui; Cai Xiaojia; Zhang Lihua; Huang Gang

2011-01-01

Objective: To investigate the uptake of 99 Tc m -hydrazinonicotinamide-D-alanine- D-alanine-alanine-proline-arginine-proline-glycine (HYNIC-A(D) A(D) APRPG) in rabbit models of inflammation and VX2 tumor xenografted, so as to evaluate its use as a new tracer for tumor angiogenesis. Methods: Ten rabbit models of xenoplanted VX2 tumor and inflammation were randomly divided into two groups which were injected with different injected tracers, 99 Tc m -HYNIC-A(D) A (D)APRPG 99 Tc m -RGD, followed by serial Gamma images at various time points. The first group underwent 18 F-FDG PET ahead of 99 Tc m -HYNICA(D)A (D) APRPG SPECT. Analysis of variance and t-test were performed with SPSS 10.0. Results: 99 Tc m -HYNIC-A(D) A (D)APRPG scan showed negative uptake at inflammation focus but positive uptake at tumor. Pathological examination confirmed high 99 Tc m -HYNIC-A(D)A(D) APRPG accumulation in tumor cells, with the highest tumor/inflammation ratio (3.25±0.171) at 2 h post-injection, which was significantly higher than that of 99 Tc m -RGD (2.37±0.076) (F = 15.63, P 99 Tc m -HYNIC-A(D)A(D)APRPG, 99 Tc m -RGD, 18 F-FDG were significantly different at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6 h (F=13.83∼26.41; t =23.84, 12.75; all P 99 Tc m -HYNIC-A (D) A (D)APRPG can be used as a potential tracer for tumor angiogenesis. (authors)

Connective tissue of cervical carcinoma xenografts: associations with tumor hypoxia and interstitial fluid pressure and its assessment by DCE-MRI and DW-MRI.

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Hompland, Tord; Ellingsen, Christine; Galappathi, Kanthi; Rofstad, Einar K

2014-01-01

Abstract Background. A high fraction of stroma in malignant tissues is associated with tumor progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Possible correlations between the stromal and physiologic microenvironments of tumors and the potential of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in quantification of the stromal microenvironment were investigated in this study. Material and methods. CK-160 cervical carcinoma xenografts were used as preclinical tumor model. A total of 43 tumors were included in the study, and of these tumors, 17 were used to search for correlations between the stromal and physiologic microenvironments, 11 were subjected to DCE-MRI, and 15 were subjected to DW-MRI. DCE-MRI and DW-MRI were carried out at 1.5 T with a clinical MR scanner and a slotted tube resonator transceiver coil constructed for mice. Fraction of connective tissue (CTFCol) and fraction of hypoxic tissue (HFPim) were determined by immunohistochemistry. A Millar SPC 320 catheter was used to measure tumor interstitial fluid pressure (IFP). Results. CTFCol showed a positive correlation to IFP and an inverse correlation to HFPim. The apparent diffusion coefficient assessed by DW-MRI was inversely correlated to CTFCol, whereas no correlation was found between DCE-MRI-derived parameters and CTFCol. Conclusion. DW-MRI is a potentially useful method for characterizing the stromal microenvironment of tumors.

TMOD-05. MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ORTHOTOPIC PATIENT-DERIVED XENOGRAFT MODELS OF PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS AND THEIR USE IN PRECLINICAL EXPERIMENTS

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Brabetz, Sebastian; Schmidt, Christin; Groebner, Susanne N.; Mack, Norman; Seker-Cin, Huriye; Jones, David T.W.; Chavez, Lukas; Milde, Till; Witt, Olaf; Leary, Sarah E.; Li, Xiao-Nan; Wechsler-Reya, Robert J.; Olson, James M.; Pfister, Stefan M.; Kool, Marcel

2017-01-01

Abstract Genomic studies have shown that multiple molecular subtypes of pediatric brain tumors exist that are biologically and clinically highly distinct. These findings ask for novel subtype specific treatments. To develop these we need more and better preclinical models that correctly reflect the proper tumor (sub)type. Orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models generated by intracranial injection of primary patient material into the brain of NSG mice offer the unique possibility to test novel substances in primary patient tissue in an in vivo environment. Prior to drug selection and testing, extensive molecular characterizations of PDX and matching primary tumor/blood (DNA methylation, DNA sequencing, and gene expression) are needed to see how the PDX represents the original disease and to learn about targetable oncogenic drivers in each model. In collaboration with several groups around the world we have generated and fully characterized thus far 75 PDX models reflecting 15 distinct subtypes of pediatric brain cancer. PDX models always retain their molecular subtype and in the vast majority of cases also mutations and copy number alterations compared to matching primary tumors. Most aggressive tumors, harboring MYC(N) amplifications, are overrepresented in the cohort, but also subtypes which have not been available for preclinical testing before due to lack of genetically engineered mouse models or suitable cell lines, such as Group 4 medulloblastoma, are included. All models and corresponding molecular data will become available for the community for preclinical research. Examples of such preclinical experiments will be presented. PDX models of pediatric brain tumors are still quite rare. Our repertoire of PDX models and corresponding molecular characterizations allow researchers all over the world to find the right models for their specific scientific questions. It will provide an unprecedented resource to study tumor biology and pave the way for

A Tumor-stroma Targeted Oncolytic Adenovirus Replicated in Human Ovary Cancer Samples and Inhibited Growth of Disseminated Solid Tumors in Mice

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Lopez, M Veronica; Rivera, Angel A; Viale, Diego L; Benedetti, Lorena; Cuneo, Nicasio; Kimball, Kristopher J; Wang, Minghui; Douglas, Joanne T; Zhu, Zeng B; Bravo, Alicia I; Gidekel, Manuel; Alvarez, Ronald D; Curiel, David T; Podhajcer, Osvaldo L

2012-01-01

Targeting the tumor stroma in addition to the malignant cell compartment is of paramount importance to achieve complete tumor regression. In this work, we modified a previously designed tumor stroma-targeted conditionally replicative adenovirus (CRAd) based on the SPARC promoter by introducing a mutated E1A unable to bind pRB and pseudotyped with a chimeric Ad5/3 fiber (Ad F512v1), and assessed its replication/lytic capacity in ovary cancer in vitro and in vivo. AdF512v1 was able to replicate in fresh samples obtained from patients: (i) with primary human ovary cancer; (ii) that underwent neoadjuvant treatment; (iii) with metastatic disease. In addition, we show that four intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 5 × 1010 v.p. eliminated 50% of xenografted human ovary tumors disseminated in nude mice. Moreover, AdF512v1 replication in tumor models was enhanced 15–40-fold when the tumor contained a mix of malignant and SPARC-expressing stromal cells (fibroblasts and endothelial cells). Contrary to the wild-type virus, AdF512v1 was unable to replicate in normal human ovary samples while the wild-type virus can replicate. This study provides evidence on the lytic capacity of this CRAd and highlights the importance of targeting the stromal tissue in addition to the malignant cell compartment to achieve tumor regression. PMID:22948673

Analysis of the value of imaging in diagnosing pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary tumor

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Sun Canhui; Li Ziping; Meng Quanfei; Feng Shiting; Fan Miao; Peng Zhenpeng

2007-01-01

Objective: To describe the imaging features of solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas(SPTP) and evaluate the value of imaging in diagnosing SPTP. Methods: The imaging appearances in seven cases of SPTP confirmed by surgery and pathology were analyzed retrospectively. The un-enhanced and biphasic enhanced CT scanning were per- formed on all seven cases, including gastrointestinal barium meal series on three cases, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) on three cases, and MRI on one case. Results All tumors presented well-encapsulated heterogeneous soft tissue mass with varying degrees of solid and cystic components. Barium meal examination showed displaced gastrointestinal wall due to the tumoral compression. EUS demonstrated hyper-echoic mass with scattered small anechoic areas within the tumor. The tumor capsules were hyper-echoic. On un-enhanced CT, the mass appeared hypo-dense with mixed solid and cystic portions in six cases, and with predominantly cystic portion in one case. Calcification appeared in two cases. On biphasic enhanced CT, the mass showed peripheral and heterogeneous enhancement. Three tumors showed marked enhancement, and four tumors showed mild enhancement. Multiple small vessels within the tumor revealed on the arterial phase scanning in one case. The tumor capsules showed discontinuous enhancement in three cases. On T 1 WI, the mass appeared heterogeneous and predominantly isodense. On T 2 WI, the mass appeared heterogeneous and predominantly hyper-dense. The tumor capsule was hypo-dense on T 1 WI and T 2 WI. The mild dilatation of the biliary tract and pancreatic duct was revealed in two cases, respectively. Conclusion: Both CT and MRI can describe characteristic features of SPTP well, and should be used as the main diagnostic methods for SPTP before operation. (authors)

Improved decision making for prioritizing tumor targeting antibodies in human xenografts: Utility of fluorescence imaging to verify tumor target expression, antibody binding and optimization of dosage and application schedule.

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Dobosz, Michael; Haupt, Ute; Scheuer, Werner

2017-01-01

Preclinical efficacy studies of antibodies targeting a tumor-associated antigen are only justified when the expression of the relevant antigen has been demonstrated. Conventionally, antigen expression level is examined by immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue section. This method represents the diagnostic "gold standard" for tumor target evaluation, but is affected by a number of factors, such as epitope masking and insufficient antigen retrieval. As a consequence, variances and discrepancies in histological staining results can occur, which may influence decision-making and therapeutic outcome. To overcome these problems, we have used different fluorescence-labeled therapeutic antibodies targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family members and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) in combination with fluorescence imaging modalities to determine tumor antigen expression, drug-target interaction, and biodistribution and tumor saturation kinetics in non-small cell lung cancer xenografts. For this, whole-body fluorescence intensities of labeled antibodies, applied as a single compound or antibody mixture, were measured in Calu-1 and Calu-3 tumor-bearing mice, then ex vivo multispectral tumor tissue analysis at microscopic resolution was performed. With the aid of this simple and fast imaging method, we were able to analyze the tumor cell receptor status of HER1-3 and IGF1R, monitor the antibody-target interaction and evaluate the receptor binding sites of anti-HER2-targeting antibodies. Based on this, the most suitable tumor model, best therapeutic antibody, and optimal treatment dosage and application schedule was selected. Predictions drawn from obtained imaging data were in excellent concordance with outcome of conducted preclinical efficacy studies. Our results clearly demonstrate the great potential of combined in vivo and ex vivo fluorescence imaging for the preclinical development and characterization of

Chimeric-antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy for solid tumors: challenges and opportunities.

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Xia, An-Liang; Wang, Xiao-Chen; Lu, Yi-Jun; Lu, Xiao-Jie; Sun, Beicheng

2017-10-27

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells (CAR-T cells) have been shown to have unprecedented efficacy in B cell malignancies, most notably in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) with up to a 90% complete remission rate using anti-CD19 CAR-T cells. However, CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors currently is faced with numerous challenges such as physical barriers, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the specificity and safety. The clinical results in solid tumors have been much less encouraging, with multiple cases of toxicity and a lack of therapeutic response. In this review, we will discuss the current stats and challenges of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors, and propose possibl e solutions and future perspectives.

Photoirradiation system for solid tumors in photodynamic therapy

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Pacheco, L.; Stolik, S.; Rosa, J.M. de la

2012-01-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinical procedure which induces cell death for destroying cancerous tissues mostly. This is accomplished by photochemical reaction produced by the combined action of three elements: photo sensitizer, light and oxygen. One aspect of the development of PDT is focused on the treatment of solid and deep tumors, where a set of delivering-light probes are placed into the tumor mass. However, this technique still has several challenges, for although certain parameters involved in the procedure may be adjusted, the complex geometry and non-homogeneity of a tumor difficult to establish the appropriate treatment planning. This paper addresses an overview of interstitial PDT and presents our proposal of photo irradiation system. (Author)

Heterotypic mouse models of canine osteosarcoma recapitulate tumor heterogeneity and biological behavior

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Milcah C. Scott

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Osteosarcoma (OS is a heterogeneous and rare disease with a disproportionate impact because it mainly affects children and adolescents. Lamentably, more than half of patients with OS succumb to metastatic disease. Clarification of the etiology of the disease, development of better strategies to manage progression, and methods to guide personalized treatments are among the unmet health needs for OS patients. Progress in managing the disease has been hindered by the extreme heterogeneity of OS; thus, better models that accurately recapitulate the natural heterogeneity of the disease are needed. For this study, we used cell lines derived from two spontaneous canine OS tumors with distinctly different biological behavior (OS-1 and OS-2 for heterotypic in vivo modeling that recapitulates the heterogeneous biology and behavior of this disease. Both cell lines demonstrated stability of the transcriptome when grown as orthotopic xenografts in athymic nude mice. Consistent with the behavior of the original tumors, OS-2 xenografts grew more rapidly at the primary site and had greater propensity to disseminate to lung and establish microscopic metastasis. Moreover, OS-2 promoted formation of a different tumor-associated stromal environment than OS-1 xenografts. OS-2-derived tumors comprised a larger percentage of the xenograft tumors than OS-1-derived tumors. In addition, a robust pro-inflammatory population dominated the stromal cell infiltrates in OS-2 xenografts, whereas a mesenchymal population with a gene signature reflecting myogenic signaling dominated those in the OS-1 xenografts. Our studies show that canine OS cell lines maintain intrinsic features of the tumors from which they were derived and recapitulate the heterogeneous biology and behavior of bone cancer in mouse models. This system provides a resource to understand essential interactions between tumor cells and the stromal environment that drive the progression and metastatic propensity of

Heterotypic mouse models of canine osteosarcoma recapitulate tumor heterogeneity and biological behavior.

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Scott, Milcah C; Tomiyasu, Hirotaka; Garbe, John R; Cornax, Ingrid; Amaya, Clarissa; O'Sullivan, M Gerard; Subramanian, Subbaya; Bryan, Brad A; Modiano, Jaime F

2016-12-01

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a heterogeneous and rare disease with a disproportionate impact because it mainly affects children and adolescents. Lamentably, more than half of patients with OS succumb to metastatic disease. Clarification of the etiology of the disease, development of better strategies to manage progression, and methods to guide personalized treatments are among the unmet health needs for OS patients. Progress in managing the disease has been hindered by the extreme heterogeneity of OS; thus, better models that accurately recapitulate the natural heterogeneity of the disease are needed. For this study, we used cell lines derived from two spontaneous canine OS tumors with distinctly different biological behavior (OS-1 and OS-2) for heterotypic in vivo modeling that recapitulates the heterogeneous biology and behavior of this disease. Both cell lines demonstrated stability of the transcriptome when grown as orthotopic xenografts in athymic nude mice. Consistent with the behavior of the original tumors, OS-2 xenografts grew more rapidly at the primary site and had greater propensity to disseminate to lung and establish microscopic metastasis. Moreover, OS-2 promoted formation of a different tumor-associated stromal environment than OS-1 xenografts. OS-2-derived tumors comprised a larger percentage of the xenograft tumors than OS-1-derived tumors. In addition, a robust pro-inflammatory population dominated the stromal cell infiltrates in OS-2 xenografts, whereas a mesenchymal population with a gene signature reflecting myogenic signaling dominated those in the OS-1 xenografts. Our studies show that canine OS cell lines maintain intrinsic features of the tumors from which they were derived and recapitulate the heterogeneous biology and behavior of bone cancer in mouse models. This system provides a resource to understand essential interactions between tumor cells and the stromal environment that drive the progression and metastatic propensity of OS. © 2016

β-HPV Infection Correlates with Early Stages of Carcinogenesis in Skin Tumors and Patient-Derived Xenografts from a Kidney Transplant Recipient Cohort.

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Borgogna, Cinzia; Olivero, Carlotta; Lanfredini, Simone; Calati, Federica; De Andrea, Marco; Zavattaro, Elisa; Savoia, Paola; Trisolini, Elena; Boldorini, Renzo; Patel, Girish K; Gariglio, Marisa

2018-01-01

Many malignancies that occur in high excess in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are due to viruses that thrive in the setting of immunosuppression. Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC), the most frequently occurring cancer type in KTR, has been associated with skin infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) from the beta genus. In this report, we extend our previous investigation aimed at identifying the presence of active β-HPV infection in skin tumors from KTRs through detection of viral protein expression. Using a combination of antibodies raised against the E4 and L1 proteins of the β-genotypes, we were able to visualize infection in five tumors [one keratoacanthoma (KA), three actinic keratoses (AKs), and one seborrheic keratoses (SKs)] that were all removed from two patients who had been both transplanted twice, had developed multiple KCs, and presented with a long history of immunosuppression (>30 years). These infected tissues displayed intraepidermal hyperplasia and increased expression of the ΔNp63 protein, which extended into the upper epithelial layers. In addition, using a xenograft model system in nude mice displaying a humanized stromal bed in the site of grafting, we successfully engrafted three AKs, two of which were derived from the aforementioned KTRs and displayed β-HPV infection in the original tumor. Of note, one AK-derived xenograft, along with its ensuing lymph node metastasis, was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In the latter, both β-HPV infection and ΔNp63 expression were no longer detectable. Although the overall success rate of engrafting was very low, the results of this study show for the first time that β-HPV + and ΔNp63 + intraepidermal hyperplasia can indeed progress to an aggressive SCC able to metastasize. Consistent with a series of reports attributing a causative role of β-HPV at early stages of skin carcinogenesis through ΔNp63 induction and increased keratinocytes stemness, here we provide in vivo evidence that

Solid pancreatic pseudopapillary tumor managed laparoscopically: A case report and review of the literature

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D. Cuccurullo

Full Text Available Background: Solid pancreatic pseudopapillary tumors are a rare neoplasms, about 1–3% of all pancreatic neoplasms. This cancer mainly affects women between the third and fourth decade of life.They are not well known; the molecular origins represent a low degree of malignancy, in which the complete resection is curative. We report our experience with a case report of SPT in a young man. Presentation of case: Thirty-six years old male patient with a mass about 10 cm in the pancreatic tail and splenic ilum. After following CT and MR, the patient was subjected to surgery. Histophatological result was solid tumor pseudopapillary of pancreas with no pathological lymph nodes. Discussion and conclusion: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm shows histological characteristic solid and pseudopapillary proliferation. Immunohistochemistry detects, among the causes of tumor development, a correlation between the Beta-catenin mutations, alteration of the E-cadherin. In the most cases, therapy is surgical treatment with laparoscopic. Keywords: Pancreatic pseudopapillary neoplasm, Pancreatic tumor, Laparoscopic surgery

GPR55 receptor antagonist decreases glycolytic activity in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line and tumor xenografts.

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Bernier, Michel; Catazaro, Jonathan; Singh, Nagendra S; Wnorowski, Artur; Boguszewska-Czubara, Anna; Jozwiak, Krzysztof; Powers, Robert; Wainer, Irving W

2017-11-15

The Warburg effect is a predominant metabolic pathway in cancer cells characterized by enhanced glucose uptake and its conversion to l-lactate and is associated with upregulated expression of HIF-1α and activation of the EGFR-MEK-ERK, Wnt-β-catenin, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways. (R,R')-4'-methoxy-1-naphthylfenoterol ((R,R')-MNF) significantly reduces proliferation, survival, and motility of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the GPR55 receptor. We examined (R,R')-MNF's effect on glycolysis in PANC-1 cells and tumors. Global NMR metabolomics was used to elucidate differences in the metabolome between untreated and (R,R')-MNF-treated cells. LC/MS analysis was used to quantify intracellular concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate, carnitine, and l-lactate. Changes in target protein expression were determined by Western blot analysis. Data was also obtained from mouse PANC-1 tumor xenografts after administration of (R,R')-MNF. Metabolomics data indicate that (R,R')-MNF altered fatty acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and amino acid metabolism and increased intracellular concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate and carnitine while reducing l-lactate content. The cellular content of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 and hexokinase 2 was reduced consistent with diminished PI3K-AKT signaling and glucose metabolism. The presence of the GLUT8 transporter was established and found to be attenuated by (R,R')-MNF. Mice treated with (R,R')-MNF had significant accumulation of l-lactate in tumor tissue relative to vehicle-treated mice, together with reduced levels of the selective l-lactate transporter MCT4. Lower intratumoral levels of EGFR, pyruvate kinase M2, β-catenin, hexokinase 2, and p-glycoprotein were also observed. The data suggest that (R,R')-MNF reduces glycolysis in PANC-1 cells and tumors through reduced expression and function at multiple controlling sites in the glycolytic pathway. © 2017 UICC.

Some epidemiological and clinical characteristics of solid malignant tumors in children from Las Tunas

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Silvio Laffita Estévez

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: cancer has kept up as the second cause of death in Las Tunas pediatric population.Objective: to characterize clinical and epidemiological variables of the cases diagnosed with solid malignant tumors in children seen and treated in the onco-pediatric consultation of “Mártires de Las Tunas” Pediatric Hospital from 2010 to 2014.Methods: a descriptive and retrospective study was carried out in 62 patients with solid malignant tumors in the pediatric population of Las Tunas province, from January, 2010 to December, 2014. The variables considered were: presumptive diagnosis, age, family history of tumors, clinical signs of alarm related to the tumor at the moment of diagnosis and investigations to confirm the diagnosis.  Results: non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most frequently diagnosed tumor, with a 19, 35% of the patients. The most affected age group was between 11 and 14 years old, with a 33, 87%. The 16, 13% of the patients had family history of solid malignant tumors. The most frequent form of presentation was the abdominal tumor, with 29, 03 %. Abdominal ultrasound and computerized axial tomography were the most used complementary diagnostic means, both in the 17, 74% of the patients. Biopsy was used to confirm the 96, 77% of the cases.Conclusions: the clinical and epidemiological variables were characterized in pediatric patients diagnosed with solid malignant tumors in Las Tunas. Children between 11 and 14 years old and family history of malignant tumors were the most significant findings.

Cellular and Tumor Radiosensitivity is Correlated to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Protein Expression Level in Tumors Without EGFR Amplification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasten-Pisula, Ulla; Saker, Jarob; Eicheler, Wolfgang; Krause, Mechthild; Yaromina, Ala; Meyer-Staeckling, Soenke; Scherkl, Benjamin; Kriegs, Malte; Brandt, Burkhard; Grenman, Reidar; Petersen, Cordula; Baumann, Michael; Dikomey, Ekkehard

2011-01-01

Purpose: There is conflicting evidence for whether the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in human tumors can be used as a marker of radioresponse. Therefore, this association was studied in a systematic manner using squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines grown as cell cultures and xenografts. Methods and Materials: The study was performed with 24 tumor cell lines of different tumor types, including 10 SCC lines, which were also investigated as xenografts on nude mice. Egfr gene dose and the length of CA-repeats in intron 1 were determined by polymerase chain reaction, protein expression in vitro by Western blot and in vivo by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and radiosensitivity in vitro by colony formation. Data were correlated with previously published tumor control dose 50% data after fractionated irradiation of xenografts of the 10 SCC. Results: EGFR protein expression varies considerably, with most tumor cell lines showing moderate and only few showing pronounced upregulation. EGFR upregulation could only be attributed to massive gene amplification in the latter. In the case of little or no amplification, in vitro EGFR expression correlated with both cellular and tumor radioresponse. In vivo EGFR expression did not show this correlation. Conclusions: Local tumor control after the fractionated irradiation of tumors with little or no gene amplification seems to be dependent on in vitro EGFR via its effect on cellular radiosensitivity.

Angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis: Perspectives for the treatment of solid tumors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hinsbergh, V.W.M. van; Collen, A.; Koolwijk, P.

1999-01-01

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting ones. Many solid tumors depend on an extensive newly formed vascular network to become nourished and to expand. Tumor cells induce the formation of an extensive but aberrant vascular network by the secretion of angiogenic factors. A

Nutritional status changes in children with malignant solid tumor before and after chemotherapy

OpenAIRE

Boris Januar; Sri S Nasar; Rulina Suradi; Maria Abdulsalam

2016-01-01

Background Although aggressive multimodal treatment programs in childhood cancer have significantly increased survival rates, the morbidity caused by protein energy malnutrition related to therapy is still high. Objective To describe nutritional status changes in children with malignant solid tumors after 21 days of chemotherapy. Methods A descriptive prospective study with pre- and post-test design in children with malignant solid tumors was conducted in the Departmen...

DNER, an epigenetically modulated gene, regulates glioblastoma-derived neurosphere cell differentiation and tumor propagation.

