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Sample records for targeting tumor angiogenesis

  1. Diversity of radioprobes targeted to tumor angiogenesis on molecular functional imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Xia; Zhang Huabei

    2013-01-01

    Molecular functional imaging could visualize, characterize, and measure the bio- logical processes including tumor angiogenesis at the molecular and cellular levels in humans and other living systems. The molecular probes labeled by a variety of radionuclide used in the field of the nuclear medicine play pivotal roles in molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis. However, the regulatory role of different probes in tumor angiogenesis has not been systematically illustrated. The current status of tumor angiogenesis imaging with radiolabeled probes of peptide, monoclonal antibody as well as its fragment, especially nanoparticle-based probes to gain insights into the robust tumor angiogenesis development were summarized. It was recognized that only the probes such as nanoparticle-based probes, which truly target the tumor vasculature rather than tumor cells because of poor extravasation, are really tumor angiogenesis imaging agent. The research of molecular probe targeted to angiogenesis would meet its flourish just after the outstanding improvements in the in vivo stability and biocompatibility, tumor-targeting efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of tumor angiogenesis imaging probes are made. Translation to clinical applications will also be critical for the maximize benefits of these novel agents. The future of tumor angiogenesis imaging lies in liable imaging probes and multiple imaging modalities, imaging of protein-protein interactions, and quantitative molecular imaging. (authors)

  2. Inhibition of Tumor Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth by the DSL Domain of Human Delta-Like 1 Targeted to Vascular Endothelial Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Xing-Cheng; Dou, Guo-Rui; Wang, Li; Liang, Liang; Tian, Deng-Mei; Cao, Xiu-Li; Qin, Hong-Yan; Wang, Chun-Mei; Zhang, Ping; Han, Hua

    2013-01-01

    The growth of solid tumors depends on neovascularization. Several therapies targeting tumor angiogenesis have been developed. However, poor response in some tumors and emerging resistance necessitate further investigations of newdrug targets. Notch signal pathway plays a pivotal role in vascular development and tumor angiogenesis. Either blockade or forced activation of this pathway can inhibit angiogenesis. As blocking Notch pathway results in the formation of vascular neoplasm, activation o...

  3. Inhibition of Tumor Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth by the DSL Domain of Human Delta-Like 1 Targeted to Vascular Endothelial Cells12

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Xing-Cheng; Dou, Guo-Rui; Wang, Li; Liang, Liang; Tian, Deng-Mei; Cao, Xiu-Li; Qin, Hong-Yan; Wang, Chun-Mei; Zhang, Ping; Han, Hua

    2013-01-01

    The growth of solid tumors depends on neovascularization. Several therapies targeting tumor angiogenesis have been developed. However, poor response in some tumors and emerging resistance necessitate further investigations of new drug targets. Notch signal pathway plays a pivotal role in vascular development and tumor angiogenesis. Either blockade or forced activation of this pathway can inhibit angiogenesis. As blocking Notch pathway results in the formation of vascular neoplasm, activation ...

  4. Targeted microbubbles for imaging tumor angiogenesis: assessment of whole-body biodistribution with dynamic micro-PET in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willmann, Jürgen K; Cheng, Zhen; Davis, Corrine

    2008-01-01

    To evaluate in vivo whole-body biodistribution of microbubbles (MBs) targeted to tumor angiogenesis-related vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) by using dynamic micro-positron emission tomography (PET) in living mice.......To evaluate in vivo whole-body biodistribution of microbubbles (MBs) targeted to tumor angiogenesis-related vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) by using dynamic micro-positron emission tomography (PET) in living mice....

  5. Targeting Angiogenesis and Tumor Microenvironment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Role of Aflibercept

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guido Giordano

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the last decades, we have progressively observed an improvement in therapeutic options for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC treatment with a progressive prolongation of survival. mCRC prognosis still remains poor with low percentage of 5-year survival. Targeted agents have improved results obtained with standard chemotherapy. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in colorectal cancer growth, proliferation, and metastasization and it has been investigated as a potential target for mCRC treatment. Accordingly, novel antiangiogenic targeted agents bevacizumab, regorafenib, and aflibercept have been approved for mCRC treatment as the result of several phase III randomized trials. The development of a tumor permissive microenvironment via the aberrant expression by tumor cells of paracrine factors alters the tumor-stroma interactions inducing an expansion of proangiogenic signals. Recently, the VELOUR study showed that addition of aflibercept to FOLFIRI regimen as a second-line therapy for mCRC improved significantly OS, PFS, and RR. This molecule represents a valid second-line therapeutic option and its peculiar ability to interfere with placental growth factor (PlGF/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1 axis makes it effective in targeting angiogenesis, inflammatory cells and in overcoming resistances to anti-angiogenic first-line treatment. Here, we discuss about Aflibercept peculiar ability to interfere with tumor microenvironment and angiogenic pathway.

  6. Inhibition of tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth by the DSL domain of human Delta-like 1 targeted to vascular endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xing-Cheng; Dou, Guo-Rui; Wang, Li; Liang, Liang; Tian, Deng-Mei; Cao, Xiu-Li; Qin, Hong-Yan; Wang, Chun-Mei; Zhang, Ping; Han, Hua

    2013-07-01

    The growth of solid tumors depends on neovascularization. Several therapies targeting tumor angiogenesis have been developed. However, poor response in some tumors and emerging resistance necessitate further investigations of new drug targets. Notch signal pathway plays a pivotal role in vascular development and tumor angiogenesis. Either blockade or forced activation of this pathway can inhibit angiogenesis. As blocking Notch pathway results in the formation of vascular neoplasm, activation of Notch pathway to prevent tumor angiogenesis might be an alternative choice. However, an in vivo deliverable reagent with highly efficient Notch-activating capacity has not been developed. Here, we generated a polypeptide, hD1R, which consists of the Delta-Serrate-Lag-2 fragment of the human Notch ligand Delta-like 1 and an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) motif targeting endothelial cells (ECs). We showed that hD1R could bind to ECs specifically through its RGD motif and effectively triggered Notch signaling in ECs. We demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo that hD1R inhibited angiogenic sprouting and EC proliferation. In tumor-bearing mice, the injection of hD1R effectively repressed tumor growth, most likely through increasing tumor hypoxia and tissue necrosis. The amount and width of vessels reduced remarkably in tumors of mice treated with hD1R. Moreover, vessels in tumors of mice treated with hD1R recruited more NG2(+) perivascular cells and were better perfused. Combined application of hD1R and chemotherapy with cisplatin and teniposide revealed that these two treatments had additive antitumor effects. Our study provided a new strategy for antiangiogenic tumor therapy.

  7. Inhibition of Tumor Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth by the DSL Domain of Human Delta-Like 1 Targeted to Vascular Endothelial Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-Cheng Zhao

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The growth of solid tumors depends on neovascularization. Several therapies targeting tumor angiogenesis have been developed. However, poor response in some tumors and emerging resistance necessitate further investigations of newdrug targets. Notch signal pathway plays a pivotal role in vascular development and tumor angiogenesis. Either blockade or forced activation of this pathway can inhibit angiogenesis. As blocking Notch pathway results in the formation of vascular neoplasm, activation of Notch pathway to prevent tumor angiogenesis might be an alternative choice. However, an in vivo deliverable reagent with highly efficient Notch-activating capacity has not been developed. Here, we generated a polypeptide, hD1R, which consists of the Delta-Serrate-Lag-2 fragment of the human Notch ligand Delta-like 1 and an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD motif targeting endothelial cells (ECs. We showed that hD1R could bind to ECs specifically through its RGD motif and effectively triggered Notch signaling in ECs. We demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo that hD1R inhibited angiogenic sprouting and EC proliferation. In tumor-bearing mice, the injection of hD1R effectively repressed tumor growth, most likely through increasing tumor hypoxia and tissue necrosis. The amount and width of vessels reduced remarkably in tumors of mice treated with hD1R. Moreover, vessels in tumors of mice treated with hD1R recruited more NG2+ perivascular cells and were better perfused. Combined application of hD1R and chemotherapy with cisplatin and teniposide revealed that these two treatments had additive antitumor effects. Our study provided a new strategy for antiangiogenic tumor therapy.