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Sun, Peng; Xia, Shuli; Lal, Bachchu; Eberhart, Charles G; Quinones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Maciaczyk, Jarek; Matsui, William; Dimeco, Francesco; Piccirillo, Sara M; Vescovi, Angelo L; Laterra, John

2009-07-01

Neurospheres derived from glioblastoma (GBM) and other solid malignancies contain neoplastic stem-like cells that efficiently propagate tumor growth and resist cytotoxic therapeutics. The primary objective of this study was to use histone-modifying agents to elucidate mechanisms by which the phenotype and tumor-promoting capacity of GBM-derived neoplastic stem-like cells are regulated. Using established GBM-derived neurosphere lines and low passage primary GBM-derived neurospheres, we show that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors inhibit growth, induce differentiation, and induce apoptosis of neoplastic neurosphere cells. A specific gene product induced by HDAC inhibition, Delta/Notch-like epidermal growth factor-related receptor (DNER), inhibited the growth of GBM-derived neurospheres, induced their differentiation in vivo and in vitro, and inhibited their engraftment and growth as tumor xenografts. The differentiating and tumor suppressive effects of DNER, a noncanonical Notch ligand, contrast with the previously established tumor-promoting effects of canonical Notch signaling in brain cancer stem-like cells. Our findings are the first to implicate noncanonical Notch signaling in the regulation of neoplastic stem-like cells and suggest novel neoplastic stem cell targeting treatment strategies for GBM and potentially other solid malignancies.

Using a 3-d model system to screen for drugs effective on solid tumors

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Fayad, Walid

2011-01-01

There is a large medical need for the development of effective anticancer agents with minimal side effects. The present thesis represents an attempt to identify potent drugs for treatment of solid tumors. We used a strategy where 3-D multicellular tumor spheroids (cancer cells grown in three dimensional culture) were utilized as in vitro models for solid tumors. Drug libraries were screened using spheroids as targets and using apoptosis induction and loss of cell viability as endpoints. The h...

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy for solid tumors: lessons learned and strategies for moving forward.

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Li, Jian; Li, Wenwen; Huang, Kejia; Zhang, Yang; Kupfer, Gary; Zhao, Qi

2018-02-13

Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for the treatment CD19-positive B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. While CAR-T has achieved remarkable success in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies, whether it can benefit solid tumor patients to the same extent is still uncertain. Even though hundreds of clinical trials are undergoing exploring a variety of tumor-associated antigens (TAA), no such antigen with comparable properties like CD19 has yet been identified regarding solid tumors CAR-T immunotherapy. Inefficient T cell trafficking, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, suboptimal antigen recognition specificity, and lack of safety control are currently considered as the main obstacles in solid tumor CAR-T therapy. Here, we reviewed the solid tumor CAR-T clinical trials, emphasizing the studies with published results. We further discussed the challenges that CAR-T is facing for solid tumor treatment and proposed potential strategies to improve the efficacy of CAR-T as promising immunotherapy.

AKT Inhibition in Solid Tumors With AKT1 Mutations.

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Hyman, David M; Smyth, Lillian M; Donoghue, Mark T A; Westin, Shannon N; Bedard, Philippe L; Dean, Emma J; Bando, Hideaki; El-Khoueiry, Anthony B; Pérez-Fidalgo, José A; Mita, Alain; Schellens, Jan H M; Chang, Matthew T; Reichel, Jonathan B; Bouvier, Nancy; Selcuklu, S Duygu; Soumerai, Tara E; Torrisi, Jean; Erinjeri, Joseph P; Ambrose, Helen; Barrett, J Carl; Dougherty, Brian; Foxley, Andrew; Lindemann, Justin P O; McEwen, Robert; Pass, Martin; Schiavon, Gaia; Berger, Michael F; Chandarlapaty, Sarat; Solit, David B; Banerji, Udai; Baselga, José; Taylor, Barry S

2017-07-10

Purpose AKT1 E17K mutations are oncogenic and occur in many cancers at a low prevalence. We performed a multihistology basket study of AZD5363, an ATP-competitive pan-AKT kinase inhibitor, to determine the preliminary activity of AKT inhibition in AKT-mutant cancers. Patients and Methods Fifty-eight patients with advanced solid tumors were treated. The primary end point was safety; secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Tumor biopsies and plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) were collected in the majority of patients to identify predictive biomarkers of response. Results In patients with AKT1 E17K-mutant tumors (n = 52) and a median of five lines of prior therapy, the median PFS was 5.5 months (95% CI, 2.9 to 6.9 months), 6.6 months (95% CI, 1.5 to 8.3 months), and 4.2 months (95% CI, 2.1 to 12.8 months) in patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast, gynecologic, and other solid tumors, respectively. In an exploratory biomarker analysis, imbalance of the AKT1 E17K-mutant allele, most frequently caused by copy-neutral loss-of-heterozygosity targeting the wild-type allele, was associated with longer PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.41; P = .04), as was the presence of coincident PI3K pathway hotspot mutations (HR, 0.21; P = .045). Persistent declines in AKT1 E17K in cfDNA were associated with improved PFS (HR, 0.18; P = .004) and response ( P = .025). Responses were not restricted to patients with detectable AKT1 E17K in pretreatment cfDNA. The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were hyperglycemia (24%), diarrhea (17%), and rash (15.5%). Conclusion This study provides the first clinical data that AKT1 E17K is a therapeutic target in human cancer. The genomic context of the AKT1 E17K mutation further conditioned response to AZD5363.

Characterization of TEM1/endosialin in human and murine brain tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carson-Walter, Eleanor B; Walter, Kevin A; Winans, Bethany N; Whiteman, Melissa C; Liu, Yang; Jarvela, Sally; Haapasalo, Hannu; Tyler, Betty M; Huso, David L; Johnson, Mahlon D

2009-01-01

TEM1/endosialin is an emerging microvascular marker of tumor angiogenesis. We characterized the expression pattern of TEM1/endosialin in astrocytic and metastatic brain tumors and investigated its role as a therapeutic target in human endothelial cells and mouse xenograft models. In situ hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IH) and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to localize TEM1/endosialin expression in grade II-IV astrocytomas and metastatic brain tumors on tissue microarrays. Changes in TEM1/endosialin expression in response to pro-angiogenic conditions were assessed in human endothelial cells grown in vitro. Intracranial U87MG glioblastoma (GBM) xenografts were analyzed in nude TEM1/endosialin knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) mice. TEM1/endosialin was upregulated in primary and metastatic human brain tumors, where it localized primarily to the tumor vasculature and a subset of tumor stromal cells. Analysis of 275 arrayed grade II-IV astrocytomas demonstrated TEM1/endosialin expression in 79% of tumors. Robust TEM1/endosialin expression occurred in 31% of glioblastomas (grade IV astroctyomas). TEM1/endosialin expression was inversely correlated with patient age. TEM1/endosialin showed limited co-localization with CD31, αSMA and fibronectin in clinical specimens. In vitro, TEM1/endosialin was upregulated in human endothelial cells cultured in matrigel. Vascular Tem1/endosialin was induced in intracranial U87MG GBM xenografts grown in mice. Tem1/endosialin KO vs WT mice demonstrated equivalent survival and tumor growth when implanted with intracranial GBM xenografts, although Tem1/endosialin KO tumors were significantly more vascular than the WT counterparts. TEM1/endosialin was induced in the vasculature of high-grade brain tumors where its expression was inversely correlated with patient age. Although lack of TEM1/endosialin did not suppress growth of intracranial GBM xenografts, it did increase tumor vascularity. The cellular localization of TEM1

Study of arsenic trioxide-induced vascular shutdown and enhancement with radiation in solid tumor

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Monzen, Hajime; Griffin, R.J.; Williams, B.W.; Amamo, Morikazu; Ando, Satoshi; Hasegawa, Takeo

2004-01-01

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been reported to be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and, recently, anti-tumor effect has been demonstrated in solid tumors. However, little is known about the mechanism of action of the ATO effect on solid tumor. We investigated the anti-vascular effect of ATO and the potential of combining ATO with radiation therapy. We studied the anti-vascular effect of ATO and radiosensitization of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) VII murine tumors of C3H mice. The anti-vascular effect was examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiosensitivity was studied by clonogenic assay and tumor growth delay. Histopathological changes of the tumors after various treatments were also observed with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining. Necrosis and blood flow changes in the central region of tumors in the hind limbs of the animals were observed on T2-weighted imaging after an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 8 mg/kg of ATO alone. ATO exposure followed by radiation decreased the clonogenic survival of SCC VII cells compared with either treatment alone. Tumor growth delay after 10-20 Gy of radiation alone was increased slightly compared with control tumors, but the combination of ATO injection 2 hours before exposure to 20 Gy of radiation significantly prolonged tumor growth delay by almost 20 days. The results suggest that ATO and radiation can enhance the radiosensitivity of solid tumor. (author)

Mathematical Based Calculation of Drug Penetration Depth in Solid Tumors

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Hamidreza Namazi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cells’ growth which affect cells and make them damaged. Many treatment options for cancer exist. Chemotherapy as an important treatment option is the use of drugs to treat cancer. The anticancer drug travels to the tumor and then diffuses in it through capillaries. The diffusion of drugs in the solid tumor is limited by penetration depth which is different in case of different drugs and cancers. The computation of this depth is important as it helps physicians to investigate about treatment of infected tissue. Although many efforts have been made on studying and measuring drug penetration depth, less works have been done on computing this length from a mathematical point of view. In this paper, first we propose phase lagging model for diffusion of drug in the tumor. Then, using this model on one side and considering the classic diffusion on the other side, we compute the drug penetration depth in the solid tumor. This computed value of drug penetration depth is corroborated by comparison with the values measured by experiments.

Effect of dasatinib in a xenograft mouse model of canine histiocytic sarcoma and in vitro expression status of its potential target EPHA2.

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Ito, K; Miyamoto, R; Tani, H; Kurita, S; Kobayashi, M; Tamura, K; Bonkobara, M

2018-02-01

Canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an aggressive and highly metastatic tumor. Previously, the kinase inhibitor dasatinib was shown to have potent growth inhibitory activity against HS cells in vitro, possibly via targeting the EPHA2 receptor. Here, the in vivo effect of dasatinib in HS cells was investigated using a xenograft mouse model. Moreover, the expression status of EPHA2 was examined in six HS cell lines, ranging from insensitive to highly sensitive to dasatinib. In the HS xenograft mouse model, dasatinib significantly suppressed tumor growth, as illustrated by a decrease in mitotic and Ki67 indices and an increase in apoptotic index in tumor tissues. On Western blot analysis, EPHA2 was only weakly detected in all HS cell lines, regardless of sensitivity to dasatinib. Dasatinib likely results in the inhibition of xenograft tumor growth via a mechanism other than targeting EPHA2. The findings of this study suggest that dasatinib is a targeted therapy drug worthy of further exploration for the treatment of canine HS. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Strategies for enhancing adoptive T-cell immunotherapy against solid tumors using engineered cytokine signaling and other modalities.

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Shum, Thomas; Kruse, Robert L; Rooney, Cliona M

2018-05-04

Cancer therapy has been transformed by the demonstration that tumor-specific T-cells can eliminate tumor cells in a clinical setting with minimal long-term toxicity. However, significant success in the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma with T-cells using native receptors or redirected with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has not been recapitulated in the treatment of solid tumors. This lack of success is likely related to the paucity of costimulatory and cytokine signaling available in solid tumors, in addition to a range of inhibitory mechanisms. Areas covered: We summarize the latest developments in engineered T-cell immunotherapy, describe the limitations of these approaches in treating solid tumors, and finally highlight several strategies that may be useful in mediating solid tumor responses in the future, while also ensuring safety of engineered cells. Expert opinion: CAR-T therapies require further engineering to achieve their potential against solid tumors. Facilitating cytokine signaling in CAR T-cells appears to be essential in achieving better responses. However, the engineering of T-cells with potentially unchecked proliferation and potency raises the question of whether the simultaneous combination of enhancements will prove safe, necessitating continued advancements in regulating CAR-T activity at the tumor site and methods to safely switch off these engineered cells.

Human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (HAMLET) kills human glioblastoma cells in brain xenografts by an apoptosis-like mechanism and prolongs survival.

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Fischer, Walter; Gustafsson, Lotta; Mossberg, Ann-Kristin; Gronli, Janne; Mork, Sverre; Bjerkvig, Rolf; Svanborg, Catharina

2004-03-15

Malignant brain tumors present a major therapeutic challenge because no selective or efficient treatment is available. Here, we demonstrate that intratumoral administration of human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (HAMLET) prolongs survival in a human glioblastoma (GBM) xenograft model, by selective induction of tumor cell apoptosis. HAMLET is a protein-lipid complex that is formed from alpha-lactalbumin when the protein changes its tertiary conformation and binds oleic acid as a cofactor. HAMLET induces apoptosis in a wide range of tumor cells in vitro, but the therapeutic effect in vivo has not been examined. In this study, invasively growing human GBM tumors were established in nude rats (Han:rnu/rnu Rowett, n = 20) by transplantation of human GBM biopsy spheroids. After 7 days, HAMLET was administered by intracerebral convection-enhanced delivery for 24 h into the tumor area; and alpha-lactalbumin, the native, folded variant of the same protein, was used as a control. HAMLET reduced the intracranial tumor volume and delayed the onset of pressure symptoms in the tumor-bearing rats. After 8 weeks, all alpha-lactalbumin-treated rats had developed pressure symptoms, but the HAMLET-treated rats remained asymptomatic. Magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed large differences in tumor volume (456 versus 63 mm(3)). HAMLET caused apoptosis in vivo in the tumor but not in adjacent intact brain tissue or in nontransformed human astrocytes, and no toxic side effects were observed. The results identify HAMLET as a new candidate in cancer therapy and suggest that HAMLET should be additionally explored as a novel approach to controlling GBM progression.

Dynamic PET evaluation of elevated FLT level after sorafenib treatment in mice bearing human renal cell carcinoma xenograft.

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Ukon, Naoyuki; Zhao, Songji; Yu, Wenwen; Shimizu, Yoichi; Nishijima, Ken-Ichi; Kubo, Naoki; Kitagawa, Yoshimasa; Tamaki, Nagara; Higashikawa, Kei; Yasui, Hironobu; Kuge, Yuji

2016-12-01

Sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, has anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities and is therapeutically effective against renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Recently, we have evaluated the tumor responses to sorafenib treatment in a RCC xenograft using [Methyl- 3 H(N)]-3'-fluoro-3'-deoxythythymidine ([ 3 H]FLT). Contrary to our expectation, the FLT level in the tumor significantly increased after the treatment. In this study, to clarify the reason for the elevated FLT level, dynamic 3'-[ 18 F]fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine ([ 18 F]FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) and kinetic studies were performed in mice bearing a RCC xenograft (A498). The A498 xenograft was established in nude mice, and the mice were assigned to the control (n = 5) and treatment (n = 5) groups. The mice in the treatment group were orally given sorafenib (20 mg/kg/day p.o.) once daily for 3 days. Twenty-four hours after the treatment, dynamic [ 18 F]FLT PET was performed by small-animal PET. Three-dimensional regions of interest (ROIs) were manually defined for the tumors. A three-compartment model fitting was carried out to estimate four rate constants using the time activity curve (TAC) in the tumor and the blood clearance rate of [ 18 F]FLT. The dynamic pattern of [ 18 F]FLT levels in the tumor significantly changed after the treatment. The rate constant of [ 18 F]FLT phosphorylation (k 3 ) was significantly higher in the treatment group (0.111 ± 0.027 [1/min]) than in the control group (0.082 ± 0.009 [1/min]). No significant changes were observed in the distribution volume, the ratio of [ 18 F]FLT forward transport (K 1 ) to reverse transport (k 2 ), between the two groups (0.556 ± 0.073 and 0.641 ± 0.052 [mL/g] in the control group). Our dynamic PET studies indicated that the increase in FLT level may be caused by the phosphorylation of FLT in the tumor after the sorafenib treatment in the mice bearing a RCC xenograft. Dynamic PET studies with kinetic

Safety profile of avelumab in patients with advanced solid tumors: A pooled analysis of data from the phase 1 JAVELIN solid tumor and phase 2 JAVELIN Merkel 200 clinical trials

OpenAIRE

Kelly, K; Infante, JR; Taylor, MH; Patel, MR; Wong, DJ; Iannotti, N; Mehnert, JM; Loos, AH; Koch, H; Speit, I; Gulley, JL

2018-01-01

© 2018 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. BACKGROUND: Antibodies targeting the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) checkpoint may cause adverse events (AEs) that are linked to the mechanism of action of this therapeutic class and unique from those observed with conventional chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with advanced solid tumors who were enrolled in the phase 1 JAVELIN Solid Tumor (1650 patient...

Continuity resection of the mandible after ameloblastoma - feasibility of oral rehabilitation with rhBMP-2 associated to bovine xenograft followed by implant installation.

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Lustosa, Romulo Maciel; Macedo, Diogo de Vasconcelos; Iwaki, Lilian Cristina Vessoni; Tolentino, Elen de Souza; Hasse, Paulo Norberto; Marson, Giordano Bruno de Oliveira; Iwaki Filho, Liogi

2015-10-01

Recombinant human morphogenetic protein (rhBMP) is a graft alternative for extensive mandibular reconstruction after tumor resections. However, the feasibility of rhBMP-2 to receive osseointegrated implants and prosthetic rehabilitation has been rarely reported. This study reports on a case of an extensive solid ameloblastoma along the mandibular body. The treatment consisted of resection followed by off-label use of rhBMP type 2 associated with bovine bone xenograft. Eleven months postoperatively, the patient was prosthetically rehabilitated with dental implants, without evidence of resorption or complications. The literature on mandibular reconstructions using rhBMP and their feasibility for future osseointegrated implant placement was also reviewed. Based on the presented case, the association between rhBMP-2 and a bovine bone xenograft could be considered a feasible option for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of large mandibular defects after tumor resection. According to the literature, the use of rhBMP as a graft material is encouraging, with good clinical outcome. However, there are no long-term studies demonstrating success and survival rates of implants placed in these grafts. Future investigations will be required to ascertain the long-term survival of implants in areas grafted with rhBMP. Also, there is a lack of information regarding the prosthetic rehabilitation of these patients. Copyright © 2015 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying metabolic heterogeneity in head and neck tumors in real time: 2-DG uptake is highest in hypoxic tumor regions.

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Erica C Nakajima

Full Text Available Intratumoral metabolic heterogeneity may increase the likelihood of treatment failure due to the presence of a subset of resistant tumor cells. Using a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC xenograft model and a real-time fluorescence imaging approach, we tested the hypothesis that tumors are metabolically heterogeneous, and that tumor hypoxia alters patterns of glucose uptake within the tumor.Cal33 cells were grown as xenograft tumors (n = 16 in nude mice after identification of this cell line's metabolic response to hypoxia. Tumor uptake of fluorescent markers identifying hypoxia, glucose import, or vascularity was imaged simultaneously using fluorescent molecular tomography. The variability of intratumoral 2-deoxyglucose (IR800-2-DG concentration was used to assess tumor metabolic heterogeneity, which was further investigated using immunohistochemistry for expression of key metabolic enzymes. HNSCC tumors in patients were assessed for intratumoral variability of (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18F-FDG uptake in clinical PET scans.IR800-2-DG uptake in hypoxic regions of Cal33 tumors was 2.04 times higher compared to the whole tumor (p = 0.0001. IR800-2-DG uptake in tumors containing hypoxic regions was more heterogeneous as compared to tumors lacking a hypoxic signal. Immunohistochemistry staining for HIF-1α, carbonic anhydrase 9, and ATP synthase subunit 5β confirmed xenograft metabolic heterogeneity. We detected heterogeneous (18F-FDG uptake within patient HNSCC tumors, and the degree of heterogeneity varied amongst tumors.Hypoxia is associated with increased intratumoral metabolic heterogeneity. (18F-FDG PET scans may be used to stratify patients according to the metabolic heterogeneity within their tumors, which could be an indicator of prognosis.

Uptake of labelled tallysomycin by solid Ehrlich ascites tumors in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liniecki, J.; Rembelska, M.; Koniarek, B.

1983-01-01

Tumor and normal tissue uptake of 51 Cr- or 57 Co-labelled bleomycin (BLEO) and tallysomycin (TLM) was compared in female solid Ehrlich ascites tumor mice of Swiss strain. The complexes were administered intraperitoneally: 30-50 μg of each complex with an activity of 40-120 μCi. Activity distribution factors (ADF) and tumor/non-tumor ratios for blood, bone, skeletal muscles, kidneys and liver were determined. The ratios were generally higher for complexes labelled with 57 Co than for the 51 Cr-labelled ones; bleomycin appears equivalent or superior to tallysomycin. (orig.) [de

Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy in Solid Tumors

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Smitha Menon

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Immunotherapy is heralded as one of the most important advances in oncology. Until recently, only limited immunotherapeutic options were available in selected immunogenic cancers like melanoma and renal cell carcinomas. Nowadays, there is an improved understanding that anti-tumor immunity is controlled by a delicate balance in the tumor microenvironment between immune stimulatory and immune inhibitory pathways. Either by blocking the inhibitory pathways or stimulating the activating pathways that regulate cytotoxic lymphocytes, anti-tumor immunity can be enhanced leading to durable anti-tumor responses. Drugs which block the immune regulatory checkpoints namely the PD-1/PDL1 and CTLA 4 pathway have shown tremendous promise in a wide spectrum of solid and hematological malignancies, significantly improving overall survival in newly diagnosed and heavily pretreated patients alike. Hence there is renewed enthusiasm in the field of immune oncology with current research focused on augmenting responses to checkpoint inhibitors by combination therapy as well as studies looking at other immune modulators and adoptive T cell therapy. In this article, we highlight the key clinical advances and concepts in immunotherapy with particular emphasis on checkpoint inhibition as well as the future direction in this field.

Characterization of cell suspensions from solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pallavicini, M.

1985-01-01

The desirable features of cells in suspension will necessarily be dependent upon the use for which the cells were prepared. Adequate cell yield or recovery is defined by the measurement to be performed. Retention of cellular morphology is important for microscopic identification of cell types in a heterogenous cell suspension, and may be used to determine whether the cells in suspension are representative of those in the tumor in situ. Different dispersal protocols may yield cells with different degrees of clonogenicity, as well as altered biochemical features, such as loss of cellular proteins, surface antigens, nucleotide pools, etc. The quality of the cell suspension can be judged by the degree of cell clumping and level of cellular debris, both of which impact on flow cytometric measurements and studies in which the number of cells be known accurately. Finally, if the data measured on the cells in suspension are to be extrapolated to phenomena occurring in the tumor in situ, it is desirable that the cells in suspension are representative of those in the solid tumor in vivo. This report compares characteristics of tumor cell suspensions obtained by different types of selected disaggregation methods. 33 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

Evaluation of malignant solid tumor in childhood with FDG-PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Amane; Goto, Hiroaki; Kuroki, Fumiko

2006-01-01

Usefulness of FDG-PET (18F-deoxyglucose PET) was examined in evaluation of diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy of childhood malignant solid tumors. Subjects were 32 patients (16 males) of the median age of 7 y (1 - 27 y), involving those with neuroblastoma (9 cases), hepatoblastoma (4), chronic granulomatous disorder (4) and others (each ≤2). They underwent 75 FDG-PET examinations for diagnosis before and during treatment in authors' hospital in the period from May 2001 to December 2003. Standard uptake value (SUV), 1 x 1 cm region of interest (ROI) of abnormally high distribution area of radioactivity in the lesion/FDG dose/kg body wt., was used for evaluation: SUV>1.5 was defined positive. In neuroblastoma, FDG was found to be highly distributed and kinetics of SUV, to be useful for evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and early metastasis detection. In some cases of hepatoblastoma, the therapeutic effectiveness and recurrence were not satisfactorily evaluative. The distribution of FDG was not satisfactory in Wilms' tumor relative to other tumors. The PET was thought to be useful, despite their small case number examined, for those evaluations of Ewing's tumor, dysgerminoma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Thus FDG-PET was found useful for detection, evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and early metastasis detection of pediatric malignant solid tumors. (T.I.)