  8. Cancer gene therapy targeting angiogenesis: An updated Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ching-Chiu; Shen, Zan; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; Lin, Marie CM

    2006-01-01

    Since the relationship between angiogenesis and tumor growth was established by Folkman in 1971, scientists have made efforts exploring the possibilities in treating cancer by targeting angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis growth factors and administration of angiogenesis inhibitors are the basics of anti-angiogenesis therapy. Transfer of anti-angiogenesis genes has received attention recently not only because of the advancement of recombinant vectors, but also because of the localized and sustained expression of therapeutic gene product inside the tumor after gene transfer. This review provides the up-to-date information about the strategies and the vectors studied in the field of anti-angiogenesis cancer gene therapy. PMID:17109514

  9. Targeting vascular NADPH oxidase 1 blocks tumor angiogenesis through a PPARα mediated mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Garrido-Urbani

    Full Text Available Reactive oxygen species, ROS, are regulators of endothelial cell migration, proliferation and survival, events critically involved in angiogenesis. Different isoforms of ROS-generating NOX enzymes are expressed in the vasculature and provide distinct signaling cues through differential localization and activation. We show that mice deficient in NOX1, but not NOX2 or NOX4, have impaired angiogenesis. NOX1 expression and activity is increased in primary mouse and human endothelial cells upon angiogenic stimulation. NOX1 silencing decreases endothelial cell migration and tube-like structure formation, through the inhibition of PPARα, a regulator of NF-κB. Administration of a novel NOX-specific inhibitor reduced angiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo in a PPARα dependent manner. In conclusion, vascular NOX1 is a critical mediator of angiogenesis and an attractive target for anti-angiogenic therapies.

  10. Targeting MEK5 Enhances Radiosensitivity of Human Prostate Cancer and Impairs Tumor-Associated Angiogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-01

    analysis of tumor necrosis factor - alpha resistant human breast cancer cells reveals a MEK5/Erk5-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0296 TITLE: Targeting MEK5 Enhances Radiosensitivity of Human Prostate Cancer and Impairs Tumor - Associated...Cancer and Impairs Tumor -Associated Angiogenesis 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-1-0296 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER

  11. Targeting long non-coding RNA-TUG1 inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in hepatoblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, R; Liu, G-B; Liu, B-H; Chen, G; Li, K; Zheng, S; Dong, K-R

    2016-06-30

    Hepatoblastoma is the most common liver tumor of early childhood, which is usually characterized by unusual hypervascularity. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have emerged as gene regulators and prognostic markers in several cancers, including hepatoblastoma. We previously reveal that lnRNA-TUG1 is upregulated in hepatoblastoma specimens by microarray analysis. In this study, we aim to elucidate the biological and clinical significance of TUG1 upregulation in hepatoblastoma. We show that TUG1 is significantly upregulated in human hepatoblastoma specimens and metastatic hepatoblastoma cell lines. TUG1 knockdown inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo, and decreases hepatoblastoma cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. TUG1, miR-34a-5p, and VEGFA constitutes to a regulatory network, and participates in regulating hepatoblastoma cell function, tumor progression, and tumor angiogenesis. Overall, our findings indicate that TUG1 upregulation contributes to unusual hypervascularity of hepatoblastoma. TUG1 is a promising therapeutic target for aggressive, recurrent, or metastatic hepatoblastoma.

  12. CS2164, a novel multi-target inhibitor against tumor angiogenesis, mitosis and chronic inflammation with anti-tumor potency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, You; Shan, Song; Li, Zhi-Bin; Xin, Li-Jun; Pan, De-Si; Yang, Qian-Jiao; Liu, Ying-Ping; Yue, Xu-Peng; Liu, Xiao-Rong; Gao, Ji-Zhou; Zhang, Jin-Wen; Ning, Zhi-Qiang; Lu, Xian-Ping

    2017-03-01

    Although inhibitors targeting tumor angiogenic pathway have provided improvement for clinical treatment in patients with various solid tumors, the still very limited anti-cancer efficacy and acquired drug resistance demand new agents that may offer better clinical benefits. In the effort to find a small molecule potentially targeting several key pathways for tumor development, we designed, discovered and evaluated a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, CS2164. CS2164 inhibited the angiogenesis-related kinases (VEGFR2, VEGFR1, VEGFR3, PDGFRα and c-Kit), mitosis-related kinase Aurora B and chronic inflammation-related kinase CSF-1R in a high potency manner with the IC 50 at a single-digit nanomolar range. Consequently, CS2164 displayed anti-angiogenic activities through suppression of VEGFR/PDGFR phosphorylation, inhibition of ligand-dependent cell proliferation and capillary tube formation, and prevention of vasculature formation in tumor tissues. CS2164 also showed induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest and suppression of cell proliferation in tumor tissues through the inhibition of Aurora B-mediated H3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, CS2164 demonstrated the inhibitory effect on CSF-1R phosphorylation that led to the suppression of ligand-stimulated monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and reduced CSF-1R + cells in tumor tissues. The in vivo animal efficacy studies revealed that CS2164 induced remarkable regression or complete inhibition of tumor growth at well-tolerated oral doses in several human tumor xenograft models. Collectively, these results indicate that CS2164 is a highly selective multi-kinase inhibitor with potent anti-tumor activities against tumor angiogenesis, mitosis and chronic inflammation, which may provide the rationale for further clinical assessment of CS2164 as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  13. Tumor vascular-targeted co-delivery of anti-angiogenesis and chemotherapeutic agents by mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based drug delivery system for synergetic therapy of tumor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li X

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Xiaoyu Li, Meiying Wu, Limin Pan, Jianlin Shi State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Abstract: To overcome the drawback of drug non-selectivity in traditional chemotherapy, the construction of multifunctional targeting drug delivery systems is one of the most effective and prevailing approaches. The intratumoral anti-angiogenesis and the tumor cell-killing are two basic approaches in fighting tumors. Herein we report a novel tumor vascular-targeting multidrug delivery system using mesoporous silica nanoparticles as carrier to co-load an antiangiogenic agent (combretastatin A4 and a chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin and conjugate with targeting molecules (iRGD peptide for combined anti-angiogenesis and chemotherapy. Such a dual-loaded drug delivery system is capable of delivering the two agents at tumor vasculature and then within tumors through a differentiated drug release strategy, which consequently results in greatly improved antitumor efficacy at a very low doxorubicin dose of 1.5 mg/kg. The fast release of the antiangiogenic agent at tumor vasculatures led to the disruption of vascular structure and had a synergetic effect with the chemotherapeutic drug slowly released in the following delivery of chemotherapeutic drug into tumors. Keywords: mesoporous silica nanoparticles, drug delivery, tumor vasculatures targeting, antiangiogenic agent

  14. β-Elemene-Attenuated Tumor Angiogenesis by Targeting Notch-1 in Gastric Cancer Stem-Like Cells

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    Bing Yan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Emerging evidence suggests that cancer stem cells are involved in tumor angiogenesis. The Notch signaling pathway is one of the most important regulators of these processes. β-Elemene, a naturally occurring compound extracted from Curcumae Radix, has been used as an antitumor drug for various cancers in China. However, its underlying mechanism in the treatment of gastric cancer remains largely unknown. Here, we report that CD44+ gastric cancer stem-like cells (GCSCs showed enhanced proliferation capacity compared to their CD44− counterparts, and this proliferation was accompanied by the high expression of Notch-1 (in vitro. These cells were also more superior in spheroid colony formation (in vitro and tumorigenicity (in vivo and positively associated with microvessel density (in vivo. β-Elemene was demonstrated to effectively inhibit the viability of GCSCs in a dose-dependent manner, most likely by suppressing Notch-1 (in vitro. β-Elemene also contributed to growth suppression and attenuated the angiogenesis capacity of these cells (in vivo most likely by interfering with the expression of Notch-1 but not with Dll4. Our findings indicated that GCSCs play an important role in tumor angiogenesis, and Notch-1 is one of the most likely mediators involved in these processes. β-Elemene was effective at attenuating angiogenesis by targeting the GCSCs, which could be regarded as a potential mechanism for its efficacy in gastric cancer management in the future.

  15. Radioiodinated VEGF to image tumor angiogenesis in a LS180 tumor xenograft model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshimoto, Mitsuyoshi; Kinuya, Seigo; Kawashima, Atsuhiro; Nishii, Ryuichi; Yokoyama, Kunihiko; Kawai, Keiichi