Monitoring the Effects of Anti-angiogenesis on the Radiation Sensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Xenografts Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Ning; Cao, Minsong; Chin-Sinex, Helen; Mendonca, Marc; Ko, Song-Chu; Stantz, Keith M.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To image the intratumor vascular physiological status of pancreatic tumors xenografts and their response to anti-angiogenic therapy using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT), and to identify parameters of vascular physiology associated with tumor x-ray sensitivity after anti-angiogenic therapy. Methods and Materials: Nude mice bearing human BxPC-3 pancreatic tumor xenografts were treated with 5 Gy of radiation therapy (RT), either a low dose (40 mg/kg) or a high dose (150 mg/kg) of DC101, the anti-VEGF receptor-2 anti-angiogenesis antibody, or with combination of low or high dose DC101 and 5 Gy RT (DC101-plus-RT). DCE-CT scans were longitudinally acquired over a 3-week period post-DC101 treatment. Parametric maps of tumor perfusion and fractional plasma volume (F p ) were calculated and their averaged values and histogram distributions evaluated and compared to controls, from which a more homogeneous physiological window was observed 1-week post-DC101. Mice receiving a combination of DC101-plus-RT(5 Gy) were imaged baseline before receiving DC101 and 1 week after DC101 (before RT). Changes in perfusion and F p were compared with alternation in tumor growth delay for RT and DC101-plus-RT (5 Gy)-treated tumors. Results: Pretreatment with low or high doses of DC101 before RT significantly delayed tumor growth by an average 7.9 days compared to RT alone (P ≤ .01). The increase in tumor growth delay for the DC101-plus-RT-treated tumors was strongly associated with changes in tumor perfusion (ΔP>−15%) compared to RT treated tumors alone (P=.01). In addition, further analysis revealed a trend linking the tumor's increased growth delay to its tumor volume-to-DC101 dose ratio. Conclusions: DCE-CT is capable of monitoring changes in intratumor physiological parameter of tumor perfusion in response to anti-angiogenic therapy of a pancreatic human tumor xenograft that was associated with enhanced radiation response

Co-stimulatory signaling determines tumor antigen sensitivity and persistence of CAR T cells targeting PSCA+ metastatic prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Priceman, Saul J; Gerdts, Ethan A; Tilakawardane, Dileshni; Kennewick, Kelly T; Murad, John P; Park, Anthony K; Jeang, Brook; Yamaguchi, Yukiko; Yang, Xin; Urak, Ryan; Weng, Lihong; Chang, Wen-Chung; Wright, Sarah; Pal, Sumanta; Reiter, Robert E; Wu, Anna M; Brown, Christine E; Forman, Stephen J

2018-01-01

Advancing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered adoptive T cells for the treatment of solid cancers is a major focus in the field of immunotherapy, given impressive recent clinical responses in hematological malignancies. Prostate cancer may be amenable to T cell-based immunotherapy since several tumor antigens, including prostate stem-cell antigen (PSCA), are widely over-expressed in metastatic disease. While antigen selectivity of CARs for solid cancers is crucial, it is problematic due to the absence of truly restricted tumor antigen expression and potential safety concerns with "on-target off-tumor" activity. Here, we show that the intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain can determine a CAR's sensitivity for tumor antigen expression. A 4-1BB intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain in PSCA-CARs confers improved selectivity for higher tumor antigen density, reduced T cell exhaustion phenotype, and equivalent tumor killing ability compared to PSCA-CARs containing the CD28 co-stimulatory signaling domain. PSCA-CARs exhibit robust in vivo anti-tumor activity in patient-derived bone-metastatic prostate cancer xenograft models, and 4-1BB-containing CARs show superior T cell persistence and control of disease compared with CD28-containing CARs. Our study demonstrates the importance of co-stimulation in defining an optimal CAR T cell, and also highlights the significance of clinically relevant models in developing solid cancer CAR T cell therapies.

HIV Nef-M1 Effects on Colorectal Cancer Growth in Tumor-induced Spleens and Hepatic Metastasis

Science.gov (United States)

Harrington, Willie; Bond, Vincent; Huang, Ming Bo; Powell, Michael; Lillard, James; Manne, Upender; Bumpers, Harvey

2010-01-01

CXCR4 receptors have been implicated in tumorigenesis and proliferation, making it a potential target for colorectal cancer therapy. Expression of this chemokine receptor on cellular surfaces appears to promote metastasis by directly stimulating tumor cell migration and invasion. The receptor/ligand, CXCR4/SDF-1α, pair are critically important to angiogenesis and vascular remodeling which supports cancer proliferation. Our work has shown that a novel apoptotic peptide of HIV-1, Nef-M1, can act as a CXCR4 antagonist, inducing apoptosis in CXCR4 containing cells. Four colorectal tumor cell lines (HT-29, LS174t, SW480, WiDr), were evaluated for their response to Nef-M1 peptide via in vivo and in vitro. The presence of CXCR4 receptors on tumor cells was determined using immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analyses. Solid xenografts derived from tumor cell lines grown in SCID mice, were evaluated for the persistence of the receptor. Xenografts propagated in SCID mice from each of the four cell lines demonstrated high levels of receptor expression as well. The effects of Nef-M1 in vivo via splenic injected mice and subsequent hepatic metastasis also demonstrated dramatic reduction of primary tumor growth in the spleen and secondary invasion of the liver. We concluded that Nef-M1 peptide, through physical interaction(s) with CXCR4, drives apoptotic reduction in in vivo primary tumor growth and metastasis. PMID:20383296

Endothelial Thermotolerance Impairs Nanoparticle Transport in Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagley, Alexander F; Scherz-Shouval, Ruth; Galie, Peter A; Zhang, Angela Q; Wyckoff, Jeffrey; Whitesell, Luke; Chen, Christopher S; Lindquist, Susan; Bhatia, Sangeeta N

2015-08-15

The delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents to solid tumors is limited by physical transport barriers within tumors, and such restrictions directly contribute to decreased therapeutic efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Nanomaterials designed to perturb the local tumor environment with precise spatiotemporal control have demonstrated potential to enhance drug delivery in preclinical models. Here, we investigated the ability of one class of heat-generating nanomaterials called plasmonic nanoantennae to enhance tumor transport in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer. We observed a temperature-dependent increase in the transport of diagnostic nanoparticles into tumors. However, a transient, reversible reduction in this enhanced transport was seen upon reexposure to heating, consistent with the development of vascular thermotolerance. Harnessing these observations, we designed an improved treatment protocol combining plasmonic nanoantennae with diffusion-limited chemotherapies. Using a microfluidic endothelial model and genetic tools to inhibit the heat-shock response, we found that the ability of thermal preconditioning to limit heat-induced cytoskeletal disruption is an important component of vascular thermotolerance. This work, therefore, highlights the clinical relevance of cellular adaptations to nanomaterials and identifies molecular pathways whose modulation could improve the exposure of tumors to therapeutic agents. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Recombinant Immunotoxin Therapy of Solid Tumors: Challenges and Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Liang; Liu, Yuanyi; Wang, Paul

2013-01-01

Immunotoxins are a group of protein-based therapeutics, basically comprising two functional moieties: one is the antibody or antibody Fv fragment that allows the immunotoxin to bind specifically to target cells; another is the plant or bacterial toxin that kills the cells upon internalization. Immunotoxins have several unique features which are superior to conventional chemotherapeutics, including high specificity, extraordinary potency, and no known drug resistance. Development of immunotoxins evolves with time and technology, but significant progress has been achieved in the past 20 years after introduction of recombinant DNA technique and generation of the first single-chain variable fragment of monoclonal antibodies. Since then, more than 1,000 recombinant immunotoxins have been generated against cancer. However, most success in immunotoxin therapy has been achieved against hematological malignancies, several issues persist to be significant barriers for effective therapy of human solid tumors. Further development of immunotoxins will largely focus on the improvement of penetration capability to solid tumor mass and elimination of immunogenicity occurred when given repeatedly to patients. Promising strategies may include construction of recombinant antibody fragments with higher binding affinity and stability, elimination of immunodominant T- and B-cell epitopes of toxins, modification of immunotoxins with macromolecules like poly(ethylene glycol) and liposomes, and generation of immunotoxins with humanized antibody fragments and human endogenous cytotoxic enzymes. In this paper, we briefly reviewed the evolution of immunotoxin development and then discussed the challenges of immunotoxin therapy for human solid tumors and the potential strategies we may seek to overcome the challenges.

L-Asparaginase delivered by Salmonella typhimurium suppresses solid tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwangsoo Kim

Full Text Available Bacteria can be engineered to deliver anticancer proteins to tumors via a controlled expression system that maximizes the concentration of the therapeutic agent in the tumor. L-asparaginase (L-ASNase, which primarily converts asparagine to aspartate, is an anticancer protein used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In this study, Salmonellae were engineered to express L-ASNase selectively within tumor tissues using the inducible araBAD promoter system of Escherichia coli. Antitumor efficacy of the engineered bacteria was demonstrated in vivo in solid malignancies. This result demonstrates the merit of bacteria as cancer drug delivery vehicles to administer cancer-starving proteins such as L-ASNase to be effective selectively within the microenvironment of cancer tissue.

Morpholino-Mediated Isoform Modulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR2) Reduces Colon Cancer Xenograft Growth

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Stagg, Brian C., E-mail: briancstagg@gmail.com; Uehara, Hironori; Lambert, Nathan; Rai, Ruju; Gupta, Isha; Radmall, Bryce; Bates, Taylor; Ambati, Balamurali K. [John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 65 Mario Capecchi Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 (United States)

2014-11-26

Angiogenesis plays a key role in tumor growth. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a pro-angiogenic that is involved in tumor angiogenesis. When VEGF binds to membrane-bound vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (mVEGFR2), it promotes angiogenesis. Through alternative polyadenylation, VEGFR2 is also expressed in a soluble form (sVEGFR2). sVEGFR2 sequesters VEGF and is therefore anti-angiogenic. The aim of this study was to show that treatment with a previously developed and reported antisense morpholino oligomer that shifts expression from mVEGFR2 to sVEGFR2 would lead to reduced tumor vascularization and growth in a murine colon cancer xenograft model. Xenografts were generated by implanting human HCT-116 colon cancer cells into the flanks of NMRI nu/nu mice. Treatment with the therapeutic morpholino reduced both tumor growth and tumor vascularization. Because the HCT-116 cells used for the experiments did not express VEGFR2 and because the treatment morpholino targeted mouse rather than human VEGFR2, it is likely that treatment morpholino was acting on the mouse endothelial cells rather than directly on the tumor cells.

Approaches to drug resistance in solid tumors : with emphasis on lung cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, Marleen

2005-01-01

De novo or acquired resistance of tumor cells to anticancer agents remains a major problem for the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Most solid tumors are intrinsically insensitive or acquire resistance after initial response to chemotherapy. Different mechanisms seem to play a role in

C-Reactive Protein Is an Important Biomarker for Prognosis Tumor Recurrence and Treatment Response in Adult Solid Tumors: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrotriya, Shiva; Walsh, Declan; Bennani-Baiti, Nabila; Thomas, Shirley; Lorton, Cliona

2015-01-01

A systematic literature review was done to determine the relationship between elevated CRP and prognosis in people with solid tumors. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a serum acute phase reactant and a well-established inflammatory marker. We also examined the role of CRP to predict treatment response and tumor recurrence. MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms were used to search multiple electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, EBM-Cochrane). Two independent reviewers selected research papers. We also included a quality Assessment (QA) score. Reports with QA scores <50% were excluded. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) methodology was utilized for this review (S1 PRISMA Checklist). 271 articles were identified for final review. There were 45% prospective studies and 52% retrospective. 264 had intermediate QA score (≥50% but <80%); Seven were adequate (80% -100%); A high CRP was predictive of prognosis in 90% (245/271) of studies-80% of the 245 studies by multivariate analysis, 20% by univariate analysis. Many (52%) of the articles were about gastrointestinal malignancies (GI) or kidney malignancies. A high CRP was prognostic in 90% (127 of 141) of the reports in those groups of tumors. CRP was also prognostic in most reports in other solid tumors primary sites. A high CRP was associated with higher mortality in 90% of reports in people with solid tumors primary sites. This was particularly notable in GI malignancies and kidney malignancies. In other solid tumors (lung, pancreas, hepatocellular cancer, and bladder) an elevated CRP also predicted prognosis. In addition there is also evidence to support the use of CRP to help decide treatment response and identify tumor recurrence. Better designed large scale studies should be conducted to examine these issues more comprehensively.

Animal study of rh-endostatin combined with ginsenoside Rg3 on inhibiting growth of breast cancer xenografts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuan-Ming Tong

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the inhibiting effect of rh-endostatin combined with ginsenoside Rg3 on growth of breast cancer xenografts. Methods: C57BL/6 nude mice were selected as research subjects, animal models with breast cancer xenografts were established through subcutaneous injection of breast cancer cells in the neck and randomly divided into A-D groups, and normal saline, rh-endostatin, ginsenoside Rg3 and rh-endostatin combined with ginsenoside Rg3 were injected respectively. Tumor growth, serum angiogenesis factor contents, percentages of cell cycles and expression levels of cell cycle-related molecules in tumor tissue of four groups were compared. Results: 7 d, 14 d and 21 d after treatment, tumor volume as well as serum VEGF and bFGF contents of B group, C group and D group were significantly lower than those of A group, and tumor volume as well as serum VEGF and bFGF contents of D group were significantly lower than those of B group and C group; 21 d after treatment, tumor weight, percentages of S phase and G2/M phase as well as mRNA contents and protein contents of cyclin E and CDC25A in tumor tissue of B group, C group and D group were lower than those of A group, and G0/G1 phase percentages were higher than that of A group; tumor weight, percentages of S phase and G2/M phase as well as mRNA contents and protein contents of cyclin E and CDC25A in tumor tissue of D group were significantly lower than those of B group and C group, and G0/G1 phase percentage was lower than those of B group and C group. Conclusion: rh-endostatin combined with ginsenoside Rg3 can more effectively inhibit growth of breast cancer xenografts, make cell cycle arrest and down-regulate expression of cell cyclerelated molecules.

Dichloroacetate induces tumor-specific radiosensitivity in vitro but attenuates radiation-induced tumor growth delay in vivo

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Zwicker, F.; Roeder, F.; Debus, J.; Huber, P.E. [University Hospital Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Radiation Oncology; Kirsner, A.; Weber, K.J. [University Hospital Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Peschke, P. [Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany). Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Radiation Oncology

2013-08-15

Background: Inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) by dichloroacetate (DCA) can shift tumor cell metabolism from anaerobic glycolysis to glucose oxidation, with activation of mitochondrial activity and chemotherapy-dependent apoptosis. In radiotherapy, DCA could thus potentially enhance the frequently moderate apoptotic response of cancer cells that results from their mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate tumor-specific radiosensitization by DCA in vitro and in a human tumor xenograft mouse model in vivo. Materials and methods: The interaction of DCA with photon beam radiation was investigated in the human tumor cell lines WIDR (colorectal) and LN18 (glioma), as well as in the human normal tissue cell lines HUVEC (endothelial), MRC5 (lung fibroblasts) and TK6 (lymphoblastoid). Apoptosis induction in vitro was assessed by DAPI staining and sub-G1 flow cytometry; cell survival was quantified by clonogenic assay. The effect of DCA in vivo was investigated in WIDR xenograft tumors growing subcutaneously on BALB/c-nu/nu mice, with and without fractionated irradiation. Histological examination included TUNEL and Ki67 staining for apoptosis and proliferation, respectively, as well as pinomidazole labeling for hypoxia. Results: DCA treatment led to decreased clonogenic survival and increased specific apoptosis rates in tumor cell lines (LN18, WIDR) but not in normal tissue cells (HUVEC, MRC5, TK6). However, this significant tumor-specific radiosensitization by DCA in vitro was not reflected by the situation in vivo: The growth suppression of WIDR xenograft tumors after irradiation was reduced upon additional DCA treatment (reflected by Ki67 expression levels), although early tumor cell apoptosis rates were significantly increased by DCA. This apparently paradoxical effect was accompanied by a marked DCA-dependent induction of hypoxia in tumor-tissue. Conclusion: DCA induced tumor-specific radiosensitization in vitro but not in vivo

Expression of adrenomedullin in human colorectal tumors and its role in cell growth and invasion in vitro and in xenograft growth in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nouguerède, Emilie; Berenguer, Caroline; Garcia, Stéphane; Bennani, Bahia; Delfino, Christine; Nanni, Isabelle; Dahan, Laetitia; Gasmi, Mohamed; Seitz, Jean-François; Martin, Pierre-Marie; Ouafik, L'Houcine

2013-01-01

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a multifunctional peptide vasodilator that transduces its effects through calcitonin receptor-like receptor/receptor activity-modifying protein-2 and -3 (CLR/RAMP2 and CLR/RAMP3). In this study, real-time quantitative reverse transcription demonstrated a significant expression of AM mRNA in tumor samples from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in clinical stage II, III, and IV when compared with normal colorectal tissue. AM, CLR, RAMP2, and RAMP3 proteins were immunohistochemically localized in the carcinomatous epithelial compartment of CRC tissue. Tissue microarray analysis revealed a clear increase of AM, CLR, RAMP2, and RAMP3 staining in lymph node and distant metastasis when compared with primary tumors. The human colon carcinoma cells HT-29 expressed and secreted AM into the culture medium with a significant increase under hypoxia. Treatment of HT-29 cells with synthetic AM stimulated cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. Incubation with anti-AM antibody (αAM), anti-AM receptors antibodies (αAMR), or AM antagonist AM 22–52 inhibited significantly basal levels of proliferation of HT-29 cells, suggesting that AM may function as an autocrine growth factor for CRC cells. Treatment with αAM significantly suppressed the growth of HT-29 tumor xenografts in vivo. Histological examination of αAM-treated tumors showed evidence of disruption of tumor vascularity with decreased microvessel density, depletion of endothelial cells and pericytes, and increased tumor cell apoptosis. These findings highlight the potential importance of AM and its receptors in the progression of CRC and support the conclusion that αAM treatment inhibits tumor growth by suppression of angiogenesis and tumor growth, suggesting that AM may be a useful therapeutic target

Experimental radioimmunotherapy of a xenografted human glioma using [sup 131]I-labeled monoclonal antibody to epidermal growth factor receptor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Nakazawa, Shozo [Nippon Medical School, Tokyo (Japan); Herlyn, D

1993-09-01

[sup 131]I-labeled F (ab')[sub 2] fragments of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) 425 specific to the epidermal growth factor receptor expressed on human gliomas were used in experimental human malignant glioma immunotherapy. Two injections of 150 [mu]Ci [sup 131]I-labeled 425 F(ab')[sub 2] achieved growth inhibition of U-87MG human malignant glioma xenografts in nude mice. This radiolabeled specific MAb F(ab')[sub 2] was significantly superior to radiolabeled fragments of an anti-hepatitis virus control MAb A5C3 in influencing tumor growth. However, similar treatment of established human malignant glioma xenografts did not inhibit progressive tumor growth significantly. No clear tumor inhibition was produced by unlabeled MAb 425F(ab')[sub 2]. These studies suggest that [sup 131]I-labeled MAbs have a significant antitumor effect where unmodified antibody is ineffective. Multiple doses of antibody may achieve an increase in labeled MAb concentration in tumors. (author).

The effects of a picosecond pulsed electric field on angiogenesis in the cervical cancer xenograft models.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Limei; Yao, Chenguo; Xiong, Zhengai; Zhang, Ruizhe; Wang, Zhiliang; Wu, Yutong; Qin, Qin; Hua, Yuanyuan

2016-04-01

The application of picosecond pulsed electric field (psPEF) is a new biomedical engineering technique used in cancer therapy. However, its effects on cervical cancer angiogenesis are not clear. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of psPEF on angiogenesis in cervical cancer xenograft models. Xenograft tumors were created by subcutaneously inoculating nude mice (athymic BALB/c nu/nu mice) with HeLa cells, then were placed closely between tweezer-type plate electrodes and subjected to psPEF with a gradually increased electric field intensity (0kV/cm, 50kV/cm, 60kV/cm, 70kV/cm). The direct effect on tumor tissue was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The changes of blood vessels and oxygen saturation (sO2) of tumors were monitored in vivo by photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The microvessel density (MVD), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF-1α and HIF-2α) were detected by immunohistochemical technique (IHC). Their protein expressions and gene transcription levels were evaluated using western blot (WB) and quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PsPEF induced obvious necrosis of cervical cancer tissue; with the increasing of electric field intensity, the MVD, vascular PA signal and sO2 values declined significantly. The protein expression and gene transcription levels of VEGF, HIF1α and HIF2α were significantly decreased at the same time. PsPEF exhibited dramatic anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis effects in cervical cancer xenograft models by exerting direct effect on cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells and indirect effect on tumor angiogenesis-related factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extract of Cordyceps militaris inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses tumor growth of human malignant melanoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruma, I Made Winarsa; Putranto, Endy Widya; Kondo, Eisaku; Watanabe, Risayo; Saito, Ken; Inoue, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Ken-Ichi; Nakata, Susumu; Kaihata, Masaji; Murata, Hitoshi; Sakaguchi, Masakiyo

2014-07-01

Angiogenesis is essential for tumor development and metastasis. Among several angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF) is important for tumor-derived angiogenesis and commonly overexpressed in solid tumors. Thus, many antitumor strategies targeting VEGF have been developed to inhibit cancer angiogenesis, offering insights into the successful treatment of solid cancers. However, there are a number of issues such as harmful effects on normal vascularity in clinical trials. Taking this into consideration, we employed Cordyceps militaris as an antitumor approach due to its biological safety in vivo. The herbal medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris has been reported to show potential anticancer properties including anti-angiogenic capacity; however, its concrete properties have yet to be fully demonstrated. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the biological role of Cordyceps militaris extract in tumor cells, especially in regulating angiogenesis and tumor growth of a human malignant melanoma cell line. We demonstrated that Cordyceps militaris extract remarkably suppressed tumor growth via induction of apoptotic cell death in culture that links to the abrogation of VEGF production in melanoma cells. This was followed by mitigation of Akt1 and GSK-3β activation, while p38α phosphorylation levels were increased. Extract treatment in mouse model xenografted with human melanoma cells resulted in a dramatic antitumor effect with down-regulation of VEGF expression. The results suggest that suppression of tumor growth by Cordyceps militaris extract is, at least, mediated by its anti-angiogenicity and apoptosis induction capacities. Cordyceps militaris extract may be a potent antitumor herbal drug for solid tumors.

Optimizing the Delivery of Short-Lived Alpha Particle-Emitting Isotopes to Solid Tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, Gregory P.

2004-01-01

The underlying hypothesis of this project was that optimal alpha emitter-based radioimmunotherapy (RAIT) could be achieved by pairing the physical half-life of the radioisotope to the biological half-life of the targeting vehicle. The project had two specific aims. The first aim was to create and optimize the therapeutic efficacy of 211At-SAPS-C6.5 diabody conjugates. The second aim was to develop bispecific-targeting strategies that increase the specificity and efficacy of alpha-emitter-based RAIT. In the performance of the first aim, we created 211At-SAPS-C6.5 diabody conjugates that specifically targeted the HER2 tumor associated antigen. In evaluating these immunoconjugates we determined that they were capable of efficient tumor targeting and therapeutic efficacy of established human tumor xenografts growing in immunodeficient mice. We also determined that therapeutic doses were associated with late renal toxicity, likely due to the role of the kidneys in the systemic elimination o f these agents. We are currently performing more studies focused on better understanding the observed toxicity. In the second aim, we successfully generated bispecific single-chain Fv (bs-scFv) molecules that co-targeted HER2 and HER3 or HER2 and HER4. The in vitro kinetics and in vivo tumor-targeting properties of these molecules were evaluated. These studies revealed that the bs-scFv molecules selectively localized in vitro on tumor cells that expressed both antigens and were capable of effective tumor localization in in vivo studies

Optimizing the Delivery of Short-Lived Alpha Particle-Emitting Isotopes to Solid Tumors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, Gregory P.

2004-11-24

The underlying hypothesis of this project was that optimal alpha emitter-based radioimmunotherapy (RAIT) could be achieved by pairing the physical half-life of the radioisotope to the biological half-life of the targeting vehicle. The project had two specific aims. The first aim was to create and optimize the therapeutic efficacy of 211At-SAPS-C6.5 diabody conjugates. The second aim was to develop bispecific-targeting strategies that increase the specificity and efficacy of alpha-emitter-based RAIT. In the performance of the first aim, we created 211At-SAPS-C6.5 diabody conjugates that specifically targeted the HER2 tumor associated antigen. In evaluating these immunoconjugates we determined that they were capable of efficient tumor targeting and therapeutic efficacy of established human tumor xenografts growing in immunodeficient mice. We also determined that therapeutic doses were associated with late renal toxicity, likely due to the role of the kidneys in the systemic elimination o f these agents. We are currently performing more studies focused on better understanding the observed toxicity. In the second aim, we successfully generated bispecific single-chain Fv (bs-scFv) molecules that co-targeted HER2 and HER3 or HER2 and HER4. The in vitro kinetics and in vivo tumor-targeting properties of these molecules were evaluated. These studies revealed that the bs-scFv molecules selectively localized in vitro on tumor cells that expressed both antigens and were capable of effective tumor localization in in vivo studies.