    2006-01-01

    Introduction: Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth or metastasis. A method involving noninvasive detection of angiogenic activity in vivo would provide diagnostic information regarding antiangiogenic therapy targeting vascular endothelial cells as well as important insight into the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (flt-1 and KDR) system in tumor biology. We evaluated radioiodinated VEGF 121 , which displays high binding affinity for KDR, and VEGF 165 , which possesses high binding affinity for flt-1 and low affinity for KDR, as angiogenesis imaging agents using the LS180 tumor xenograft model. Methods: VEGF 121 and VEGF 165 were labeled with 125 I by the chloramine-T method. Biodistribution was observed in an LS180 human colon cancer xenograft model. Additionally, autoradiographic imaging and immunohistochemical staining of tumors were performed with 125 I-VEGF 121 . Results: 125 I-VEGF 121 and 125 I-VEGF 165 exhibited strong, continuous uptake by tumors and the uterus, an organ characterized by angiogenesis. 125 I-VEGF 121 uptake in tumors was twofold higher than that of 125 I-VEGF 165 (9.12±98 and 4.79±1.08 %ID/g at 2 h, respectively). 125 I-VEGF 121 displayed higher tumor to nontumor (T/N) ratios in most normal organs in comparison with 125 I-VEGF 165 . 125 I-VEGF 121 accumulation in tumors decreased with increasing tumor volume. Autoradiographic and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed that the difference in 125 I-VEGF 121 tumor accumulation correlated with degree of tumor vascularity. Conclusion: Radioiodinated VEGF 121 is a promising tracer for noninvasive delineation of angiogenesis in vivo

  16. DSGOST inhibits tumor growth by blocking VEGF/VEGFR2-activated angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hyeong Sim; Lee, Kangwook; Kim, Min Kyoung; Lee, Kang Min; Shin, Yong Cheol; Cho, Sung-Gook; Ko, Seong-Gyu

    2016-04-19

    Tumor growth requires a process called angiogenesis, a new blood vessel formation from pre-existing vessels, as newly formed vessels provide tumor cells with oxygen and nutrition. Danggui-Sayuk-Ga-Osuyu-Saenggang-Tang (DSGOST), one of traditional Chinese medicines, has been widely used in treatment of vessel diseases including Raynaud's syndrome in Northeast Asian countries including China, Japan and Korea. Therefore, we hypothesized that DSGOST might inhibit tumor growth by targeting newly formed vessels on the basis of its historical prescription. Here, we demonstrate that DSGOST inhibits tumor growth by inhibiting VEGF-induced angiogenesis. DSGOST inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenic abilities of endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo, which resulted from its inhibition of VEGF/VEGFR2 interaction. Furthermore, DSGOST attenuated pancreatic tumor growth in vivo by reducing angiogenic vessel numbers, while not affecting pancreatic tumor cell viability. Thus, our data conclude that DSGOST inhibits VEGF-induced tumor angiogenesis, suggesting a new indication for DSGOST in treatment of cancer.

  17. An allometric approach of tumor-angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szasz, Oliver; Vincze, Gyula; Szigeti, Gyula Peter; Benyo, Zoltan; Szasz, Andras

    2018-07-01

    Angiogenesis is one of the main supporting factors of tumor-progression. It is a complex set of interactions together with hypoxia and inflammation, regulating tumor growth. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of angiogenesis with an allometric approach applied to angiogenesis and the regulating factors. The results show that allometry has the potential to describe this aspect, including the sigmoid-like transport function. There are particular conditions under which the complex control maximizes the relative tumor mass. Linear growth of malignancy diameter with an allometric approach was proven. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Hsp90 as a Gatekeeper of Tumor Angiogenesis: Clinical Promise and Potential Pitfalls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. E. Bohonowych

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumor vascularization is an essential modulator of early tumor growth, progression, and therapeutic outcome. Although antiangiogenic treatments appear promising, intrinsic and acquired tumor resistance contributes to treatment failure. Clinical inhibition of the molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90 provides an opportunity to target multiple aspects of this signaling resiliency, which may elicit more robust and enduring tumor repression relative to effects elicited by specifically targeted agents. This review highlights several primary effectors of angiogenesis modulated by Hsp90 and describes the clinical challenges posed by the redundant circuitry of these pathways. The four main topics addressed include (1 Hsp90-mediated regulation of HIF/VEGF signaling, (2 chaperone-dependent regulation of HIF-independent VEGF-mediated angiogenesis, (3 Hsp90-dependent targeting of key proangiogenic receptor tyrosine kinases and modulation of drug resistance, and (4 consideration of factors such as tumor microenvironment that pose several challenges for the clinical efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy and Hsp90-targeted strategies.