The Public Repository of Xenografts enables discovery and randomized phase II-like trials in mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.C. Townsend (Elizabeth); M.A. Murakami (Mark); A. Christodoulou (Alexandra); A.L. Christie (Amanda); J. Köster (Johannes); T.A. DeSouza (Tiffany); E.A. Morgan (Elizabeth); S.P. Kallgren (Scott); H. Liu (Huiyun); S.-C. Wu (Shuo-Chieh); O. Plana (Olivia); J. Montero (Joan); K.E. Stevenson (Kristen); P. Rao (Prakash); R. Vadhi (Raga); M. Andreeff (Michael); P. Armand (Philippe); K.K. Ballen (Karen); P. Barzaghi-Rinaudo (Patrizia); S. Cahill (Sarah); R.A. Clark (Rachael); V.G. Cooke (Vesselina); M.S. Davids (Matthew); D.J. DeAngelo (Daniel); D.M. Dorfman; H. Eaton (Hilary); B.L. Ebert (Benjamin); J. Etchin (Julia); B. Firestone (Brant); D.C. Fisher (David); A.S. Freedman (Arnold); I.A. Galinsky, () (Ilene); H. Gao (Hui); J.S. Garcia, () (Jacqueline); F. Gamache-Ottou (Francine); T.A. Graubert (Timothy); A. Gutierrez (Alejandro); E. Halilovic (Ensar); M.H. Harris (Marian); Z.T. Herbert (Zachary); S.M. Horwitz (Steven); G. Inghirami (Giorgio); A.M. Intlekofer (Andrew); M. Ito (Moriko); S. Izraeli (Shai); E.D. Jacobsen (Eric); C.A. Jacobson (Caron); S. Jeay (Sébastien); I. Jeremias (Irmela); M.A. Kelliher (Michelle); R. Koch (Raphael); M. Konopleva (Marina); N. Kopp (Nadja); S.M. Kornblau (Steven); A.L. Kung (Andrew); T.S. Kupper (Thomas); N.R. LeBoeuf (Nicole); A.S. LaCasce (Ann); E. Lees (Emma); L.S. Li (Loretta); A.T. Look (Thomas); M. Murakami (Masato); M. Muschen (Markus); D. Neuberg (Donna); S.Y. Ng (Samuel); O.O. Odejde (Oreofe); S.H. Orkin (Stuart); R.R. Paquette (Rachel); A.A. Place (Andrew); J.E. Roderick (Justine); J.A. Ryan (Jeremy); S.E. Sallan (Stephen); B. Shoji (Brent); L.B. Silverman (Lewis); R.J. Soiffer (Robert); D.P. Steensma (David); K. Stegmaier (Kimberley); R.M. Stone (Richard); J. Tamburini (Jerome); A.R. Thorner (Aaron); P. van Hummelen (Paul); M. Wadleigh (Martha); M. Wiesmann (Marion); A.P. Weng (Andrew); J.U. Wuerthner (Jens); D.A. Williams (David); B.M. Wollison (Bruce); A.A. Lane (Andrew); A. Letai (Anthony); M.M. Bertagnolli (Monica); J. Ritz (Jerome); M. Brown (Myles); H. Long (Henry); J.C. Aster (Jon); M.A. Shipp (Margaret); J.D. Griffin (James); D.M. Weinstock (David)

2016-01-01

textabstractMore than 90% of drugs with preclinical activity fail in human trials, largely due to insufficient efficacy. We hypothesized that adequately powered trials of patient-derived xenografts (PDX) in mice could efficiently define therapeutic activity across heterogeneous tumors. To address

Labelling of anti-human bladder tumor chimeric antibody with 99Tcm and radioimmunoimaging of bladder carcinoma xenograft in nude mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunli; Wang Rongfu; Fu Zhanli; Bai Yin; Ding Yi; Yu Lizhang

2003-01-01

Objective: To study the in vitro immunoreactivity and in vivo tissue distribution, tumor targeting property of anti-human bladder tumor human-murine chimeric antibody (ch-BDI) labeled with 99 Tc m and to investigate its possibility for being used in guiding diagnosis and guiding therapy of bladder cancer. Methods: The ch-BDI was labeled with 99 Tc m by improved Schwarz method and the labeled antibody was purified by Sephadex G-50. Labeling yield and radiochemical purity were measured by paper chromatography. The immunoreactive fraction and association constant (K a ) were measured by Lindmo method and Scatchard analysis, respectively. 11.1 MBq (30 μg) 99 Tc m -ch-BDI was intravenously injected into nude mice bearing human bladder cancer xenografts in the right thigh and radioimmunoimaging (RII) was performed 2, 6, 20 and 24 h postinjection. The images were processed by region of interest (ROI) method to acquire the counts of whole body and the tumor and the counts ratios of tumor to contralateral normal tissue or to tissues of other non-tumor bearing organs. The mice were killed after 24 h postinjection imaging and tissue distribution was measured. %ID/g and target to nontarget (T/NT) ratios were calculated. Results: The labeling yield and radiochemical purity of 99 Tc m -ch-BDI were (66.5±7.3)% and >90%, respectively. The immunoreactive fraction was 76% and K a was 3.56 x 10 9 L/mol. RII showed that the tumor was clearly visualized 6 h postinjection and becoming clearer along with time prolonging. The radioactivity of whole body decreased rapidly with time, whereas the radioactivity of the tumor decreased slowly. The T/NT ratios was increased with time. Biodistribution results showed that tumor uptake was 17.4%ID/g 24 h postinjection. T/NT ratios were very high except for the kidney. T/NT ratios for brain, muscle, intestinal wall, bone and heart wall were 136.0, 55.1, 39.3, 29.7 and 27.9, respectively. Conclusion: 99 Tc m -ch-BDI exhibits excellent

Endothelial Dll4 overexpression reduces vascular response and inhibits tumor growth and metastasization in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Trindade, Alexandre; Djokovic, Dusan; Gigante, Joana; Mendonça, Liliana; Duarte, António

2017-03-14

The inhibition of Delta-like 4 (Dll4)/Notch signaling has been shown to result in excessive, nonfunctional vessel proliferation and significant tumor growth suppression. However, safety concerns emerged with the identification of side effects resulting from chronic Dll4/Notch blockade. Alternatively, we explored the endothelial Dll4 overexpression using different mouse tumor models. We used a transgenic mouse model of endothelial-specific Dll4 overexpression, previously produced. Growth kinetics and vascular histopathology of several types of solid tumors was evaluated, namely Lewis Lung Carcinoma xenografts, chemically-induced skin papillomas and RIP1-Tag2 insulinomas. We found that increased Dll4/Notch signaling reduces tumor growth by reducing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced endothelial proliferation, tumor vessel density and overall tumor blood supply. In addition, Dll4 overexpression consistently improved tumor vascular maturation and functionality, as indicated by increased vessel calibers, enhanced mural cell recruitment and increased network perfusion. Importantly, the tumor vessel normalization is not more effective than restricted vessel proliferation, but was found to prevent metastasis formation and allow for increased delivery to the tumor of concomitant chemotherapy, improving its efficacy. By reducing endothelial sensitivity to VEGF, these results imply that Dll4/Notch stimulation in tumor microenvironment could be beneficial to solid cancer patient treatment by reducing primary tumor size, improving tumor drug delivery and reducing metastization. Endothelial specific Dll4 overexpression thus appears as a promising anti-angiogenic modality that might improve cancer control.

Co-stimulatory signaling determines tumor antigen sensitivity and persistence of CAR T cells targeting PSCA+ metastatic prostate cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Priceman, Saul J.; Gerdts, Ethan A.; Tilakawardane, Dileshni; Kennewick, Kelly T.; Murad, John P.; Park, Anthony K.; Jeang, Brook; Yamaguchi, Yukiko; Urak, Ryan; Weng, Lihong; Chang, Wen-Chung; Wright, Sarah; Pal, Sumanta; Reiter, Robert E.; Brown, Christine E.; Forman, Stephen J.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Advancing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered adoptive T cells for the treatment of solid cancers is a major focus in the field of immunotherapy, given impressive recent clinical responses in hematological malignancies. Prostate cancer may be amenable to T cell-based immunotherapy since several tumor antigens, including prostate stem-cell antigen (PSCA), are widely over-expressed in metastatic disease. While antigen selectivity of CARs for solid cancers is crucial, it is problematic due to the absence of truly restricted tumor antigen expression and potential safety concerns with “on-target off-tumor” activity. Here, we show that the intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain can determine a CAR's sensitivity for tumor antigen expression. A 4-1BB intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain in PSCA-CARs confers improved selectivity for higher tumor antigen density, reduced T cell exhaustion phenotype, and equivalent tumor killing ability compared to PSCA-CARs containing the CD28 co-stimulatory signaling domain. PSCA-CARs exhibit robust in vivo anti-tumor activity in patient-derived bone-metastatic prostate cancer xenograft models, and 4-1BB-containing CARs show superior T cell persistence and control of disease compared with CD28-containing CARs. Our study demonstrates the importance of co-stimulation in defining an optimal CAR T cell, and also highlights the significance of clinically relevant models in developing solid cancer CAR T cell therapies. PMID:29308300

Influence of the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole on distribution and activity of doxorubicin in solid tumors.

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Yu, Man; Lee, Carol; Wang, Marina; Tannock, Ian F

2015-10-01

Cellular causes of resistance and limited drug distribution within solid tumors limit therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs. Acidic endosomes in cancer cells mediate autophagy, which facilitates survival of stressed cells, and may contribute to drug resistance. Basic drugs (e.g. doxorubicin) are sequestered in acidic endosomes, thereby diverting drugs from their target DNA and decreasing penetration to distal cells. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may raise endosomal pH, with potential to improve drug efficacy and distribution in solid tumors. We determined the effects of the PPI lansoprazole to modify the activity of doxorubicin. To gain insight into its mechanisms, we studied the effects of lansoprazole on endosomal pH, and on the spatial distribution of doxorubicin, and of biomarkers reflecting its activity, using in vitro and murine models. Lansoprazole showed concentration-dependent effects to raise endosomal pH and to inhibit endosomal sequestration of doxorubicin in cultured tumor cells. Lansoprazole was not toxic to cancer cells but potentiated the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin and enhanced its penetration through multilayered cell cultures. In solid tumors, lansoprazole improved the distribution of doxorubicin but also increased expression of biomarkers of drug activity throughout the tumor. Combined treatment with lansoprazole and doxorubicin was more effective in delaying tumor growth as compared to either agent alone. Together, lansoprazole enhances the therapeutic effects of doxorubicin both by improving its distribution and increasing its activity in solid tumors. Use of PPIs to improve drug distribution and to inhibit autophagy represents a promising strategy to enhance the effectiveness of anticancer drugs in solid tumors. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Immunoconjugates against solid tumors: mind the gap.

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Ricart, A D

2011-04-01

The objective of immunoconjugate development is to combine the specificity of immunoglobulins with the efficacy of cytotoxic molecules. This therapeutic approach has been validated in hematologic malignancies; however, several obstacles to achieving efficacy in treating solid tumors have been identified. These include insufficient specificity of targets and poor antibody delivery, most specifically to the tumor core. Heterogeneous antigen expression, imperfect vascular supply, and elevated interstitial fluid pressure have been suggested as the factors responsible for the poor delivery of antibodies. Promising immunoconjugates are in development: immunoconjugates targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen, trastuzumab-DM1, lorvotuzumab mertansine, and SS1P. Advances in cancer biology and antibody engineering may overcome some of the challenges. New small antibody formats, such as single-chain Fv, Fab, and diabodies, may improve penetration within tumor masses. Nevertheless, the cost of treatment might require justification in terms of demonstrable improvement in quality of life in addition to efficacy; further economic evaluation might be necessary before this approach can replace the current standards of care in clinical practice.

Effect of fluid friction on interstitial fluid flow coupled with blood flow through solid tumor microvascular network.

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Sefidgar, Mostafa; Soltani, M; Raahemifar, Kaamran; Bazmara, Hossein

2015-01-01

A solid tumor is investigated as porous media for fluid flow simulation. Most of the studies use Darcy model for porous media. In Darcy model, the fluid friction is neglected and a few simplified assumptions are implemented. In this study, the effect of these assumptions is studied by considering Brinkman model. A multiscale mathematical method which calculates fluid flow to a solid tumor is used in this study to investigate how neglecting fluid friction affects the solid tumor simulation. The mathematical method involves processes such as blood flow through vessels and solute and fluid diffusion, convective transport in extracellular matrix, and extravasation from blood vessels. The sprouting angiogenesis model is used for generating capillary network and then fluid flow governing equations are implemented to calculate blood flow through the tumor-induced capillary network. Finally, the two models of porous media are used for modeling fluid flow in normal and tumor tissues in three different shapes of tumors. Simulations of interstitial fluid transport in a solid tumor demonstrate that the simplifications used in Darcy model affect the interstitial velocity and Brinkman model predicts a lower value for interstitial velocity than the values that Darcy model predicts.

Further characterization of the adhesive-tumor-cell culture system for measuring the radiosensitivity of human tumor primary cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brock, W.A.; Bock, S.P.; Williams, M.; Baker, F.L.

1987-01-01

This study extends the use of the adhesive-tumor-cell culture system to include: over 100 sensitivity measurements at 2.0 Gy; tumorgenicity determinations in nude mice; and flow cytometry of the cells grown in the system. The malignant nature of the growing cells was proved by injecting cells into nude mice. Tumors resulted in 60% of the cases and the histology of each xenograft was similar to that of the human tumor. Flow cytometry was used to obtain DNA histograms of the original cell suspension and of cultures during the two week culture period in order to obtain quantitative information about the growth of aneuploid versus diploid populations. The results thus far demonstrate that 95% of aneuploid populations yield aneuploid growth; of the first 20 cases studied, only one suspension with an aneuploid peak resulted in diploid growth. Of further interest was the observation that it is not unusual for a minor aneuploid population to become the predominate growth fraction after two weeks in culture. These results demonstrate that the adhesive-tumor-cell culture system supports the growth of malignant cells, that multiple cell populations exist in cell suspensions derived from solid tumors, and that differences exist between the radiosensitivity of cells at 2.0 Gy in different histology types

Four cases of solid pseudopapillary tumors of pancreas: Imaging findings and pathological correlations

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Vargas-Serrano, Blanca; Dominguez-Ferreras, Esther; Chinchon-Espino, David

2006-01-01

Objective: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP tumor) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential, which usually affects female patients in the second or third decades of life. It is a non-functional, slow-growing neoplasm that very often reaches considerable size before the first symptoms appear. Symptomatology is frequently related to tumor size. Surgical excision is usually curative in most cases. Infrequently the tumor can appear in male patients or in aged women, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Some patients develop liver metastases in the follow-up that can be resected. Our purpose is to review the radiological and pathological findings of SPTP with emphasis on these infrequent cases. Subjects and methods: The medical records and radiological findings of patients who underwent surgery for SPTP between 2000 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Study eligibility required that patients had undergone surgical resection and that a SPTP had been pathologically proved. Results: Four cases of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas were diagnosed and treated in our institution in the study period. Two of the patients, developed on follow-up liver metastases, and peritoneal, hepatic, and nodal metastases, respectively. Conclusion: Solid pseudopapillary tumors are well-encapsulated neoplasms that usually have a good prognosis after surgical excision. A malignant behavior is uncommon and in this case lymph node involvement, hepatic metastases and occasionally peritoneal invasion may also occur. Resection of liver metastases can prolong the long-term survival of the patients

Patient Derived Xenograft Models: An Emerging Platform for Translational Cancer Research

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Hidalgo, Manuel; Amant, Frederic; Biankin, Andrew V.; Budinská, Eva; Byrne, Annette T.; Caldas, Carlos; Clarke, Robert B.; de Jong, Steven; Jonkers, Jos; Mælandsmo, Gunhild Mari; Roman-Roman, Sergio; Seoane, Joan; Trusolino, Livio; Villanueva, Alberto

2014-01-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in the development and characterization of patient derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models for cancer research. PDX models mostly retain the principal histological and genetic characteristics of their donor tumor and remain stable across passages. These models have been shown to be predictive of clinical outcomes and are being used for preclinical drug evaluation, biomarker identification, biological studies, and personalized medicine strategies. This paper summarizes the current state of the art in this field including methodological issues, available collections, practical applications, challenges and shortcoming, and future directions, and introduces a European consortium of PDX models. PMID:25185190

Styrene maleic acid-encapsulated RL71 micelles suppress tumor growth in a murine xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer

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Martey O

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Orleans Martey,1 Mhairi Nimick,1 Sebastien Taurin,1 Vignesh Sundararajan,1 Khaled Greish,2 Rhonda J Rosengren1 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; 2Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Abstract: Patients with triple negative breast cancer have a poor prognosis due in part to the lack of targeted therapies. In the search for novel drugs, our laboratory has developed a second-generation curcumin derivative, 3,5-bis(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylidene-1-methylpiperidine-4-one (RL71, that exhibits potent in vitro cytotoxicity. To improve the clinical potential of this drug, we have encapsulated it in styrene maleic acid (SMA micelles. SMA-RL71 showed improved biodistribution, and drug accumulation in the tumor increased 16-fold compared to control. SMA-RL71 (10 mg/kg, intravenously, two times a week for 2 weeks also significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to control in a xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer. Free RL71 was unable to alter tumor growth. Tumors from SMA-RL71-treated mice showed a decrease in angiogenesis and an increase in apoptosis. The drug treatment also modulated various cell signaling proteins including the epidermal growth factor receptor, with the mechanisms for tumor suppression consistent with previous work with RL71 in vitro. The nanoformulation was also nontoxic as shown by normal levels of plasma markers for liver and kidney injury following weekly administration of SMA-RL71 (10 mg/kg for 90 days. Thus, we report clinical potential following encapsulation of a novel curcumin derivative, RL71, in SMA micelles. Keywords: curcumin derivatives, nanomedicine, EGFR, biodistribution

Engineering a prostate-specific membrane antigen-activated tumor endothelial cell prodrug for cancer therapy.

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Denmeade, Samuel R; Mhaka, Annastasiah M; Rosen, D Marc; Brennen, W Nathaniel; Dalrymple, Susan; Dach, Ingrid; Olesen, Claus; Gurel, Bora; Demarzo, Angelo M; Wilding, George; Carducci, Michael A; Dionne, Craig A; Møller, Jesper V; Nissen, Poul; Christensen, S Brøgger; Isaacs, John T

2012-06-27

Heterogeneous expression of drug target proteins within tumor sites is a major mechanism of resistance to anticancer therapies. We describe a strategy to selectively inhibit, within tumor sites, the function of a critical intracellular protein, the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) pump, whose proper function is required by all cell types for viability. To achieve targeted inhibition, we took advantage of the unique expression of the carboxypeptidase prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) by tumor endothelial cells within the microenvironment of solid tumors. We generated a prodrug, G202, consisting of a PSMA-specific peptide coupled to an analog of the potent SERCA pump inhibitor thapsigargin. G202 produced substantial tumor regression against a panel of human cancer xenografts in vivo at doses that were minimally toxic to the host. On the basis of these data, a phase 1 dose-escalation clinical trial has been initiated with G202 in patients with advanced cancer.

Constitutive Signaling from an Engineered IL7 Receptor Promotes Durable Tumor Elimination by Tumor-Redirected T Cells.

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Shum, Thomas; Omer, Bilal; Tashiro, Haruko; Kruse, Robert L; Wagner, Dimitrios L; Parikh, Kathan; Yi, Zhongzhen; Sauer, Tim; Liu, Daofeng; Parihar, Robin; Castillo, Paul; Liu, Hao; Brenner, Malcolm K; Metelitsa, Leonid S; Gottschalk, Stephen; Rooney, Cliona M

2017-11-01

Successful adoptive T-cell immunotherapy of solid tumors will require improved expansion and cytotoxicity of tumor-directed T cells within tumors. Providing recombinant or transgenic cytokines may produce the desired benefits but is associated with significant toxicities, constraining clinical use. To circumvent this limitation, we constructed a constitutively signaling cytokine receptor, C7R, which potently triggers the IL7 signaling axis but is unresponsive to extracellular cytokine. This strategy augments modified T-cell function following antigen exposure, but avoids stimulating bystander lymphocytes. Coexpressing the C7R with a tumor-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) increased T-cell proliferation, survival, and antitumor activity during repeated exposure to tumor cells, without T-cell dysfunction or autonomous T-cell growth. Furthermore, C7R-coexpressing CAR T cells were active against metastatic neuroblastoma and orthotopic glioblastoma xenograft models even at cell doses that had been ineffective without C7R support. C7R may thus be able to enhance antigen-specific T-cell therapies against cancer. Significance: The constitutively signaling C7R system developed here delivers potent IL7 stimulation to CAR T cells, increasing their persistence and antitumor activity against multiple preclinical tumor models, supporting its clinical development. Cancer Discov; 7(11); 1238-47. ©2017 AACR. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1201 . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Hypoxia and metastasis in an orthotopic cervix cancer xenograft model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudary, Naz; Mujcic, Hilda; Wouters, Bradly G.; Hill, Richard P.

2013-01-01

Background: Hypoxia can promote tumor metastasis by mechanisms that are believed to result from changes in gene expression. The current study examined the role of putative metastatic genes regulated by cyclic hypoxia in relation to metastasis formation in orthotopic models of cervix cancer. Methods: Orthotopic tumors derived from ME180 human cervix cancer cells or from early generation human cervix cancer xenografts were exposed to cyclic hypoxic conditions during growth in vivo and tumor growth and lymphnode metastases were monitored. Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and various genes in the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway were inhibited using genetic (inducible shRNA vs CXCR4) small molecule (AMD3100) or antibody (5E1) treatment (CXCR4 and Hh genes, respectively) during tumor growth. Results: As reported previously, exposure of tumor bearing mice to cyclic hypoxia caused a reduction of tumor growth but a large increase in metastasis. Inhibition of CXCR4 or Hh gene activity during tumor growth further reduced primary tumor size and reduced lymphatic metastasis to levels below those seen in control mice exposed to normoxic conditions. Conclusion: Blocking CXCR4 or Hh gene expression are potential therapeutic pathways for improving cervix cancer treatment

Recent advances in the design of drug-loaded polymeric implants for the treatment of solid tumors.

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Wadee, Ameena; Pillay, Viness; Choonara, Yahya E; du Toit, Lisa C; Penny, Clement; Ndesendo, Valence M K; Kumar, Pradeep; Murphy, Caragh S

2011-10-01

The effective treatment of solid tumors continues to be a great challenge to clinicians, despite the development of novel drugs. In order to improve the clinical efficacy of existing chemotherapeutic agents, researchers have considered the possibility of site-specific solid tumor treatment. The greatest advantage of localized delivery is the significantly fewer side effects experienced by patients. Recently, in situ forming implants have attracted considerable interest. These polymeric systems are injected as solutions into tumor sites and the injected solution forms an implant as a result of local environmental stimuli and hence removes the need for surgical implantation. This review summarizes the attempts that have been made to date in the development of polymeric implants for the treatment of solid tumors. Both in situ forming implants and preformed implants, fabricated using natural and synthetic polymers, are described. In addition, the peri- or intra-tumoral delivery of chemotherapeutic agents based on implants inserted surgically into the affected region is also discussed along with a short coverage of implants having an undesirable initial burst release effect. Although these implants have been shown to improve the treatment of various solid tumors, the ideal implant that is able to deliver high doses of chemotherapeutics to the tumor site, over prolonged periods with relatively few side effects on normal tissue, is yet to be formulated.

Investigating Mechanisms of Alkalinization for Reducing Primary Breast Tumor Invasion

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Ian F. Robey

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The extracellular pH (pHe of many solid tumors is acidic as a result of glycolytic metabolism and poor perfusion. Acidity promotes invasion and enhances metastatic potential. Tumor acidity can be buffered by systemic administration of an alkaline agent such as sodium bicarbonate. Tumor-bearing mice maintained on sodium bicarbonate drinking water exhibit fewer metastases and survive longer than untreated controls. We predict this effect is due to inhibition of tumor invasion. Reducing tumor invasion should result in fewer circulating tumor cells (CTCs. We report that bicarbonate-treated MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice exhibited significantly lower numbers of CTCs than untreated mice (. Tumor pHe buffering may reduce optimal conditions for enzymes involved in tumor invasion such as cathepsins and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs. To address this, we tested the effect of transient alkalinization on cathepsin and MMP activity using enzyme activatable fluorescence agents in mice bearing MDA-MB-231 mammary xenografts. Transient alkalinization significantly reduced the fluorescent signal of protease-specific activatable agents in vivo (. Alkalinization, however, did not affect expression of carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX. The findings suggest a possible mechanism in a live model system for breast cancer where systemic alkalinization slows the rate of invasion.

Genomic characterisation of small cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts generated from endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration specimens.