  19. Essential contribution of tumor-derived perlecan to epidermal tumor growth and angiogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Xinnong; Multhaupt, Hinke; Chan, En

    2004-01-01

    As a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan (PG) in basement membranes, perlecan has been linked to tumor invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Here we produced epidermal tumors in immunocompromised rats by injection of mouse RT101 tumor cells. Tumor sections stained with species-specific perlecan...... factor. In vivo, antisense perlecan-transfected cells generated no tumors, whereas untransfected and vector-transfected cells formed tumors with obvious neovascularization, suggesting that tumor perlecan rather than host perlecan controls tumor growth and angiogenesis....

  20. Oridonin inhibits tumor growth and metastasis through anti-angiogenesis by blocking the Notch signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanmin Dong

    Full Text Available While significant progress has been made in understanding the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of the natural diterpenoid component Oridonin on tumor cells, little is known about its effect on tumor angiogenesis or metastasis and on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, Oridonin significantly suppressed human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs proliferation, migration, and apillary-like structure formation in vitro. Using aortic ring assay and mouse corneal angiogenesis model, we found that Oridonin inhibited angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo. In our animal experiments, Oridonin impeded tumor growth and metastasis. Immunohistochemistry analysis further revealed that the expression of CD31 and vWF protein in xenografts was remarkably decreased by the Oridonin. Furthermore, Oridonin reinforced endothelial cell-cell junction and impaired breast cancer cell transendothelial migration. Mechanistically, Oridonin not only down-regulated Jagged2 expression and Notch1 activity but also decreased the expression of their target genes. In conclusion, our results demonstrated an original role of Oridonin in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and propose a mechanism. This study also provides new evidence supporting the central role of Notch in tumor angiogenesis and suggests that Oridonin could be a potential drug candidate for angiogenesis related diseases.

  1. Downregulation of miR-497 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis by targeting HDGF in non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Wen-yan; Wang, Yan; An, Zhong-jun; Shi, Chang-guo; Zhu, Guang-ai; Wang, Bin; Lu, Ming-yan; Pan, Chang-kun; Chen, Peng

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •MiR-497 is down-regulated in NSCLC cells and tissues. •MiR-497 inhibits NSCLC cell growth in vitro. •HDGF is a target gene of miR-497. •MiR-497 inhibits NSCLC cell growth by downregulating HDGF. •miR-497 inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. -- Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the development of various cancers. MiRNA-497 functions as a tumor-suppressor that is downregulated in several malignancies; however, its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been examined in detail. Here, we showed that miR-497 is downregulated in NSCLC tumors and cell lines and its ectopic expression significantly inhibits cell proliferation and colony formation. Integrated analysis identified HDGF as a downstream target of miR-497, and the downregulation of HDGF by miR-497 overexpression confirmed their association. Rescue experiments showed that the inhibitory effect of miR-497 on cell proliferation and colony formation is predominantly mediated by the modulation of HDGF levels. Furthermore, tumor samples from NSCLC patients showed an inverse relationship between miR-497 and HDGF levels, and ectopic expression of miR-497 significantly inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis in a SCID mouse xenograft model. Our results suggest that miR-497 may serve as a biomarker in NSCLC, and the modulation of its activity may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NSCLC patients

  2. CD13-positive bone marrow-derived myeloid cells promote angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Rangel, Roberto; Guzman-Rojas, Liliana; Barbu, Elena M; Hosoya, Hitomi; St John, Lisa S; Molldrem, Jeffrey J; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2013-12-17

    Angiogenesis is fundamental to tumorigenesis and an attractive target for therapeutic intervention against cancer. We have recently demonstrated that CD13 (aminopeptidase N) expressed by nonmalignant host cells of unspecified types regulate tumor blood vessel development. Here, we compare CD13 wild-type and null bone marrow-transplanted tumor-bearing mice to show that host CD13(+) bone marrow-derived cells promote cancer progression via their effect on angiogenesis. Furthermore, we have identified CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells as the immune subpopulation directly regulating tumor blood vessel development. Finally, we show that these cells are specifically localized within the tumor microenvironment and produce proangiogenic soluble factors. Thus, CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells constitute a population of bone marrow-derived cells that promote tumor progression and metastasis and are potential candidates for the development of targeted antiangiogenic drugs.