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Tracy L Leong

Full Text Available Patient-derived xenograft (PDX models generated from surgical specimens are gaining popularity as preclinical models of cancer. However, establishment of PDX lines from small cell lung cancer (SCLC patients is difficult due to very limited amount of available biopsy material. We asked whether SCLC cells obtained from endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA could generate PDX lines that maintained the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of the primary tumor. Following successful EBUS-TBNA sampling for diagnostic purposes, we obtained an extra sample for cytologic analysis and implantation into the flanks of immunodeficient mice. Animals were monitored for engraftment for up to 6 months. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis, and targeted next-generation re-sequencing, were then performed in both the primary sample and the derivative PDX line. A total of 12 patients were enrolled in the study. EBUS-TBNA aspirates yielded large numbers of viable tumor cells sufficient to inject between 18,750 and 1,487,000 cells per flank, and to yield microgram quantities of high-quality DNA. Of these, samples from 10 patients generated xenografts (engraftment rate 83% with a mean latency of 104 days (range 63-188. All but one maintained a typical SCLC phenotype that closely matched the original sample. Identical mutations that are characteristic of SCLC were identified in both the primary sample and xenograft line. EBUS-TBNA has the potential to be a powerful tool in the development of new targeting strategies for SCLC patients by providing large numbers of viable tumor cells suitable for both xenografting and complex genomic analysis.

Tenascin-W is a better cancer biomarker than tenascin-C for most human solid tumors

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Brellier Florence

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tenascins are large glycoproteins found in the extracellular matrix of many embryonic and adult tissues. Tenascin-C is a well-studied biomarker known for its high overexpression in the stroma of most solid cancers. Tenascin-W, the least studied member of the family, is highly expressed in the stroma of colon and breast tumors and in gliomas, but not in the corresponding normal tissues. Other solid tumors have not been analyzed. The present study was undertaken to determine whether tenascin-W could serve as a cancer-specific extracellular matrix protein in a broad range of solid tumors. Methods We analyzed the expression of tenascin-W and tenascin-C by immunoblotting and by immunohistochemistry on multiple frozen tissue microarrays of carcinomas of the pancreas, kidney and lung as well as melanomas and compared them to healthy tissues. Results From all healthy adult organs tested, only liver and spleen showed detectable levels of tenascin-W, suggesting that tenascin-W is absent from most human adult organs under normal, non-pathological conditions. In contrast, tenascin-W was detectable in the majority of melanomas and their metastases, as well as in pancreas, kidney, and lung carcinomas. Comparing lung tumor samples and matching control tissues for each patient revealed a clear overexpression of tenascin-W in tumor tissues. Although the number of samples examined is too small to draw statistically significant conclusions, there seems to be a tendency for increased tenascin-W expression in higher grade tumors. Interestingly, in most tumor types, tenascin-W is also expressed in close proximity to blood vessels, as shown by CD31 co-staining of the samples. Conclusions The present study extends the tumor biomarker potential of tenascin-W to a broad range of solid tumors and shows its accessibility from the blood stream for potential therapeutic strategies.

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells for the treatment of solid tumors: Defining the challenges and next steps☆

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Beatty, Gregory L.; O’Hara, Mark

2016-01-01

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has shown promise in CD19 expressing hematologic malignancies, but how to translate this success to solid malignancies remains elusive. Effective translation of CAR T cells to solid tumors will require an understanding of potential therapeutic barriers, including factors that regulate CAR T cells expansion, persistence, trafficking, and fate within tumors. Herein, we describe the current state of CAR T cells in solid tumors; define key barriers t...

Targeting the PD-1 pathway in pediatric solid tumors and brain tumors

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Wagner LM

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Lars M Wagner,1 Val R Adams2 1Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 2Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Abstract: While remarkable advances have been made in the treatment of pediatric leukemia over the past decades, new therapies are needed for children with advanced solid tumors and high-grade brain tumors who fail standard chemotherapy regimens. Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors acting through the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1 pathway has shown efficacy in some chemotherapy-resistant adult cancers, generating interest that these agents may also be helpful to treat certain refractory pediatric malignancies. In this manuscript we review current strategies for targeting the PD-1 pathway, highlighting putative biomarkers and the rationale for investigation of these drugs to treat common pediatric tumors such as sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and high-grade glioma. We summarize the completed and ongoing clinical trial data available, and suggest potential applications for further study. Keywords: PD-1, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, pediatric, sarcoma, neuroblastoma, glioma

Biological characterization of two xenografts derived from human CUPs (carcinomas of unknown primary

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Bernheim Alain

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Carcinomas of unknown primary site (CUP are epithelial malignancies revealed by metastatic lesions in the absence of any detectable primary tumor. Although they often adopt an aggressive clinical pattern, their basic biology remains poorly understood. Laboratory research on their biology have been hampered so far by the absence of cell lines representative of CUPs. Methods We attempted xenografts of CUP clinical specimens in immunodeficient mice and subsequent in vitro culture of transplanted malignant cells. Whenever possible, malignant xenografted or cultured cells were characterized by microsatellite genotyping, immunohistology, electron microscopy, multifish chromosome analysis and search of TP 53 gene mutations. Results Successful xenografts were achieved in 2 cases out of 4. One of them (Capi1 was lost after 3 passages whereas the other one (Capi3 has been adapted to in vitro culture and is currently available to the scientific community with reliable identification based on microsatellite genotyping. Both Capi1 and Capi3 have histological characteristics of adenocarcinomas and display intense expression of EMA, CEA and cytokeratin 7. Multifish chromosome analysis demonstrated a translocation involving chromosomes 4 and 21 in both specimens. Distinct rare missense mutations of the TP53 gene were detected in Capi1 (codon 312 and Capi3 (codon 181; the codon 181 mutation is consistent with a previously reported similar finding in a small series of CUP specimens. Finally, intense membrane expression of c-kit was recorded in Capi3. Conclusion Our data suggest that xenografted tumors can be obtained from a substantial fraction of CUP clinical specimens. The hypothesis of a preferential association of CUPs with TP 53 mutations of codon 181 deserves further investigations. The Capi3 cell line will be a useful tool for assessment of novel c-kit inhibitors.

64Cu-ATSM Reflects pO2 Levels in Human Head and Neck Cancer Xenografts but Not in Colorectal Cancer Xenografts: Comparison with 64CuCl2.

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Li, Fan; Jørgensen, Jesper T; Forman, Julie; Hansen, Anders E; Kjaer, Andreas

2016-03-01

The hypoxia PET tracer (64)Cu-diacetyl-bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazonate) ((64)Cu-ATSM) has shown promising results in clinical studies. However, concerns have been raised with regard to the possible effect of copper metabolism and free copper on tumor uptake and thereby the robustness of (64)Cu-ATSM as a hypoxia marker. In this study, accumulation and distribution of (64)Cu-ATSM and (64)CuCl2 in tumor tissue were compared with partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) probe measurements. One-hour dynamic PET scans were performed on nude mice bearing subcutaneous human head and neck tumors (FaDu) and human colorectal tumors (HT29) after administration of either (64)Cu-ATSM or (64)CuCl2. Subsequently, tracks were generated and track markers were positioned in tumors to allow for registration of their exact location on the high-resolution CT scan. After completion of the CT scan, pO2 probe measurements were performed along each track. PET and CT images were coregistered and ROIs drawn on the basis of the location of track markers and pO2 probe measurement depth. A linear mixed model for repeated measures was applied for the comparison of PET tracer uptake to corresponding pO2 values. Comparable uptake of (64)Cu-ATSM and (64)CuCl2 was found in the kidney, muscle, and liver of all animals, but (64)CuCl2 showed a higher uptake 10-60 min after injection in both tumor models. Significant differences were also found for both tumor-to-muscle and tumor-to-liver ratios. The intratumoral distribution of (64)Cu-ATSM, but not (64)CuCl2, showed a significant negative relationship with pO2 measurements in FaDu tumors. However, this relationship was not found in HT29 tumors. (64)Cu-ATSM and (64)CuCl2 displayed different uptake in tumors. In human head and neck xenografts, (64)Cu-ATSM but not (64)CuCl2 reflected pO2 measurements, indicating that (64)Cu-ATSM is a hypoxia-specific marker in this tumor type. However, data from colorectal cancer xenografts indicated that (64)Cu-ATSM may not be

Thymidine analogues to assess microperfusion in human tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janssen, Hilde L.; Ljungkvist, Anna S.; Rijken, Paul F.; Sprong, Debbie; Bussink, Jan; Kogel, Albert J. van der; Haustermans, Karin M.; Begg, Adrian C.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To validate the use of the thymidine analogues as local perfusion markers in human tumors (no labeling indicates no perfusion) by comparison with the well-characterized perfusion marker Hoechst 33342. Methods and Materials: Human tumor xenografts from gliomas and head-and-neck cancers were injected with iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) or bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342. In frozen sections, each blood vessel was scored for the presence of IdUrd/BrdUrd labeling and Hoechst in surrounding cells. The percentage of analogue-negative vessels was compared with the fraction of Hoechst-negative vessels. Collocalization of the two markers was also scored. Results: We found considerable intertumor variation in the fraction of perfused vessels, measured by analogue labeling, both in the human tumor xenografts and in a series of tumor biopsies from head-and-neck cancer patients. There was a significant correlation between the Hoechst-negative and IdUrd/BrdUrd-negative vessels in the xenografts (r 85, p = 0.0004), despite some mismatches on a per-vessel basis. Conclusions: Thymidine analogues can be successfully used to rank tumors according to their fraction of perfused vessels. Whether this fraction correlates with the extent of acute hypoxia needs further confirmation

CBT-501 Study for Select Advanced or Relapsed/Recurrent Solid Tumors

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2018-02-07

Solid Tumor; Advanced Cancer; ColoRectal Cancer; Endometrial Cancer; Gastric Cancer; Hepatocellular Cancer; Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer; Mesothelioma; Ovarian Cancer; Renal Cancer; Nasopharyngeal Cancer; Esophageal Cancer; Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma

Precursor States of Brain Tumor Initiating Cell Lines Are Predictive of Survival in Xenografts and Associated with Glioblastoma Subtypes

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Carlo Cusulin

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, brain-tumor-initiating cells (BTICs with cancer stem cell characteristics have been identified and proposed as primordial cells responsible for disease initiation, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. However, the extent to which individual, patient-derived BTIC lines reflect the heterogeneity of GBM remains poorly understood. Here we applied a stem cell biology approach and compared self-renewal, marker expression, label retention, and asymmetric cell division in 20 BTIC lines. Through cluster analysis, we identified two subgroups of BTIC lines with distinct precursor states, stem- or progenitor-like, predictive of survival after xenograft. Moreover, stem and progenitor transcriptomic signatures were identified, which showed a strong association with the proneural and mesenchymal subtypes, respectively, in the TCGA cohort. This study proposes a different framework for the study and use of BTIC lines and provides precursor biology insights into GBM.

Assessment of early changes in 3H-fluorothymidine uptake after treatment with gefitinib in human tumor xenograft in comparison with Ki-67 and phospho-EGFR expression

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Zhao, Songji; Kuge, Yuji; Zhao, Yan; Takeuchi, Satoshi; Hirata, Kenji; Takei, Toshiki; Shiga, Tohru; Dosaka-Akita, Hirotoshi; Tamaki, Nagara

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether early changes in 3′-deoxy-3′- 3 H-fluorothymidine ( 3 H-FLT) uptake can reflect the antiproliferative effect of gefitinib in a human tumor xenograft, in comparison with the histopathological markers, Ki-67 and phosphorylated EGFR (phospho-EGFR). An EGFR-dependent human tumor xenograft model (A431) was established in female BALB/c athymic mice, which were divided into three groups: one control group and two treatment groups. Mice in the treatment groups were orally administered a partial regression dose (100 mg/kg/day) or the maximum tolerated dose of gefitinib (200 mg/kg/day), once daily for 2 days. Mice in the control group were administered the vehicle (0.1% Tween 80). Tumor size was measured before and 3 days after the start of treatment. Biodistribution of 3 H-FLT and 18 F-FDG (%ID/g/kg) was examined 3 days after the start of the treatment. Tumor cell proliferative activity with Ki-67 was determined. Immunohistochemical staining of EGFR and measurement of phospho-EGFR were also performed. High expression levels of EGFR and Ki-67 were observed in the A431 tumor. After the treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg gefitinib, the uptake levels of 3 H-FLT in the tumor were significantly reduced to 67% and 61% of the control value, respectively (0.39 ± 0.09, 0.36 ± 0.06, 0.59 ± 0.11%ID/g/kg for 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and control groups, respectively; p < 0.01 vs. control), but those of 18 F-FDG were not. After the treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg gefitinib, the expression levels of Ki-67 in the tumor were markedly decreased (4.6 ± 2.4%, 6.2 ± 1.8%, and 10.4 ± 5.7% for 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and control groups, respectively, p < 0.01 vs. control). The expression levels of the phospho-EGFR protein also significantly decreased (29% and 21% of the control value for 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively p < 0.01 vs. control). There was no statistically significant difference in tumor size between pre- and post-treatments in

Experimental study on 211At labelled monoclonal antibody 3H11 and its Fab fragment radioimmunotherapy for human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice

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Jin Jiannan; Liu Ning; Zhang Shuyuan; Zhang Shiyuan; Luo Deyuan; Zhou Maolun

1996-01-01

Experimental radioimmunotherapy investigation of α-emitting radionuclide 211 At labelled anti-gastric cancer monoclonal antibody 3H11 and its Fab fragment for nude mice carrying human gastric cancer xenografts was conducted. Three i.p. injections of 14.8 or 22.2 kBq/g mouse were given, once every 5 days. The results showed that the growth of tumor xenografts was inhibited efficiently. The most evident therapy effect was observed at 15 days after treatment, and the tumor inhibition rates were 65% and 72%, respectively. No radiation injury of important organs was found

Nicotine stimulates pancreatic cancer xenografts by systemic increase in stress neurotransmitters and suppression of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid.

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Al-Wadei, Hussein A N; Plummer, Howard K; Schuller, Hildegard M

2009-03-01

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality in Western countries. We have shown previously that four representative human PDAC cell lines were regulated by beta-adrenoreceptors via cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent signaling. In the current study, we have tested the hypothesis that nicotine stimulates the growth of PDAC xenografts in nude mice by increasing the systemic levels of the stress neurotransmitters adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are the physiological agonists for beta-adrenoreceptors and that inhibition by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) of the adenylyl cyclase-dependent pathway downstream of adrenoreceptors blocks this effect. The size of xenografts from PDAC cell line Panc-1 was determined 30 days after inoculation of the cancer cells. Stress neurotransmitters in serum as well as cAMP in the cellular fraction of blood and in tumor tissue were assessed by immunoassays. Levels of GABA, its synthesizing enzymes GAD65 and GAD67 and beta-adrenergic signaling proteins in the tumor tissue were determined by western blotting. Nicotine significantly increased the systemic levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cAMP while increasing xenograft size and protein levels of cAMP, cyclic AMP response element-binding protein and p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the tumor tissue. Nicotine additionally reduced the protein levels of both GAD isozymes and GABA in tumor tissue. Treatment with GABA abolished these responses to nicotine and blocked the development of xenografts in mice not exposed to nicotine. These findings suggest that the development and progression of PDAC is subject to significant modulation by stimulatory stress neurotransmitters and inhibitory GABA and that treatment with GABA may be useful for marker-guided cancer intervention of PDAC.

Vascular abnormalities associated with acute hypoxia in human melanoma xenografts

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Simonsen, Trude G.; Gaustad, Jon-Vidar; Leinaas, Marit N.; Rofstad, Einar K.

2012-01-01

Background and purpose: The fraction of hypoxic cells has been shown to differ substantially among human tumors of the same histological type. In this study, a window chamber model was used to identify possible mechanisms leading to the development of highly different hypoxic fractions in A-07 and R-18 human melanoma xenografts. Materials and methods: Chronic and acute hypoxia was assessed in intradermal tumors using an immunohistochemical and a radiobiological assay. Functional and morphological parameters of the vascular networks of tumors growing in dorsal window chambers were assessed with intravital microscopy. Results: R-18 tumors showed significantly higher hypoxic fractions than A-07 tumors, and the difference was mostly due to acute hypoxia. Compared to A-07 tumors, R-18 tumors showed low vascular densities, low vessel diameters, long vessel segments, low blood flow velocities, frequent fluctuations in blood flow, and a high fraction of narrow vessels with absent or very low and varying flux of red blood cells. Conclusion: The high fraction of acute hypoxia in R-18 tumors was a consequence of frequent fluctuations in blood flow and red blood cell flux combined with low vascular density. The fluctuations were most likely caused by high geometric resistance to blood flow in the tumor microvasculature.

Different energy metabolism in two human small cell lung cancer subpopulations examined by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biochemical analysis in vivo and in vitro

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Kristjansen, P E; Spang-Thomsen, M; Quistorff, B

1991-01-01

Two human small cell lung cancer tumor lines, maintained as solid tumor xenografts on nude mice and as in vitro cell cultures, were studied by in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and by biochemical analysis of extracts of solid tumors and cell cultures. The tumor lines CPH SCCL 54A and CPH...

EGFRvIII-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells migrate to and kill tumor deposits infiltrating the brain parenchyma in an invasive xenograft model of glioblastoma.

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Miao, Hongsheng; Choi, Bryan D; Suryadevara, Carter M; Sanchez-Perez, Luis; Yang, Shicheng; De Leon, Gabriel; Sayour, Elias J; McLendon, Roger; Herndon, James E; Healy, Patrick; Archer, Gary E; Bigner, Darell D; Johnson, Laura A; Sampson, John H

2014-01-01

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults and is uniformly lethal. T-cell-based immunotherapy offers a promising platform for treatment given its potential to specifically target tumor tissue while sparing the normal brain. However, the diffuse and infiltrative nature of these tumors in the brain parenchyma may pose an exceptional hurdle to successful immunotherapy in patients. Areas of invasive tumor are thought to reside behind an intact blood brain barrier, isolating them from effective immunosurveillance and thereby predisposing the development of "immunologically silent" tumor peninsulas. Therefore, it remains unclear if adoptively transferred T cells can migrate to and mediate regression in areas of invasive GBM. One barrier has been the lack of a preclinical mouse model that accurately recapitulates the growth patterns of human GBM in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that D-270 MG xenografts exhibit the classical features of GBM and produce the diffuse and invasive tumors seen in patients. Using this model, we designed experiments to assess whether T cells expressing third-generation chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting the tumor-specific mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFRvIII, would localize to and treat invasive intracerebral GBM. EGFRvIII-targeted CAR (EGFRvIII+ CAR) T cells demonstrated in vitro EGFRvIII antigen-specific recognition and reactivity to the D-270 MG cell line, which naturally expresses EGFRvIII. Moreover, when administered systemically, EGFRvIII+ CAR T cells localized to areas of invasive tumor, suppressed tumor growth, and enhanced survival of mice with established intracranial D-270 MG tumors. Together, these data demonstrate that systemically administered T cells are capable of migrating to the invasive edges of GBM to mediate antitumor efficacy and tumor regression.

EGFRvIII-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells migrate to and kill tumor deposits infiltrating the brain parenchyma in an invasive xenograft model of glioblastoma.

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Hongsheng Miao

Full Text Available Glioblastoma (GBM is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults and is uniformly lethal. T-cell-based immunotherapy offers a promising platform for treatment given its potential to specifically target tumor tissue while sparing the normal brain. However, the diffuse and infiltrative nature of these tumors in the brain parenchyma may pose an exceptional hurdle to successful immunotherapy in patients. Areas of invasive tumor are thought to reside behind an intact blood brain barrier, isolating them from effective immunosurveillance and thereby predisposing the development of "immunologically silent" tumor peninsulas. Therefore, it remains unclear if adoptively transferred T cells can migrate to and mediate regression in areas of invasive GBM. One barrier has been the lack of a preclinical mouse model that accurately recapitulates the growth patterns of human GBM in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that D-270 MG xenografts exhibit the classical features of GBM and produce the diffuse and invasive tumors seen in patients. Using this model, we designed experiments to assess whether T cells expressing third-generation chimeric antigen receptors (CARs targeting the tumor-specific mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFRvIII, would localize to and treat invasive intracerebral GBM. EGFRvIII-targeted CAR (EGFRvIII+ CAR T cells demonstrated in vitro EGFRvIII antigen-specific recognition and reactivity to the D-270 MG cell line, which naturally expresses EGFRvIII. Moreover, when administered systemically, EGFRvIII+ CAR T cells localized to areas of invasive tumor, suppressed tumor growth, and enhanced survival of mice with established intracranial D-270 MG tumors. Together, these data demonstrate that systemically administered T cells are capable of migrating to the invasive edges of GBM to mediate antitumor efficacy and tumor regression.

Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of a VEGFR2-blocking antibody using sodium-iodide symporter molecular imaging in a tumor xenograft model

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Cheong, Su-Jin; Lee, Chang-Moon; Kim, Eun-Mi [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Cyclotron Research Center, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Uhm, Tai-Boong [Faculty of Biological Science, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju-si, jeonbuk 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Hwan-Jeong, E-mail: jayjeong@chonbuk.ac.k [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Cyclotron Research Center, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Wook; Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung-Hee [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of); Cyclotron Research Center, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 561-712 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-01-15

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2-blocking antibody (DC101) has inhibitory effects on tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. The human sodium/iodide symporter (hNIS) gene has been shown to be a useful molecular imaging reporter gene. Here, we investigated the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy by molecular imaging in reporter gene transfected tumor xenografts using a gamma imaging system. Methods: The hNIS gene was transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells using Lipofectamine. The correlation between the number of MDA-MB-231-hNIS cells and the uptake of {sup 99m}Tc-pertechnetate or {sup 125}I was investigated in vitro by gamma imaging and counting. MDA-MB-231-hNIS cells were injected subcutaneously into mice. When the tumor volume reached 180-200 mm{sup 3}, we randomly assigned five animals to each of three groups representing different tumor therapies; no DC101 (control), 100 {mu}g, or 150 {mu}g DC101/mouse. One week and 2 weeks after the first injection of DC101, gamma imaging was performed. Mice were sacrificed 2 weeks after the first injection of DC101. The tumor tissues were used for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and CD31 staining. Results: Uptake of {sup 125}I and {sup 99m}Tc-pertechnetate into MDA-MB-231-hNIS cells in vitro showed correlation with the number of cells. In DC101 treatment groups, the mean tumor volume was smaller than that of the control mice. Furthermore, tumor uptake of {sup 125}I was lower than in the controls. The CD31 staining and RT-PCR assay results showed that vessel formation and expression of the hNIS gene were significantly reduced in the tumor tissues of treatment groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the power of molecular imaging using a gamma imaging system for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of an antitumor treatment. Molecular imaging systems may be useful in evaluation and development of effective diagnostic and/or therapeutic antibodies for specific target molecules.

Solid and Cystic Tumor (SCT of the Pancreas in an Adult Man

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K. Ohiwa

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Solid and cystic tumor (SCT of the pancreas predominantly Occurs in women, and the occurrence in men is extremely rare. We experienced a male case of SCT. A 38-year-old man was admitted with the complaint of upper abdominal pain. CT scan showed the presence of a mass in the head of the pancreas. The mass was composed of high density areas and low density areas. Ultrasonograms revealed the mass being composed of high echoic areas and low echoic areas. The mass .was hypovascular on angiography. SCT was suspected and pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The cut surface of the tumor showed mainly cystic degenerative areas containing dark red hemorrhagic materials. Microscopically, there were solid areas in the periphery and pseudopapillary areas in the center. No metastasis was found in the removed lymph nodes. The tumor cells were not stained by Grimelius' silver stain. The tumor cells were positive for alpha-l-antitrypsin (AAT and neuron-specific enolase (NSE. Pancreatic hormones such as insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin were all negative. Electron micrograph showed that tumor cells were rich in mitochondria. Zymogen granules and neurosecretory granules were not detected. Estrogen receptor (ER and progesterone receptor (PR were both negative.

[Expression of Jagged1 mRNA in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma tissues and effect of RNA interference of Jagged1 on growth of xenograft in nude mice].

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Liu, G Y; Gao, Z H; Li, L; Song, T T; Sheng, X G

2016-06-25

To investigate the expression of Jagged1 in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma tissues and the effect of Jagged1 on growth of xenograft in nude mice. (1) Forty-eight cases of ovarian cancer and 30 cases of patients with benign epithelial ovarian tumor in the Henan Province Xinxiang Central Hospital during Feb. 2011 to Mar. 2014 were enrolled in this study. The mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1 and the downstream target genes Hes1, Hey1 were analyzed by using realtime PCR method. (2) The ovarian cancer xenograft models in nude mice were constructed by injecting SKOV3 cells in axillary subcutaneouswere. The nude mice were randomly divided into Jagged1 interference group, blank plasmid group and control group. Each group had 10 mice. They were transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-siRNA-Jagged1, blank plasmid pDC3.1 and phosphate buffer, respectively. The tumor volumes and tumor masses were measured 14 days after transfection and the inhibition rate was calculated. The relative mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in xenograft tissues after transfection in each group was detected by using realtime PCR technique and the relative protein expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in xenograft tissues was detected by utilizing western blot method. (1) The relative mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in ovarian cancer tissues were higher than benign ovarian tumor tissues, the differences were statistically significant (Ptissues of nude micein Jagged1 interference group were lower than that in the other two groups, the differences were statistically significant (Ptissues of nude mice among the three groups (P>0.05). Jagged1 is highly expressed in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Jagged1 gene interference in xenograft tumor can inhibit ovarian cancer cell growth and improve tumor suppressor rate, which probably play roles by inhibiting Notch1 signaling pathway.

Antitumor effect of novel anti-podoplanin antibody NZ-12 against malignant pleural mesothelioma in an orthotopic xenograft model.

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Abe, Shinji; Kaneko, Mika Kato; Tsuchihashi, Yuki; Izumi, Toshihiro; Ogasawara, Satoshi; Okada, Naoto; Sato, Chiemi; Tobiume, Makoto; Otsuka, Kenji; Miyamoto, Licht; Tsuchiya, Koichiro; Kawazoe, Kazuyoshi; Kato, Yukinari; Nishioka, Yasuhiko

2016-09-01

Podoplanin (aggrus) is highly expressed in several types of cancers, including malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Previously, we developed a rat anti-human podoplanin mAb, NZ-1, and a rat-human chimeric anti-human podoplanin antibody, NZ-8, derived from NZ-1, which induced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity against podoplanin-positive MPM cell lines. In this study, we showed the antitumor effect of NZ-1, NZ-8, and NZ-12, a novel rat-human chimeric anti-human podoplanin antibody derived from NZ-1, in an MPM orthotopic xenograft SCID mouse model. Treatment with NZ-1 and rat NK (CD161a(+) ) cells inhibited the growth of tumors and the production of pleural effusion in NCI-H290/PDPN or NCI-H226 orthotopic xenograft mouse models. NZ-8 and human natural killer (NK) (CD56(+) ) cells also inhibited tumor growth and pleural effusion in MPM orthotopic xenograft mice. Furthermore, NZ-12 induced potent ADCC mediated by human MNC, compared with either NZ-1 or NZ-8. Antitumor effects were observed following treatment with NZ-12 and human NK (CD56(+) ) cells in MPM orthotopic xenograft mice. In addition, combined immunotherapy using the ADCC activity of NZ-12 mediated by human NK (CD56(+) ) cells with pemetrexed, led to enhanced antitumor effects in MPM orthotopic xenograft mice. These results strongly suggest that combination therapy with podoplanin-targeting immunotherapy using both NZ-12 and pemetrexed might provide an efficacious therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MPM. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Cytogenetics of solid tumors Revisión de tema Citogenética de tumores sólidos

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José Luis Ramírez Castro

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Cytogenetic analysis of tumors has provided valuable information on the biology of cancer. It has been established that more than half of solid tumors show chromosomal anomalies; therefore, cytogenetic analysis is of great usefulness for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Identification of recurrent chromosomal anomalies in numerous tumors has been considered as an indicador of clinical importance. Cytogenetic studies in tissue tumors have revealed near 100,000 clonal chromosome abnormalities belonging to more that 30,000 human neoplasms. However, due to technical difficulties in cell cultures, only one third of solid tumors have been cytogenetically characterized. Conventional cytogenetics has been very useful for molecular characterization of new oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes involved in human tumorigenesis. In this review, some important issues related with tumors of chromosomal etiology, the diverse types of chromosomal anomalies with their frequencies, modern diagnostic techniques as well as their impact on the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer are presented. EL análisis citogenético de tumores ha proporcionado valiosa información sobre la biología del cáncer. Se ha establecido que más de la mitad de los tumores sólidos presentan alteraciones cromosómicas; por lo tanto, el análisis citogenético es de gran utilidad para el diagnóstico y el pronóstico. La identificación de cambios cromosómicos específicos recurrentes en numerosos tumores se considera un indicador de importancia clínica. Los estudios en este campo han revelado cerca de 100.000 alteraciones cromosómicas en más de 30.000 neoplasias humanas. Sin embargo, los tumores sólidos son los menos caracterizados citogenéticamente, sólo una tercera parte del total de ellos, debido a problemas técnicos en los cultivos celulares. La citogenética convencional ha sido muy útil para la posterior caracterización molecular de nuevos oncogenes y genes supresores de

The HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG exhibits potent antitumor activity for pheochromocytoma in a xenograft model.

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Xu, Yunze; Zhu, Qi; Chen, Dongning; Shen, Zhoujun; Wang, Weiqing; Ning, Guang; Zhu, Yu

2015-07-01

This study aims to investigate the effect of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) in the malignant pheochromocytoma using a xenograft mouse model. Treatment with 17-AAG induced a marked reduction in the volume and weight of PC12 pheochromocytoma cell tumor xenografts in mice. Furthermore, 17-AAG also significantly inhibited the expression of HSP90 and its client proteins. Our results validated HSP90 as an important target in pheochromocytoma and provided rationale for the testing of HSP90 inhibitors as a promising therapeutic agent in the antitumor therapy of pheochromocytoma.

Differentiation between benign and malignant solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas by MDCT

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Yin, Qihua; Wang, Mingliang; Wang, Chengsheng; Wu, Zhiyuan; Yuan, Fei; Chen, Kun; Tang, Yonghua; Zhao, Xuesong; Miao, Fei

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if characteristic features on computed tomographic and (or) magnetic resonance imaging can differentiate benign and malignant solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN). Materials and methods: A total of 82 pathologically diagnosed SPN patients were included. CT and MRI were reviewed by 3 radiologists. Each tumor was analyzed through the clinical and imaging features. Results: The highest occurrence of malignant SPN was observed in the group of patients (11–19 years old) followed by the group of patients (50–65 years old). When the tumor was located in the tail and the size was equal or larger than 6.0 cm, the positive and predictive value, the predictive value, sensitivity and specificity for a malignant SPN were 61.5%, 100%, 100% and 78.6%, respectively. Presence of complete encapsulation was more frequent in benign SPNs, but focal discontinuity in the malignant SPNs. Amorphous or scattered calcifications, all near-solid tumors and presence of upstream pancreatic ductal was found in the benign SPNs. Conclusion: A focal discontinuity of the capsule, large tumor size (>6.0 cm) and a pancreatic tail location may suggest malignancy of SPN. In contrast, tumors with amorphous or scattered calcifications, and all near-solid tumors may be indicative of benignancy. Age (less than 20 or more than 50 years old) is a possible risk factor of SPN. In comparison to other pancreatic neoplasms, such as ductal adenocarcinoma, a complete/incomplete pseudo-capsule, without upstream pancreatic duct dilatation and lymph nodes metastasis, and the presence of internal calcification and hemorrhage are more likely SPN.

Inhibitory effect of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide on human gastric cancer cell xenografts in nude mice

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Liying ZHANG

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOPA on human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 xenografts in nude mice. The nude mice with SGC-7901 xenografts were randomly divided into model, 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu, low-dose DOPA, middle-dose DOPA and high-dose DOPA group. The later four groups were intragastrically administrated with 100, 200 and 400 mg·kg–1·day–1 DOPA, 400 mg·kg–1·day–1 5-Fu and normal saline, respectively. After treatment for 20 days, the tumor inhibition rate of in high-dose DOPA group was basically equivalent to 5-Fu group. Compared with 5-Fu, DOPA had no obvious toxic side effect on spleen or thymus indexes, routine blood indexes or liver and kidney functions of nude mice. Compared with model group, the serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2 levels in middle- and high-dose DOPA group were significantly increased (P < 0.05, Bax protein expression was significantly increased (P < 0.05, and Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.05. DOPA can inhibit the growth of SGC-7901 cell xenografts in nude mice. The mechanism may be related to its increase of serum TNF-α and IL-2 levels, up-regulation of Bax protein expression and down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression.

Molecular mechanisms for synergistic effect of proteasome inhibitors with platinum-based therapy in solid tumors.

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Chao, Angel; Wang, Tzu-Hao

2016-02-01

The successful development of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib as an anticancer drug has improved survival in patients with multiple myeloma. With the emergence of the newly US Food and Drug Administration-approved proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib, ongoing trials are investigating this compound and other proteasome inhibitors either alone or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs. However, in solid tumors, the efficacy of proteasome inhibitors has not lived up to expectations. Results regarding the potential clinical efficacy of bortezomib combined with other agents in the treatment of solid tumors are eagerly awaited. Recent identification of the molecular mechanisms (involving apoptosis and autophagy) by which bortezomib and cisplatin can overcome chemotherapy resistance and sensitize tumor cells to anticancer therapy can provide insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with solid malignancies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The tumor vasculature is a target for genetic radiotherapy

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Mauceri, Helena J.; Heimann, Ruth; Seetharam, Saraswathy; Beckett, Michael A.; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Tumor progression and metastasis require the growth of new capillaries from existing blood vessels. Tumor cells produce both activators and inhibitors of endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Changes in the balance between these regulators appear to govern an angiogenic switch which is activated during tumor development. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) has a biphasic role in angiogenesis. It has been demonstrated that relatively low concentrations of TNF induce angiogenesis while high doses inhibit growth of blood vessels. In our previous studies, using the SQ-20B xenograft model system, we demonstrated increased tumor control when a virus containing the radiation-inducible promoter Egr-1 ligated to a cDNa for TNF-α was combined with radiation. The dominant histopathological feature of tumors receiving combined treatment with Ad.Egr-TNF and radiation was intratumoral vascular thrombosis. The present studies examine the role of TNF in tumor progression by investigating the effects of TNF on VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) production in vitro and on tumor vessel count in vivo. Methods: SQ-20B tumor cells in serum-free medium were exposed to hrTNF (10 ng/ml) 4 hours prior to a single dose of x-irradiation (10 Gy). 24 hrs. after treatment, the conditioned medium was harvested, centrifuged, diluted 1:10, and assayed for VEGF using a Quantikine TNF ELISA kit. For studies in vivo, female nude mice were injected sc in the right thigh with 10 6 SQ-20B cells. Xenografts were irradiated with four 5 Gy fractions (20 Gy) and injected twice with either Ad.Egr-TNF or Ad.null. Control tumors were injected with buffer. To highlight vessels, sections from paraffin embedded tissue were stained with anti-CD31 antibody using standard immunohistochemical techniques. Areas of high vascular density were identified and five high power fields (400X) were counted. Data are shown as the mean ± S.E.M. for each treatment group. Significance was evaluated using one

Inhibition of colon cancer growth by methylselenocysteine-induced angiogenic chemomodulation is influenced by histologic characteristics of the tumor.

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Bhattacharya, Arup; Tóth, Károly; Sen, Arindam; Seshadri, Mukund; Cao, Shousong; Durrani, Farukh A; Faber, Erik; Repasky, Elizabeth A; Rustum, Youcef M

2009-07-01

Despite an armamentarium that is wide in range, scope of action, and target, chemotherapy has limited success in colorectal cancer (CRC). Novel approaches are needed to overcome tumor barriers to chemotherapy that includes an abnormal tumor vasculature constituting a poor drug delivery system. We have previously shown that 5-methylselenocysteine (MSC) enhances therapeutic efficacy of irinotecan in various human tumor xenografts. We have recently demonstrated that MSC through vascular normalization leads to better tumor vascular function in vivo. In this study, we examined the role of MSC on tumor vasculature, interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) and drug delivery in 2 histologically distinct CRC xenografts, HCT-8 (uniformly poorly differentiated) and HT-29 (moderately differentiated tumor with avascular glandular regions). The presence of specific histologic structures as a barrier to therapy in these xenografts and their clinical relevance was studied using tissue microarray of human surgical samples of CRC. MSC led to a significant tumor growth inhibition, a reduced microvessel density, and a more normalized vasculature in both colorectal xenografts. While IFP was found to be significantly improved in HCT-8, an improved intratumoral doxorubicin delivery seen in both xenografts could explain the observed increase in therapeutic efficacy. Differentiated, glandular, avascular and hypoxic regions that contribute to tumor heterogeneity in HT-29 were also evident in the majority of surgical samples of CRC. Such regions constitute a physical barrier to chemotherapy and can confer drug resistance. Our results indicate that MSC could enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy in human CRC, especially in CRC with few or no hypoxic regions.

Prospective Clinical Study of Precision Oncology in Solid Tumors.

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Sohal, Davendra P S; Rini, Brian I; Khorana, Alok A; Dreicer, Robert; Abraham, Jame; Procop, Gary W; Saunthararajah, Yogen; Pennell, Nathan A; Stevenson, James P; Pelley, Robert; Estfan, Bassam; Shepard, Dale; Funchain, Pauline; Elson, Paul; Adelstein, David J; Bolwell, Brian J

2015-11-09

Systematic studies evaluating clinical benefit of tumor genomic profiling are lacking. We conducted a prospective study in 250 patients with select solid tumors at the Cleveland Clinic. Eligibility required histopathologic diagnosis, age of 18 years or older, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, and written informed consent. Tumors were sequenced using FoundationOne (Cambridge, MA). Results were reviewed at the Cleveland Clinic Genomics Tumor Board. Outcomes included feasibility and clinical impact. Colorectal (25%), breast (18%), lung (13%), and pancreatobiliary (13%) cancers were the most common diagnoses. Median time from consent to result was 25 days (range = 3-140). Of 223 evaluable samples, 49% (n = 109) of patients were recommended a specific therapy, but only 11% (n = 24) received such therapy: 12 on clinical trials, nine off-label, three on-label. Lack of clinical trial access (n = 49) and clinical deterioration (n = 29) were the most common reasons for nonrecommendation/nonreceipt of genomics-driven therapy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of Arrabidaea chica extracts on the Ehrlich solid tumor development

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Ana Flávia C. Ribeiro

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl. B. Verl., Bignoniaceae, extracts on Ehrlich solid tumor development in Swiss mice. Leaves of A. chica were extracted with two distinct solvents, ethanol and water. The phytochemical analysis of the extracts indicated different classes of secondary metabolites like as anthocyanidins, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. Ethanol (EE and aqueous (AE extracts at 30 mg/kg reduced the development of Ehrlich solid tumor after ten days of oral treatment. The EE group presented increase in neutrophil count, α1 and β globulin values, and decrease of α2 globulin values. Furthermore, EE reduced the percentage of CD4+ T cells in blood but did not alter the percentage of inflammatory mononuclear cells associated with tumor suggesting a direct action of EE on tumor cells. Reduced tumor development observed in AE group was accompanied by a lower percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes in blood. At the tumor microenvironment, this treatment decreased the percentage of CD3+ T cells, especially due to a reduction of CD8+ T subpopulation and NK cells. The antitumor activity presented by the AE is possibly related to an anti-inflammatory activity. None of the extracts produced toxic effects in animals. In conclusion, the ethanol and aqueous extracts of A. chica have immunomodulatory and antitumor activities attributed to the presence of flavonoids, such as kaempferol. These effects appear to be related to different mechanisms of action for each extract. This study demonstrates the potential of A. chica as an antitumor agent confirming its use in traditional popular medicine.

MicroPET/CT imaging of patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted subcutaneously or orthotopically in NOD-scid mice using 64Cu-NOTA-panitumumab F(ab')2 fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyle, Amanda J.; Cao, Ping-Jiang; Hedley, David W.; Sidhu, Sachdev S.; Winnik, Mitchell A.; Reilly, Raymond M.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Our objective was to study microPET/CT imaging of patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts in NOD-scid mice using F(ab') 2 fragments of the fully-human anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, panitumumab (Vectibix) labeled with 64 Cu. More than 90% of pancreatic cancers are EGFR-positive. Methods: F(ab') 2 fragments were produced by proteolytic digestion of panitumumab IgG or non-specific human IgG, purified by ultrafiltration then modified with NOTA chelators for complexing 64 Cu. Panitumumab IgG and Fab fragments were similarly labeled with 64 Cu. EGFR immunoreactivity was determined in competition and direct (saturation) cell binding assays. The biodistribution of 64 Cu-labeled panitumumab IgG, F(ab') 2 and Fab was compared in non-tumor-bearing Balb/c mice. MicroPET/CT and biodistribution studies were performed in NOD-scid mice engrafted subcutaneously (s.c.) or orthotopically with patient-derived OCIP23 pancreatic tumors, or in NOD-scid with s.c. PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer xenografts. Results: Panitumumab F(ab') 2 fragments were produced in high purity (> 90%), derivitized with 3.2 ± 0.7 NOTA/F(ab') 2 , and labeled with 64 Cu (0.3–3.6 MBq/μg). The binding of 64 Cu-NOTA-panitumumab F(ab') 2 to OCIP23 or PANC-1 cells was decreased significantly by an excess of panitumumab IgG. The K d for binding of 64 Cu-NOTA-panitumumab F(ab') 2 to EGFR on PANC-1 cells was 0.14 ± 0.05 nmol/L. F(ab') 2 fragments exhibited more suitable normal tissue distribution for tumor imaging with 64 Cu than panitumumab IgG or Fab. Tumor uptake at 48 h post injection (p.i.) of 64 Cu-NOTA-panitumumab F(ab') 2 was 12.0 ± 0.9% injected dose/g (ID/g) in s.c. and 11.8 ± 0.9% ID/g in orthotopic OCIP23 tumors vs. 6.1 ± 1.1% ID/g in s.c. PANC-1 xenografts. Tumor/Blood (T/B) ratios were 5:1 to 9:1 for OCIP23 and 2.4:1 for PANC-1 tumors. Tumor uptake of 64 Cu-NOTA-non-specific F(ab') 2 in OCIP23 xenografts was 5-fold lower than 64

Hypoxia Potentiates the Radiation-Sensitizing Effect of Olaparib in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Xenografts by Contextual Synthetic Lethality

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Jiang, Yanyan; Verbiest, Tom; Devery, Aoife M.; Bokobza, Sivan M.; Weber, Anika M.; Leszczynska, Katarzyna B.; Hammond, Ester M.; Ryan, Anderson J., E-mail: anderson.ryan@oncology.ox.ac.uk

2016-06-01

Purpose: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors potentiate radiation therapy in preclinical models of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other types of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying radiosensitization in vivo are incompletely understood. Herein, we investigated the impact of hypoxia on radiosensitization by the PARP inhibitor olaparib in human NSCLC xenograft models. Methods and Materials: NSCLC Calu-6 and Calu-3 cells were irradiated in the presence of olaparib or vehicle under normoxic (21% O{sub 2}) or hypoxic (1% O{sub 2}) conditions. In vitro radiosensitivity was assessed by clonogenic survival assay and γH2AX foci assay. Established Calu-6 and Calu-3 subcutaneous xenografts were treated with olaparib (50 mg/kg, daily for 3 days), radiation (10 Gy), or both. Tumors (n=3/group) were collected 24 or 72 hours after the first treatment. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess hypoxia (carbonic anhydrase IX [CA9]), vessels (CD31), DNA double strand breaks (DSB) (γH2AX), and apoptosis (cleaved caspase 3 [CC3]). The remaining xenografts (n=6/group) were monitored for tumor growth. Results: In vitro, olaparib showed a greater radiation-sensitizing effect in Calu-3 and Calu-6 cells in hypoxic conditions (1% O{sub 2}). In vivo, Calu-3 tumors were well-oxygenated, whereas Calu-6 tumors had extensive regions of hypoxia associated with down-regulation of the homologous recombination protein RAD51. Olaparib treatment increased unrepaired DNA DSB (P<.001) and apoptosis (P<.001) in hypoxic cells of Calu-6 tumors following radiation, whereas it had no significant effect on radiation-induced DNA damage response in nonhypoxic cells of Calu-6 tumors or in the tumor cells of well-oxygenated Calu-3 tumors. Consequently, olaparib significantly increased radiation-induced growth inhibition in Calu-6 tumors (P<.001) but not in Calu-3 tumors. Conclusions: Our data suggest that hypoxia potentiates the radiation-sensitizing effects of

The prognostic role of controlling nutritional status scores in patients with solid tumors.

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Liang, Ruo-Fei; Li, Jun-Hong; Li, Mao; Yang, Yuan; Liu, Yan-Hui

2017-11-01

We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the association between preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scores in various solid tumors and clinical outcomes. Relevant studies published up to August 12, 2017 were identified using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The pooled hazard ratios (HR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were calculated to explore the relationship between preoperative CONUT score and prognosis. In total, 674 patients with solid tumors from four published studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HR for OS was 1.98 (95% CI, 1.34-2.91, p=0.001), indicating that patients with high CONUT scores had worse OS. The pooled HR for EFS was 1.98 (95% CI, 1.34-2.93, p=0.001), revealing that high CONUT scores were significantly associated with short EFS. Our data suggest that high preoperative CONUT scores indicate poor prognosis for patients with solid tumors. Further studies are needed to verify the significance of CONUT scores in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Patient-Derived Xenograft Model of Parameningeal Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma for Preclinical Studies

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Jody E. Hooper

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (eRMS is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in children and adolescents. Parameningeal eRMS is a variant that is often more difficult to treat than eRMS occurring at other sites. A 14-year-old female with persistent headaches and rapid weight loss was diagnosed with parameningeal eRMS. She progressed and died despite chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide plus 50.4 Gy radiation therapy to the primary tumor site. Tumor specimens were acquired by rapid autopsy and tumor tissue was transplanted into immunodeficient mice to create a patient-derived xenograft (PDX animal model. As autopsy specimens had an ALK R1181C mutation, PDX tumor bearing animals were treated with the pan-kinase inhibitor lestaurtinib but demonstrated no decrease in tumor growth, suggesting that single agent kinase inhibitor therapy may be insufficient in similar cases. This unique parameningeal eRMS PDX model is publicly available for preclinical study.

C-Reactive Protein Is an Important Biomarker for Prognosis Tumor Recurrence and Treatment Response in Adult Solid Tumors: A Systematic Review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Shrotriya, Shiva

2015-01-01

A systematic literature review was done to determine the relationship between elevated CRP and prognosis in people with solid tumors. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a serum acute phase reactant and a well-established inflammatory marker. We also examined the role of CRP to predict treatment response and tumor recurrence.

Administration of the optimized β-Lapachone-poloxamer-cyclodextrin ternary system induces apoptosis, DNA damage and reduces tumor growth in a human breast adenocarcinoma xenograft mouse model.

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Seoane, Samuel; Díaz-Rodríguez, Patricia; Sendon-Lago, Juan; Gallego, Rosalia; Pérez-Fernández, Román; Landin, Mariana

2013-08-01

β-Lapachone (β-Lap) is a 1,2-orthonaphthoquinone that selectively induces cell death in human cancer cells through NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1). NQO1 is overexpressed in a variety of tumors, as compared to normal adjacent tissue. However, the low solubility and non-specific distribution of β-Lap limit its suitability for clinical assays. We formulated β-Lap in an optimal random methylated-β-cyclodextrin/poloxamer 407 mixture (i.e., β-Lap ternary system) and, using human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells and immunodeficient mice, performed in vitro and in vivo evaluation of its anti-tumor effects on proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA damage, and tumor growth. This ternary system is fluid at room temperature, gels over 29 °C, and provides a significant amount of drug, thus facilitating intratumoral delivery, in situ gelation, and the formation of a depot for time-release. Administration of β-Lap ternary system to MCF-7 cells induces an increase in apoptosis and DNA damage, while producing no changes in cell cycle. Moreover, in a mouse xenograft tumor model, intratumoral injection of the system significantly reduces tumor volume, while increasing apoptosis and DNA damage without visible toxicity to liver or kidney. These anti-tumoral effects and lack of visible toxicity make this system a promising new therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pyruvate sensitizes pancreatic tumors to hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302.

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Wojtkowiak, Jonathan W; Cornnell, Heather C; Matsumoto, Shingo; Saito, Keita; Takakusagi, Yoichi; Dutta, Prasanta; Kim, Munju; Zhang, Xiaomeng; Leos, Rafael; Bailey, Kate M; Martinez, Gary; Lloyd, Mark C; Weber, Craig; Mitchell, James B; Lynch, Ronald M; Baker, Amanda F; Gatenby, Robert A; Rejniak, Katarzyna A; Hart, Charles; Krishna, Murali C; Gillies, Robert J

2015-01-01

Hypoxic niches in solid tumors harbor therapy-resistant cells. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs) have been designed to overcome this resistance and, to date, have begun to show clinical efficacy. However, clinical HAPs activity could be improved. In this study, we sought to identify non-pharmacological methods to acutely exacerbate tumor hypoxia to increase TH-302 activity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor models. Three human PDAC cell lines with varying sensitivity to TH-302 (Hs766t > MiaPaCa-2 > SU.86.86) were used to establish PDAC xenograft models. PDAC cells were metabolically profiled in vitro and in vivo using the Seahorse XF system and hyperpolarized (13)C pyruvate MRI, respectively, in addition to quantitative immunohistochemistry. The effect of exogenous pyruvate on tumor oxygenation was determined using electroparamagnetic resonance (EPR) oxygen imaging. Hs766t and MiaPaCa-2 cells exhibited a glycolytic phenotype in comparison to TH-302 resistant line SU.86.86. Supporting this observation is a higher lactate/pyruvate ratio in Hs766t and MiaPaCa xenografts as observed during hyperpolarized pyruvate MRI studies in vivo. Coincidentally, response to exogenous pyruvate both in vitro (Seahorse oxygen consumption) and in vivo (EPR oxygen imaging) was greatest in Hs766t and MiaPaCa models, possibly due to a higher mitochondrial reserve capacity. Changes in oxygen consumption and in vivo hypoxic status to pyruvate were limited in the SU.86.86 model. Combination therapy of pyruvate plus TH-302 in vivo significantly decreased tumor growth and increased survival in the MiaPaCa model and improved survival in Hs766t tumors. Using metabolic profiling, functional imaging, and computational modeling, we show improved TH-302 activity by transiently increasing tumor hypoxia metabolically with exogenous pyruvate. Additionally, this work identified a set of biomarkers that may be used clinically to predict which tumors will be most responsive to

Eosinophilia in routine blood samples as a biomarker for solid tumor development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Christen Bertel L; Siersma, V.D.; Hasselbalch, H.C.

2014-01-01

eosinophilia in routine blood samples as a potential biomarker of solid tumor development in a prospective design. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From the Copenhagen Primary Care Differential Count (CopDiff) Database, we identified 356 196 individuals with at least one differential cell count (DIFF) encompassing...... was increased with mild eosinophilia [OR 1.93 (CI 1.29-2.89), p = 0.0013]. No associations with eosinophilia were observed for the remaining solid cancers. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that eosinophilia in routine blood samples associates with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Our data emphasize...... that additional preclinical studies are needed in order to shed further light on the role of eosinophils in carcinogenesis, where it is still unknown whether the cells contribute to tumor immune surveillance or neoplastic evolution....

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas with sickle cell trait: A rare case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harish S Permi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas is a rare pancreatic neoplasm affecting young women, has low malignant potential and amenable for surgical excision with good long-term survival. Sickle cell trait is benign condition, which involves one normal beta-globin chain and one HbS chain. Although it is a benign condition, individuals are prone to have rare complications that may predispose to death under certain circumstances. We report a rare coexistence of solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas with sickle cell trait in an 18-year-old female who underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Histopathological examination and haemoglobin electrophoresis confirmed the diagnosis.

Dynamic Quantitative T1 Mapping in Orthotopic Brain Tumor Xenografts

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Kelsey Herrmann

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Human brain tumors such as glioblastomas are typically detected using conventional, nonquantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI techniques, such as T2-weighted and contrast enhanced T1-weighted MRI. In this manuscript, we tested whether dynamic quantitative T1 mapping by MRI can localize orthotopic glioma tumors in an objective manner. Quantitative T1 mapping was performed by MRI over multiple time points using the conventional contrast agent Optimark. We compared signal differences to determine the gadolinium concentration in tissues over time. The T1 parametric maps made it easy to identify the regions of contrast enhancement and thus tumor location. Doubling the typical human dose of contrast agent resulted in a clearer demarcation of these tumors. Therefore, T1 mapping of brain tumors is gadolinium dose dependent and improves detection of tumors by MRI. The use of T1 maps provides a quantitative means to evaluate tumor detection by gadolinium-based contrast agents over time. This dynamic quantitative T1 mapping technique will also enable future quantitative evaluation of various targeted MRI contrast agents.

Bone marrow transplantation in aplastic anemia, acute leukemia and solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Champlin, R.; Feig, S.; Gale, R.P.

1980-01-01

Results of bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of aplastic anemia, acute leukemia and solid tumors in the first 141 patients treated between September 1973 and January 1980 are reviewed. Preparation for transplantation with total body irradiation is described. (Auth.)

Microarray profiling shows distinct differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models in hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Weining; Iyer, N. Gopalakrishna; Tay, Hsien Ts’ung; Wu, Yonghui; Lim, Tony K. H.; Zheng, Lin; Song, In Chin; Kwoh, Chee Keong; Huynh, Hung; Tan, Patrick O. B.; Chow, Pierce K. H.

2015-01-01

Despite advances in therapeutics, outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor and there is an urgent need for efficacious systemic therapy. Unfortunately, drugs that are successful in preclinical studies often fail in the clinical setting, and we hypothesize that this is due to functional differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models. In this study, we attempt to answer this question by comparing tumor morphology and gene expression profiles between primary tumors, xenografts and HCC cell lines. Hep G2 cell lines and tumor cells from patient tumor explants were subcutaneously (ectopically) injected into the flank and orthotopically into liver parenchyma of Mus Musculus SCID mice. The mice were euthanized after two weeks. RNA was extracted from the tumors, and gene expression profiling was performed using the Gene Chip Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0. Principal component analyses (PCA) and construction of dendrograms were conducted using Partek genomics suite. PCA showed that the commonly used HepG2 cell line model and its xenograft counterparts were vastly different from all fresh primary tumors. Expression profiles of primary tumors were also significantly divergent from their counterpart patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, regardless of the site of implantation. Xenografts from the same primary tumors were more likely to cluster together regardless of site of implantation, although heat maps showed distinct differences in gene expression profiles between orthotopic and ectopic models. The data presented here challenges the utility of routinely used preclinical models. Models using HepG2 were vastly different from primary tumors and PDXs, suggesting that this is not clinically representative. Surprisingly, site of implantation (orthotopic versus ectopic) resulted in limited impact on gene expression profiles, and in both scenarios xenografts differed significantly from the original primary tumors, challenging the long

Onconase-induced changes in radiation response and physiological parameters in solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, I.; Shui, C.; Shogen, K.; Mikulski, S.M.; Nunno, M.; Wallner, P.E.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Onconase (ONC), previously known as P-30 protein, is a novel basic amphibian protein isolated from eggs of the leopard frog. The original study conducted by Darzynkiewicz et al. (Cell Tissue Kinetics, 1988) demonstrated that ONC shows anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activities against several tumor cell lines in vitro. Since then, to our knowledge, no studies regarding the inhibitory effect of ONC in solid tumor models were performed. ONC is also known to inhibit cell-cycle progression from the radiation-sensitive G 1 phase to the radiation-resistant S phase. Thus, we examined the effect of ONC as a potential radiation sensitizer. The radiation response and physiological parameters were evaluated in C3H mice and/or nude mice bearing various (murine and/or human) tumor models. Materials and Method: First, we examined the effect of ONC on the cellular proliferative, as well as the clonogenic, response of various cell lines (i.e., H4IIE rat hepatoma, AsPC-1 human pancreas adenocarcinoma, DU145 human prostate carcinoma, LS174T human colon adenocarcinoma, A549 human lung carcinoma, MCaIV murine adenocarcinoma, FSaII murine fibrosarcoma, and CCL-209 bovine artery pulmonary endothelial cells) by using the MTT and clonogenic cell survival assays. Second, we determined the enhancement of radiation response before, during, and after treatment with ONC in several cell lines. Third, we determined whether ONC can inhibit the growth of solid tumors in vivo (i.e., FSaII and MCaIV in C3H mice, LS174T in nude mice). Fourth, we examined whether minocycline, an antiangiogenic agent, could amplify the tumoricidal efficacy of ONC in solid tumors. To test our hypothesis: if ONC could eradicate the outgrowth of tumor cells in confined spaces, it could lower the elevated pressure in solid tumors, we measured tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP) using the wick-in-needle method, and systemic pressure using the right carotid artery cannulation method after treatment with ONC

Therapeutic Silencing of Bcl-2 by Systemically Administered siRNA Nanotherapeutics Inhibits Tumor Growth by Autophagy and Apoptosis and Enhances the Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Orthotopic Xenograft Models of ER (− and ER (+ Breast Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Tekedereli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bcl-2 is overexpressed in about a half of human cancers and 50–70% of breast cancer patients, thereby conferring resistance to conventional therapies and making it an excellent therapeutic target. Small interfering RNA (siRNA offers novel and powerful tools for specific gene silencing and molecularly targeted therapy. Here, we show that therapeutic silencing of Bcl-2 by systemically administered nanoliposomal (NL-Bcl-2 siRNA (0.15 mg siRNA/kg, intravenous twice a week leads to significant antitumor activity and suppression of growth in both estrogen receptor-negative (ER(− MDA-MB-231 and ER-positive (+ MCF7 breast tumors in orthotopic xenograft models (P < 0.05. A single intravenous injection of NL-Bcl-2-siRNA provided robust and persistent silencing of the target gene expression in xenograft tumors. NL-Bcl-2-siRNA treatment significantly increased the efficacy of chemotherapy when combined with doxorubicin in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 animal models (P < 0.05. NL-Bcl-2-siRNA treatment-induced apoptosis and autophagic cell death, and inhibited cyclin D1, HIF1α and Src/Fak signaling in tumors. In conclusion, our data provide the first evidence that in vivo therapeutic targeting Bcl-2 by systemically administered nanoliposomal-siRNA significantly inhibits growth of both ER(− and ER(+ breast tumors and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy, suggesting that therapeutic silencing of Bcl-2 by siRNA is a viable approach in breast cancers.

Intensive chemotherapy as salvage treatment for solid tumors: focus on germ cell cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selle, F.; Gligorov, J.; Richard, S.; Khalil, A.; Alexandre, I.; Avenin, D.; Provent, S.; Soares, D.G.; Lotz, J.P.

2014-01-01

Germ cell tumors present contrasting biological and molecular features compared to many solid tumors, which may partially explain their unusual sensitivity to chemotherapy. Reduced DNA repair capacity and enhanced induction of apoptosis appear to be key factors in the sensitivity of germ cell tumors to cisplatin. Despite substantial cure rates, some patients relapse and subsequently die of their disease. Intensive doses of chemotherapy are used to counter mechanisms of drug resistance. So far, high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell support for solid tumors is used only in the setting of testicular germ cell tumors. In that indication, high-dose chemotherapy is given as the first or late salvage treatment for patients with either relapsed or progressive tumors after initial conventional salvage chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy is usually given as two or three sequential cycles using carboplatin and etoposide with or without ifosfamide. The administration of intensive therapy carries significant side effects and can only be efficiently and safely conducted in specialized referral centers to assure optimum patient care outcomes. In breast and ovarian cancer, most studies have demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), but overall survival remained unchanged. Therefore, most of these approaches have been dropped. In germ cell tumors, clinical trials are currently investigating novel therapeutic combinations and active treatments. In particular, the integration of targeted therapies constitutes an important area of research for patients with a poor prognosis

Intensive chemotherapy as salvage treatment for solid tumors: focus on germ cell cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selle, F.; Gligorov, J. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Pierre & Marie Curie University (UPMC Paris VI), Paris (France); Richard, S.; Khalil, A. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Alexandre, I. [Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Centre of Bligny, Briis-sous-Forges (France); Avenin, D.; Provent, S.; Soares, D.G. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Lotz, J.P. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Pierre & Marie Curie University (UPMC Paris VI), Paris (France)

2014-11-04

Germ cell tumors present contrasting biological and molecular features compared to many solid tumors, which may partially explain their unusual sensitivity to chemotherapy. Reduced DNA repair capacity and enhanced induction of apoptosis appear to be key factors in the sensitivity of germ cell tumors to cisplatin. Despite substantial cure rates, some patients relapse and subsequently die of their disease. Intensive doses of chemotherapy are used to counter mechanisms of drug resistance. So far, high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell support for solid tumors is used only in the setting of testicular germ cell tumors. In that indication, high-dose chemotherapy is given as the first or late salvage treatment for patients with either relapsed or progressive tumors after initial conventional salvage chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy is usually given as two or three sequential cycles using carboplatin and etoposide with or without ifosfamide. The administration of intensive therapy carries significant side effects and can only be efficiently and safely conducted in specialized referral centers to assure optimum patient care outcomes. In breast and ovarian cancer, most studies have demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), but overall survival remained unchanged. Therefore, most of these approaches have been dropped. In germ cell tumors, clinical trials are currently investigating novel therapeutic combinations and active treatments. In particular, the integration of targeted therapies constitutes an important area of research for patients with a poor prognosis.

Tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R is a highly effective general therapeutic for undifferentiated soft tissue sarcoma patient-derived orthotopic xenograft nude-mouse models.

Science.gov (United States)

Igarashi, Kentaro; Kawaguchi, Kei; Kiyuna, Tasuku; Miyake, Kentaro; Miyake, Masuyo; Singh, Arun S; Eckardt, Mark A; Nelson, Scott D; Russell, Tara A; Dry, Sarah M; Li, Yunfeng; Yamamoto, Norio; Hayashi, Katsuhiro; Kimura, Hiroaki; Miwa, Shinji; Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki; Singh, Shree Ram; Eilber, Fritz C; Hoffman, Robert M

2018-03-18

Undifferentiated soft tissue sarcoma (USTS) is a recalcitrant and heterogeneous subgroup of soft tissue sarcoma with high risk of metastasis and recurrence. Due to heterogeneity of USTS, there is no reliably effective first-line therapy. We have generated tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R), which previously showed strong efficacy on single patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models of Ewing's sarcoma and follicular dendritic cell sarcoma. In the present study, tumor resected from 4 patients with a biopsy-proven USTS (2 undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma [UPS], 1 undifferentiated sarcoma not otherwise specified [NOS] and 1 undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma [USS]) were grown orthotopically in the biceps femoris muscle of mice to establish PDOX models. One USS model and one UPS model were doxorubicin (DOX) resistant. One UPS and the NOS model were partially sensitive to DOX. DOX is first-line therapy for these diseases. S. typhimurium A1-R arrested tumor growth all 4 models. In addition to arresting tumor growth in each case, S. typhimurium A1-R was significantly more efficacious than DOX in each case, thereby surpassing first-line therapy. These results suggest that S. typhimurium A1-R can be a general therapeutic for USTS and possibly sarcoma in general. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Antibody or Antibody Fragments: Implications for Molecular Imaging and Targeted Therapy of Solid Tumors

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Katerina T. Xenaki

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The use of antibody-based therapeutics has proven very promising for clinical applications in cancer patients, with multiple examples of antibodies and antibody–drug conjugates successfully applied for the treatment of solid tumors and lymphomas. Given reported recurrence rates, improvements are clearly still necessary. A major factor limiting the efficacy of antibody-targeted cancer therapies may be the incomplete penetration of the antibody or antibody–drug conjugate into the tumor. Incomplete tumor penetration also affects the outcome of molecular imaging, when using such targeting agents. From the injection site until they arrive inside the tumor, targeting molecules are faced with several barriers that impact intratumoral distribution. The primary means of antibody transport inside tumors is based on diffusion. The diffusive penetration inside the tumor is influenced by both antibody properties, such as size and binding affinity, as well as tumor properties, such as microenvironment, vascularization, and targeted antigen availability. Engineering smaller antibody fragments has shown to improve the rate of tumor uptake and intratumoral distribution. However, it is often accompanied by more rapid clearance from the body and in several cases also by inherent destabilization and reduction of the binding affinity of the antibody. In this perspective, we discuss different cancer targeting approaches based on antibodies or their fragments. We carefully consider how their size and binding properties influence their intratumoral uptake and distribution, and how this may affect cancer imaging and therapy of solid tumors.

The effect of PPAR-γ agonist on 18F-FDG uptake in tumor and macrophages and tumor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Se-Lim; Kim, Eun-Mi; Cheong, Su-Jin; Lee, Chang-Moon; Kim, Dong Wook; Jeong, Hwan-Jeong; Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung-Hee; Yim, Chang Yeol

2009-01-01

Purpose: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors, and its role in adipogenesis and glucose metabolism has been well established. PPAR-γ agonists have been shown to inhibit many cytokines and to have anti-inflammatory effects. In pathologic conditions, enhanced fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake is observed not only in malignant tumors but also in inflammatory lesions, and this uptake occurs through the glucose transporter in these cells. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate the potential of using PPAR-γ's glucose uptake ability as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between macrophage and tumor cells. Materials and Methods: Cellular uptake studies were carried out on macrophage and two tumor cell lines for comparison by using 18 F-FDG. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression levels of both the glucose transporter and hexokinase protein. To confirm the possibility of differentiation between tumor and inflammatory lesions using rosiglitazone based on in vitro studies, 18 F-FDG (3.7x10 6 Bq) uptake in A549 and RAW 264.7 xenograft mice was compared. Results: The cellular uptake study findings were quite different for macrophages and tumor cells. 18 F-FDG uptakes by macrophages decreased by about 60% but was increased twofold in tumor cells after rosiglitazone treatment. Moreover, the expressions of proteins related to glucose uptake correlated well with cellular glucose accumulation in both cell types. Higher tumor uptake was observed after the injection of rosiglitazone in A549 xenograft mice (1.58±0.55 to 4.66±1.16), but no significant change of 18 F-FDG uptake was shown in RAW 264.7 xenograft mice (4.04±1.16 to 4.00±0.14). Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the roles of PPAR-γ agonist on FDG uptake in macrophages and tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest that rosiglitazone has the

Radioimmunodetection of human melanoma tumor xenografts with human monoclonal antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomibuchi, Makoto; Saxton, R.E.; Lake, R.R.; Katano, Mitsuo; Irie, R.F.

1986-01-01

A human IgM monoclonal antibody has been established that defines a tumor-associated membrane antigen expressed on human melanoma cells. The antigen has been identified as the ganglioside GD2. In this paper, the authors describe the potential usefulness of the human monoclonal antibody for radioimaging. Nude mice bearing tumors derived from a human melanoma cell line were used as a model. Antibody activity was degradated significantly after labeling with 131 I by the use of a modified chloramine-T method. After testing various concentrations, labeled antibody of a specific activity of 2.8μCi/μg produced the best results. Balb/c nude mice bearing a GD2-positive M14 melanoma cell line were injected with 10-30μg of labeled antibody, and its radiolocalization in different organs and in the whole body were evaluated. The best tumor image was obtained on Day 6. The labeled antibody uptake ratio between tumor and muscle was 9.2:1; the ratio between tumor and liver was 1.4:1. These studies represent the first report of experimental tumor imaging with human monoclonal antibody. Human monoclonals will probably prove to be superior reagents for tumor imaging in melanoma patients if the problem of anti-body radiolysis is resolved. (author)

Carbohydrate plasma expanders for passive tumor targeting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, Stefan; Caysa, Henrike; Kuntsche, Judith

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of carbohydrate plasma volume expanders as a novel polymer platform for tumor targeting. Many synthetic polymers have already been synthesized for targeted tumor therapy, but potential advantages of these carbohydrates include inexpen...... was characterized in human colon carcinoma xenograft bearing nude mice. A tumor specific accumulation of HES 450 was observed, which proves it’s potential as carrier for passive tumor targeting....

Optimization, biological evaluation and microPET imaging of copper-64-labeled bombesin agonists, [64Cu-NO2A-(X)-BBN(7-14)NH2], in a prostate tumor xenografted mouse model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lane, Stephanie R.; Nanda, Prasanta; Rold, Tammy L.; Sieckman, Gary L.; Figueroa, Said D.; Hoffman, Timothy J.; Jurisson, Silvia S.; Smith, Charles J.

2010-01-01

Gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPr) are a member of the bombesin (BBN) receptor family. GRPr are expressed in high numbers on specific human cancers, including human prostate cancer. Therefore, copper-64 ( 64 Cu) radiolabeled BBN(7-14)NH 2 conjugates could have potential for diagnosis of human prostate cancer via positron-emission tomography (PET). The aim of this study was to produce [ 64 Cu-NO2A-(X)-BBN(7-14)NH 2 ] conjugates for prostate cancer imaging, where X=pharmacokinetic modifier (beta-alanine, 5-aminovaleric acid, 6-aminohexanoic acid, 8-aminooctanoic acid, 9-aminonanoic acid or para-aminobenzoic acid) and NO2A=1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetic acid [a derivative of NOTA (1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid)]. Methods: [(X)-BBN(7-14)NH 2 ] Conjugates were synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), after which NOTA was added via manual conjugation. The new peptide conjugates were radiolabeled with 64 Cu radionuclide. The receptor-binding affinity was determined in human prostate PC-3 cells, and tumor-targeting efficacy was determined in PC-3 tumor-bearing severely combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Whole-body maximum intensity microPET/CT images of PC-3 tumor-bearing SCID mice were obtained 18 h postinjection (pi). Results: Competitive binding assays in PC-3 cells indicated high receptor-binding affinity for the [NO2A-(X)-BBN(7-14)NH 2 ] and [ nat Cu-NO2A-(X)-BBN(7-14)NH 2 ] conjugates. In vivo biodistribution studies of the [ 64 Cu-NO2A-(X)-BBN(7-14)NH 2 ] conjugates at 1, 4 and 24 h pi showed very high uptake of the tracer in GRPr-positive tissue with little accumulation and retention in nontarget tissues. High-quality, high-contrast microPET images were obtained, with xenografted tumors being clearly visible at 18 h pi. Conclusions: NO2A chelator sufficiently stabilizes copper(II) radiometal under in vivo conditions, producing conjugates with very high uptake and retention in targeted GRPr. Preclinical evaluation of these

A Xenograft Model of Vestibular Schwannoma and Hearing Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinh, Christine T; Bracho, Olena; Mei, Christine; Bas, Esperanza; Fernandez-Valle, Cristina; Telischi, Fred; Liu, Xue-Zhong

2018-03-19

Microsurgical implantation of mouse merlin-deficient Schwann cells (MD-SC) into the cerebellopontine angle of immunodeficient rats will initiate tumor formation, hearing loss, and vestibular dysfunction. The progress in identifying effective drug therapies for treatment of Neurofibromatosis type II (NF2) is limited by the availability of animal models of VS that develop hearing loss and imbalance. A microsurgical technique for implanting MD-SCs onto the cochleovestibular nerve of rats was developed. Ten Rowett Nude rats were implanted with either ∼10 MD-SCs expressing luciferase (N = 5) or vehicle (N = 5). Rats received bioluminescence imaging, auditory brainstem response testing, and were observed for head tilt every 2 weeks after surgery, for a total of 6 weeks. Tumors were harvested and processed with hematoxylin & eosin staining and immunohistochemistry was performed for S100. Rats implanted with MD-SCs developed significantly higher tumor bioluminescence measurements and hearing threshold shifts at multiple frequencies by the 4th and 6th weeks post-implantation, compared with control rats. Rats implanted with MD-SCs also developed gross tumor. The tumor volume was significantly greater than nerve volumes obtained from rats in the control group. All rats with tumors developed a head tilt, while control rats had no signs of vestibular dysfunction. Tumors demonstrated histological features of schwannoma and express S100. Using this microsurgical technique, this xenograft rat model of VS develops tumors involving the cochleovestibular nerve, shifts in hearing thresholds, and vestibular dysfunction. This animal model can be used to investigate tumor-mediated hearing loss and perform preclinical drug studies for NF2.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells: a novel therapy for solid tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shengnan Yu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract The chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T cell therapy is a newly developed adoptive antitumor treatment. Theoretically, CAR-T cells can specifically localize and eliminate tumor cells by interacting with the tumor-associated antigens (TAAs expressing on tumor cell surface. Current studies demonstrated that various TAAs could act as target antigens for CAR-T cells, for instance, the type III variant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRvIII was considered as an ideal target for its aberrant expression on the cell surface of several tumor types. CAR-T cell therapy has achieved gratifying breakthrough in hematological malignancies and promising outcome in solid tumor as showed in various clinical trials. The third generation of CAR-T demonstrates increased antitumor cytotoxicity and persistence through modification of CAR structure. In this review, we summarized the preclinical and clinical progress of CAR-T cells targeting EGFR, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, and mesothelin (MSLN, as well as the challenges for CAR-T cell therapy.

Effect of estrogen withdrawal on energy-rich phosphates and prediction of estrogen dependence monitored by in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy of four human breast cancer xenografts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, C A; Kristjansen, P E; Brünner, N

1995-01-01

The effect of estrogen withdrawal on energy metabolism was studied in four human breast cancer xenografts: the estrogen-dependent MCF-7 and ZR75-1 and the estrogen-independent ZR75/LCC-3 and MDA-MB-231. The tumors were grown in ovariectomized nude mice with a s.c. implanted estrogen pellet. After......-clamped tumors prepared 14 days after estrogen removal were analyzed for ATP and phosphocreatine content. Our findings suggest a correlation between estrogen withdrawal and the steady-state concentrations of ATP, phosphocreatine, and Pi in human breast cancer xenografts. Discrimination analysis...

Distribution and pharmacokinetics of the prodrug daunorubicin-GA3 in nude mice bearing human ovarian cancer xenografts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houba, PHJ; Boven, E; van der Meulen-Muileman, IH; Leenders, RGG; Scheeren, JW; Pinedo, HM; Haisma, HJ

1999-01-01

N-[4-daunorubicin-N-carbonyl (oxymethyl)phenyl] O-beta-glucuronyl carbamate (DNR-GA3) is a glucuronide prodrug of daunorubicin (DNR) which induced a better tumor growth delay than DNR when studied at equitoxic doses in three human ovarian cancer xenografts. These results suggested that the prodrug

Sulforaphane suppresses the growth of glioblastoma cells, glioblastoma stem cell-like spheroids, and tumor xenografts through multiple cell signaling pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Bijangi-Vishehsaraei, Khadijeh; Reza Saadatzadeh, M; Wang, Haiyan; Nguyen, Angie; Kamocka, Malgorzata M; Cai, Wenjing; Cohen-Gadol, Aaron A; Halum, Stacey L; Sarkaria, Jann N; Pollok, Karen E; Safa, Ahmad R

2017-12-01

OBJECTIVE Defects in the apoptotic machinery and augmented survival signals contribute to drug resistance in glioblastoma (GBM). Moreover, another complexity related to GBM treatment is the concept that GBM development and recurrence may arise from the expression of GBM stem cells (GSCs). Therefore, the use of a multifaceted approach or multitargeted agents that affect specific tumor cell characteristics will likely be necessary to successfully eradicate GBM. The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of sulforaphane (SFN)-a constituent of cruciferous vegetables with a multitargeted effect-as a therapeutic agent for GBM. METHODS The inhibitory effects of SFN on established cell lines, early primary cultures, CD133-positive GSCs, GSC-derived spheroids, and GBM xenografts were evaluated using various methods, including GSC isolation and the sphere-forming assay, analysis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis, cell growth inhibition assay, comet assays for assessing SFN-triggered DNA damage, confocal microscopy, Western blot analysis, and the determination of in vivo efficacy as assessed in human GBM xenograft models. RESULTS SFN triggered the significant inhibition of cell survival and induced apoptotic cell death, which was associated with caspase 3 and caspase 7 activation. Moreover, SFN triggered the formation of mitochondrial ROS, and SFN-triggered cell death was ROS dependent. Comet assays revealed that SFN increased single- and double-strand DNA breaks in GBM. Compared with the vehicle control cells, a significantly higher amount of γ-H2AX foci correlated with an increase in DNA double-strand breaks in the SFN-treated samples. Furthermore, SFN robustly inhibited the growth of GBM cell-induced cell death in established cell cultures and early-passage primary cultures and, most importantly, was effective in eliminating GSCs, which play a major role in drug resistance and disease recurrence. In vivo studies revealed that SFN

Antitumor activity of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] in mouse xenograft model of breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Muscella, A; Vetrugno, C; Migoni, D; Biagioni, F; Fanizzi, F P; Fornai, F; De Pascali, S A; Marsigliante, S

2014-01-23

The higher and selective cytotoxicity of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] toward cancer cell in both immortalized cell lines and in breast cancer cells in primary cultures, stimulated a pre-clinical study so as to evaluate its therapeutic potential in vivo. The efficacy of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] was assessed using a xenograft model of breast cancer developed by injection of MCF-7 cells in the flank of BALB/c nude mice. Treatment of solid tumor-bearing mice with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] induced up to 50% reduction of tumor mass compared with an average 10% inhibition recorded in cisplatin-treated animals. Thus, chemotherapy with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] was much more effective than cisplatin. We also demonstrated enhanced in vivo pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and tolerability of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] when compared with cisplatin administered in Wistar rats. Pharmacokinetics studies with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] revealed prolonged Pt persistence in systemic blood circulation and decreased nefrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, major target sites of cisplatin toxicity. Overall, [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] turned out to be extremely promising in terms of greater in vivo anticancer activity, reduced nephrotoxicity and acute toxicity compared with cisplatin.

Strategies for improving chemotherapeutic delivery to solid tumors mediated by vascular permeability modulation

Science.gov (United States)

Roy Chaudhuri, Tista

An essential mode of distribution of blood-borne chemotherapeutic agents within a solid tumor is via the micro-circulation. Poor tumor perfusion, because of a lack of functional vasculature or a lack of microvessels, as well as low tumor vascular permeability, can prevent adequate deposition of even low molecular-weight agents into the tumor. The modulation of tumor vascular function and density can provides numerous strategies for improving intratumor deposition of chemotherapeutic agents. Here we investigated strategies to improve drug delivery to two tumor types that share in common poor drug delivery, but differ in the underlying cause. First, in an angiogenesis-driven brain tumor model of Glioblastoma, the vascular permeability barrier, along with poorly-functional vasculature, hinders drug delivery. A strategy of nanoparticle-based tumor 'priming' to attack the vascular permeability barrier, employing sterically stabilized liposomal doxorubicin (SSL-DXR), was investigated. Functional and histological evaluation of tumor vasculature revealed that after an initial period of depressed vascular permeability and vascular pruning 3--4 days after SSL-DXR administration, vascular permeability and perfusion were restored and then elevated after 5--7 days. As a result of tumor priming, deposition of subsequently-administered nanoparticles was enhanced, and the efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ), if administered during the window of elevated permeability, was increased. The sequenced regimen resulted in a persistent reduction of the tumor proliferative index and a 40% suppression of tumor volume, compared to animals that received both agents simultaneously. Second, in a hypovascular, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma model, disruption of tumor-stromal communication via sonic hedgehog (sHH) signaling pathway inhibition mediated an indirect vascular proliferation and a more than 2-fold increase in intratumor nanoparticle deposition. Enhanced delivery of SSL-DXR in tumors pre

A quantitative theory of solid tumor growth, metabolic rate and vascularization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander B Herman

Full Text Available The relationships between cellular, structural and dynamical properties of tumors have traditionally been studied separately. Here, we construct a quantitative, predictive theory of solid tumor growth, metabolic rate, vascularization and necrosis that integrates the relationships between these properties. To accomplish this, we develop a comprehensive theory that describes the interface and integration of the tumor vascular network and resource supply with the cardiovascular system of the host. Our theory enables a quantitative understanding of how cells, tissues, and vascular networks act together across multiple scales by building on recent theoretical advances in modeling both healthy vasculature and the detailed processes of angiogenesis and tumor growth. The theory explicitly relates tumor vascularization and growth to metabolic rate, and yields extensive predictions for tumor properties, including growth rates, metabolic rates, degree of necrosis, blood flow rates and vessel sizes. Besides these quantitative predictions, we explain how growth rates depend on capillary density and metabolic rate, and why similar tumors grow slower and occur less frequently in larger animals, shedding light on Peto's paradox. Various implications for potential therapeutic strategies and further research are discussed.

Solid KHT tumor dispersal for flow cytometric cell kinetic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pallavicini, M.G.; Folstad, L.J.; Dunbar, C.

1981-01-01

A bacterial neutral protease was used to disperse KHT solid tumors into single cell suspensions suitable for routine cell kinetic analysis by flow cytometry and for clonogenic cell survival. Neutral protease disaggregation under conditions which would be suitable for routine tumor dispersal was compared with a trypsin/DNase procedure. Cell yield, clonogenic cell survival, DNA distributions of untreated and drug-perturbed tumors, rates of radioactive precursor incorporation during the cell cycle, and preferential cell cycle phase-specific cell loss were investigated. Tumors dispersed with neutral protease yielded approximately four times more cells than those dispersed with trypsin/DNase and approximately a 1.5-fold higher plating efficiency in a semisolid agar system. Quantitative analysis of DNA distributions obtained from untreated and cytosine-arabinoside-perturbed tumors produced similar results with both dispersal procedures. The rates of incorporation of tritiated thymidine during the cell cycle were also similar with neutral protease and trypsin/DNase dispersal. Preferential phase-specific cell loss was not obseved with either technique. We find that neutral protease provides good single cell suspensions of the KHT tumor for cell survival measurements and for cell kinetic analysis of drug-induced perturbations by flow cytometry. In addition, the high cell yields facilitate electronic cell sorting where large numbers of cells are often required

Luteolin inhibits the Nrf2 signaling pathway and tumor growth in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chian, Song; Thapa, Ruby; Chi, Zhexu [Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Wang, Xiu Jun [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Tang, Xiuwen, E-mail: xiuwentang@zju.edu.cn [Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China)

2014-05-16

Highlights: • Luteolin inhibits the Nrf2 pathway in mouse liver and in xenografted tumors. • Luteolin markedly inhibits the growth of xenograft tumors. • Luteolin enhances the anti-cancer effect of cisplatin in mice in vivo. • Luteolin could serve as an adjuvant in the chemotherapy of NSCLC. - Abstract: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is over-expressed in many types of tumor, promotes tumor growth, and confers resistance to anticancer therapy. Hence, Nrf2 is regarded as a novel therapeutic target in cancer. Previously, we reported that luteolin is a strong inhibitor of Nrf2 in vitro. Here, we showed that luteolin reduced the constitutive expression of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 in mouse liver in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further, luteolin inhibited the expression of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione transferases, decreasing the reduced glutathione in the liver of wild-type mice under both constitutive and butylated hydroxyanisole-induced conditions. In contrast, such distinct responses were not detected in Nrf2{sup −/−} mice. In addition, oral administration of luteolin, either alone or combined with intraperitoneal injection of the cytotoxic drug cisplatin, greatly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549 cells grown subcutaneously in athymic nude mice. Cell proliferation, the expression of Nrf2, and antioxidant enzymes were all reduced in tumor xenograft tissues. Furthermore, luteolin enhanced the anti-cancer effect of cisplatin. Together, our findings demonstrated that luteolin inhibits the Nrf2 pathway in vivo and can serve as an adjuvant in the chemotherapy of NSCLC.

Isolated tumor endothelial cells maintain specific character during long-term culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Kohei; Ohga, Noritaka; Hida, Yasuhiro; Muraki, Chikara; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Kurosu, Takuro; Akino, Tomoshige; Shih, Shou-Ching

2010-01-01

Tumor angiogenesis is necessary for solid tumor progression and metastasis. Increasing evidence indicates that tumor endothelial cells (TECs) are more relevant to the study of tumor angiogenesis than normal endothelial cells (NECs) because their morphologies and gene expression are different from NECs. However, it is challenging to isolate and culture large numbers of pure ECs from tumor tissue since the percentage of ECs is only about 1-2% and tumor cells and fibroblasts easily overgrow them. In addition, there has been concern that isolated TECs may lose their special phenotype once they are dissociated from tumor cells. In this study, we have successfully purified murine TECs from four different human tumor xenografts and NECs from murine dermal tissue. Isolated ECs expressed endothelial markers, such as CD31, VE-cadherin (CD144), and endoglin (CD105), for more than 3 months after isolation. TECs maintained tumor endothelial-specific markers, such as tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) and aminopeptidase N (APN), as in tumor blood vessels in vivo. In addition, TECs were more proliferative and motile than NECs. TECs showed a higher response to VEGF and higher expression of VEGF receptors-1 and -2 than NECs did. Stem cell antigen-1 was up-regulated in all four TECs, suggesting that they have a kind of stemness. Cultured TECs maintain distinct biological differences from NECs as in vivo. In conclusion, it was suggested that TECs are relevant material for tumor angiogenesis research.

Effect of Au-dextran NPs as anti-tumor agent against EAC and solid tumor in mice by biochemical evaluations and histopathological investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Medhat, Dalia; Hussein, Jihan; El-Naggar, Mehrez E; Attia, Mohamed F; Anwar, Mona; Latif, Yasmine Abdel; Booles, Hoda F; Morsy, Safaa; Farrag, Abdel Razik; Khalil, Wagdy K B; El-Khayat, Zakaria

2017-07-01

Dextran-capped gold nanoparticles (Au-dextran NPs) were prepared exploiting the natural polysaccharide polymer as both reducing and stabilizing agent in the synthesis process, aiming at studying their antitumor effect on solid carcinoma and EAC-bearing mice. To this end, Au-dextran NPs were designed via simple eco-friendly chemical reaction and they were characterized revealing the monodispersed particles with narrow distributed size of around 49nm with high negative charge. In vivo experiments were performed on mice. Biochemical analysis of liver and kidney functions and oxidation stress ratio in addition to histopathological investigations of such tumor tissues were done demonstrating the potentiality of Au-dextran NPs as antitumor agent. The obtained results revealed that EAC and solid tumors caused significant increase in liver and kidney functions, liver oxidant parameters, alpha feto protein levels and diminished liver antioxidant accompanied by positive expression of tumor protein p53 of liver while the treatment with Au-dextran NPs for both types caused improvement in liver and kidney functions, increased liver antioxidant, increased the expression level of B-cell lymphoma 2 gene and subsequently suppressed the apoptotic pathway. As a result, the obtained data provides significant antitumor effects of the Au-dextran NPs in both Ehrlich ascites and solid tumor in mice models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Solid tumors after chemotherapy or surgery for testicular nonseminoma: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Chunkit; Fossa, Sophie D; Milano, Michael T; Oldenburg, Jan; Travis, Lois B

2013-10-20

Increased risks of solid tumors after older radiotherapy strategies for testicular cancer (TC) are well established. Few population-based studies, however, focus on solid cancer risk among survivors of TC managed with nonradiotherapy approaches. We quantified the site-specific risk of solid cancers among testicular nonseminoma patients treated in the modern era of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, without radiotherapy. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for solid tumors were calculated for 12,691 patients with testicular nonseminoma reported to the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (1980 to 2008) and treated initially with either chemotherapy (n = 6,013) or surgery (n = 6,678) without radiotherapy. Patients accrued 116,073 person-years of follow-up. Two hundred ten second solid cancers were observed. No increased risk followed surgery alone (SIR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.14; n = 99 solid cancers), whereas significantly increased 40% excesses (SIR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.73; n = 111 solid cancers) occurred after chemotherapy. Increased risks of solid cancers after chemotherapy were observed in most follow-up periods (median latency, 12.5 years), including more than 20 years after treatment (SIR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.96 to 2.33); significantly increased three- to seven-fold risks occurred for cancers of the kidney (SIR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.79 to 5.77), thyroid (SIR, 4.40; 95% CI, 2.19 to 7.88), and soft tissue (SIR, 7.49; 95% CI, 3.59 to 13.78). To our knowledge, this is the first large population-based series reporting significantly increased risks of solid cancers among patients with testicular nonseminoma treated in the modern era of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Subsequent analytic studies should focus on the evaluation of dose-response relationships, types of solid cancers, latency patterns, and interactions with other possible factors, including genetic susceptibility.

Mena deficiency delays tumor progression and decreases metastasis in polyoma middle-T transgenic mouse mammary tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Roussos, Evanthia T; Wang, Yarong; Wyckoff, Jeffrey B; Sellers, Rani S; Wang, Weigang; Li, Jiufeng; Pollard, Jeffrey W; Gertler, Frank B; Condeelis, John S

2010-01-01

The actin binding protein Mammalian enabled (Mena), has been implicated in the metastatic progression of solid tumors in humans. Mena expression level in primary tumors is correlated with metastasis in breast, cervical, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Cells expressing high Mena levels are part of the tumor microenvironment for metastasis (TMEM), an anatomical structure that is predictive for risk of breast cancer metastasis. Previously we have shown that forced expression of Mena adenocarcinoma cells enhances invasion and metastasis in xenograft mice. Whether Mena is required for tumor progression is still unknown. Here we report the effects of Mena deficiency on tumor progression, metastasis and on normal mammary gland development. To investigate the role of Mena in tumor progression and metastasis, Mena deficient mice were intercrossed with mice carrying a transgene expressing the polyoma middle T oncoprotein, driven by the mouse mammary tumor virus. The progeny were investigated for the effects of Mena deficiency on tumor progression via staging of primary mammary tumors and by evaluation of morbidity. Stages of metastatic progression were investigated using an in vivo invasion assay, intravital multiphoton microscopy, circulating tumor cell burden, and lung metastases. Mammary gland development was studied in whole mount mammary glands of wild type and Mena deficient mice. Mena deficiency decreased morbidity and metastatic dissemination. Loss of Mena increased mammary tumor latency but had no affect on mammary tumor burden or histologic progression to carcinoma. Elimination of Mena also significantly decreased epidermal growth factor (EGF) induced in vivo invasion, in vivo motility, intravasation and metastasis. Non-tumor bearing mice deficient for Mena also showed defects in mammary gland terminal end bud formation and branching. Deficiency of Mena decreases metastasis by slowing tumor progression and reducing tumor cell invasion and intravasation. Mena

Factors associated with abandonment of therapy by children diagnosed with solid tumors in Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, Liliana; Diaz, Rosdali; Chavez, Sharon; Tarrillo, Fanny; Maza, Ivan; Hernandez, Eddy; Oscanoa, Monica; García, Juan; Geronimo, Jenny; Rossell, Nuria

2018-06-01

Abandonment of treatment is a major cause of treatment failure and poor survival in children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries. The incidence of treatment abandonment in Peru has not been reported. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with treatment abandonment by pediatric patients with solid tumors in Peru. We retrospectively reviewed the sociodemographic and clinical data of children referred between January 2012 and December 2014 to the two main tertiary centers for childhood cancer in Peru. The definition of treatment abandonment followed the International Society of Paediatric Oncology, Paediatric Oncology in Developing Countries, Abandonment of Treatment recommendation. Data from 1135 children diagnosed with malignant solid tumors were analyzed, of which 209 (18.4%) abandoned treatment. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed significantly higher abandonment rates in children living outside the capital city, Lima (forest; odds ratio [OR] 3.25; P < 0.001), those living in a rural setting (OR 3.44; P < 0.001), and those whose parent(s) lacked formal employment (OR 4.39; P = 0.001). According to cancer diagnosis, children with retinoblastoma were more likely to abandon treatment compared to children with other solid tumors (OR 1.79; P = 0.02). In multivariate regression analyses, rural origin (OR 2.02; P = 0.001) and lack of formal parental employment (OR 2.88; P = 0.001) were independently predictive of abandonment. Treatment abandonment prevalence of solid tumors in Peru is high and closely related to sociodemographical factors. Treatment outcomes could be substantially improved by strategies that help prevent abandonment of therapy based on these results. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ursodeoxycholic acid induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui; Xu, Hong-Wei; Zhang, Yu-Zhen; Huang, Ya; Han, Guo-Qing; Liang, Tie-Jun; Wei, Li-Li; Qin, Cheng-Yong; Qin, Cheng-Kun

2015-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: BALB/c nude mice were randomized into four groups 24 h before subcutaneous injection of hepatocarcinoma BEL7402 cells suspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) into the right flank. The control group (n = 10) was fed a standard diet while treatment groups (n = 10 each) were fed a standard daily diet supplemented with different concentrations of UDCA (30, 50 and 70 mg/kg per day) for 21 d. Tumor growth was measured once each week, and tumor volume (V) was calculated with the following equation: V = (L × W2) × 0.52, where L is the length and W is the width of the xenograft. After 21 d, mice were killed under ether anesthesia, and tumors were excised and weighed. Apoptosis was evaluated through detection of DNA fragmentation with gel electrophoresis and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression of apoptosis-related proteins BAX, BCL2, APAF1, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3. RESULTS: UDCA suppressed tumor growth relative to controls. The mean tumor volumes were the following: control, 1090 ± 89 mm3; 30 mg/kg per day, 612 ± 46 mm3; 50 mg/kg per day, 563 ± 38 mm3; and 70 mg/kg per day, 221 ± 26 mm3. Decreased tumor volumes reached statistical significance relative to control xenografts (30 mg/kg per day, P < 0.05; 50 mg/kg per day, P < 0.05; 70 mg/kg per day, P < 0.01). Increasing concentrations of UDCA led to increased DNA fragmentation observed on gel electrophoresis and in the TUNEL assay (control, 1.6% ± 0.3%; 30 mg/kg per day, 2.9% ± 0.5%; 50 mg/kg per day, 3.15% ± 0.7%, and 70 mg/kg per day, 4.86% ± 0.9%). Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of BAX, APAF1, cleaved-caspase-9 and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins, which induce apoptosis, but decreased expression of BCL2

Ursodeoxycholic acid induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui; Xu, Hong-Wei; Zhang, Yu-Zhen; Huang, Ya; Han, Guo-Qing; Liang, Tie-Jun; Wei, Li-Li; Qin, Cheng-Yong; Qin, Cheng-Kun

2015-09-28

To evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). BALB/c nude mice were randomized into four groups 24 h before subcutaneous injection of hepatocarcinoma BEL7402 cells suspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) into the right flank. The control group (n = 10) was fed a standard diet while treatment groups (n = 10 each) were fed a standard daily diet supplemented with different concentrations of UDCA (30, 50 and 70 mg/kg per day) for 21 d. Tumor growth was measured once each week, and tumor volume (V) was calculated with the following equation: V = (L × W(2)) × 0.52, where L is the length and W is the width of the xenograft. After 21 d, mice were killed under ether anesthesia, and tumors were excised and weighed. Apoptosis was evaluated through detection of DNA fragmentation with gel electrophoresis and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression of apoptosis-related proteins BAX, BCL2, APAF1, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3. UDCA suppressed tumor growth relative to controls. The mean tumor volumes were the following: control, 1090 ± 89 mm(3); 30 mg/kg per day, 612 ± 46 mm(3); 50 mg/kg per day, 563 ± 38 mm(3); and 70 mg/kg per day, 221 ± 26 mm(3). Decreased tumor volumes reached statistical significance relative to control xenografts (30 mg/kg per day, P < 0.05; 50 mg/kg per day, P < 0.05; 70 mg/kg per day, P < 0.01). Increasing concentrations of UDCA led to increased DNA fragmentation observed on gel electrophoresis and in the TUNEL assay (control, 1.6% ± 0.3%; 30 mg/kg per day, 2.9% ± 0.5%; 50 mg/kg per day, 3.15% ± 0.7%, and 70 mg/kg per day, 4.86% ± 0.9%). Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of BAX, APAF1, cleaved-caspase-9 and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins, which induce apoptosis, but decreased expression of BCL2 protein, which

Investigation of particle accumulation, chemosensitivity and thermosensitivity for effective solid tumor therapy using thermosensitive liposomes and hyperthermia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.J.M. Lokerse (Wouter); M. Bolkestein (Michiel); T.L.M. ten Hagen (Timo); M. de Jong (Marcel); A.M.M. Eggermont (Alexander); Grüll, H. (Holger); G.A. Koning (Gerben)

2016-01-01

textabstractDoxorubicin (Dox) loaded thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs) have shown promising results for hyperthermia-induced local drug delivery to solid tumors. Typically, the tumor is heated to hyperthermic temperatures (41-42 °C), which induced intravascular drug release from TSLs within the tumor

Orthotopic glioblastoma stem-like cell xenograft model in mice to evaluate intra-arterial delivery of bevacizumab: from bedside to bench.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkhardt, Jan-Karl; Hofstetter, Christoph P; Santillan, Alejandro; Shin, Benjamin J; Foley, Conor P; Ballon, Douglas J; Pierre Gobin, Y; Boockvar, John A

2012-11-01

Bevacizumab (BV), a humanized monocolonal antibody directed against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is a standard intravenous (IV) treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), that has been introduced recently as an intra-arterial (IA) treatment modality in humans. Since preclinical models have not been reported, we sought to develop a tumor stem cell (TSC) xenograft model to investigate IA BV delivery in vivo. Firefly luciferase transduced patient TSC were injected into the cortex of 35 nude mice. Tumor growth was monitored weekly using bioluminescence imaging. Mice were treated with either intraperitoneal (IP) or IA BV, with or without blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD), or with IP saline injection (controls). Tumor tissue was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and western blot techniques. Tumor formation occurred in 31 of 35 (89%) mice with a significant signal increase over time (p=0.018). Post mortem histology revealed an infiltrative growth of TSC xenografts in a similar pattern compared to the primary human GBM. Tumor tissue analyzed at 24 hours after treatment revealed that IA BV treatment with BBBD led to a significantly higher intratumoral BV concentration compared to IA BV alone, IP BV or controls (pmouse model that allows us to study IA chemotherapy. However, further studies are needed to analyze the treatment effects after IA BV to assess tumor progression and overall animal survival. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-m antibody in solid tumors-two case reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Soni, Shiv Kumar; Goyal, Hari; Sood, S K; Setia, Rasika

2014-09-01

Anti-M antibodies are usually of IgM, appear as cold agglutinins and are clinically insignificant. We are reporting two cases of anti-M in cases of solid tumors where the anti-M caused discrepancy in blood grouping, reacted in coombs phase of crossmatching. Anti-M in first case showed dosage effect. These antibodies can be clinical significant when detected in coombs phase, making M antigen negative coombs compatible unit transfusion imperative.

Characterization of a switchable chimeric antigen receptor platform in a pre-clinical solid tumor model.