  3. Ets2 in tumor fibroblasts promotes angiogenesis in breast cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie A Wallace

    Full Text Available Tumor fibroblasts are active partners in tumor progression, but the genes and pathways that mediate this collaboration are ill-defined. Previous work demonstrates that Ets2 function in stromal cells significantly contributes to breast tumor progression. Conditional mouse models were used to study the function of Ets2 in both mammary stromal fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Conditional inactivation of Ets2 in stromal fibroblasts in PyMT and ErbB2 driven tumors significantly reduced tumor growth, however deletion of Ets2 in epithelial cells in the PyMT model had no significant effect. Analysis of gene expression in fibroblasts revealed a tumor- and Ets2-dependent gene signature that was enriched in genes important for ECM remodeling, cell migration, and angiogenesis in both PyMT and ErbB2 driven-tumors. Consistent with these results, PyMT and ErbB2 tumors lacking Ets2 in fibroblasts had fewer functional blood vessels, and Ets2 in fibroblasts elicited changes in gene expression in tumor endothelial cells consistent with this phenotype. An in vivo angiogenesis assay revealed the ability of Ets2 in fibroblasts to promote blood vessel formation in the absence of tumor cells. Importantly, the Ets2-dependent gene expression signatures from both mouse models were able to distinguish human breast tumor stroma from normal stroma, and correlated with patient outcomes in two whole tumor breast cancer data sets. The data reveals a key function for Ets2 in tumor fibroblasts in signaling to endothelial cells to promote tumor angiogenesis. The results highlight the collaborative networks that orchestrate communication between stromal cells and tumor cells, and suggest that targeting tumor fibroblasts may be an effective strategy for developing novel anti-angiogenic therapies.

  4. Perlecan and tumor angiogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Xinnong; Couchman, John R

    2003-01-01

    Perlecan is a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) of basement membranes (BMs) and connective tissues. The core protein of perlecan is divided into five domains based on sequence homology to other known proteins. Commonly, the N-terminal domain I of mammalian perlecan is substituted with thr...... have unwanted promoting effects on tumor cell proliferation and tumor angiogenesis. Understanding of these attributes at the molecular level may offer opportunities for therapeutic intervention....

  5. Heme oxygenase-1 accelerates tumor angiogenesis of human pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunamura, Makoto; Duda, Dan G; Ghattas, Maivel H; Lozonschi, Lucian; Motoi, Fuyuhiko; Yamauchi, Jun-Ichiro; Matsuno, Seiki; Shibahara, Shigeki; Abraham, Nader G

    2003-01-01

    Angiogenesis is necessary for the continued growth of solid tumors, invasion and metastasis. Several studies clearly showed that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plays an important role in angiogenesis. In this study, we used the vital microscope system, transparent skinfold model, lung colonization model and transduced pancreatic cancer cell line (Panc-1)/human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) cells, to precisely analyze, for the first time, the effect of hHO-1 gene on tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Our results revealed that HO-1 stimulates angiogenesis of pancreatic carcinoma in severe combined immune deficient mice. Overexpression of human hHO-1 after its retroviral transfer into Panc-1 cells did not interfere with tumor growth in vitro. While in vivo the development of tumors was accelerated upon transfection with hHO-1. On the other hand, inhibition of heme oxygenase (HO) activity by stannous mesoporphyrin was able transiently to delay tumor growth in a dose dependent manner. Tumor angiogenesis was markedly increased in Panc-1/hHO-1 compared to mock transfected and wild type. Lectin staining and Ki-67 proliferation index confirmed these results. In addition hHO-1 stimulated in vitro tumor angiogenesis and increased endothelial cell survival. In a lung colonization model, overexpression of hHO-1 increased the occurrence of metastasis, while inhibition of HO activity by stannous mesoporphyrin completely inhibited the occurrence of metastasis. In conclusion, overexpression of HO-1 genes potentiates pancreatic cancer aggressiveness, by increasing tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis and that the inhibition of the HO system may be of useful benefit for the future treatment of the disease.

  6. Correlation Between PSMA and VEGF Expression as Markers for LNCaP Tumor Angiogenesis

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    Paulus Tsui

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Our aim is the identification and correlation of changes in tumor-associated protein expression which results from therapy. LNCaP tumors, excised from nude mice treated either by orchiectomy or with the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel, were evaluated for the expression of proteins and receptors associated with growth, differentiation, and angiogenesis using immunohistologic procedures. Compared to untreated control tumors, both treatments reduced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA, prostate-specific antigen (PSA, androgen receptor (AR, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR. The effect of paclitaxel treatment on AR expression was the most significant (P=.005. Of particular interest was identifying a significant correlation (P<.000801 between PSMA and VEGF expression regardless of treatment modality. These altered expressions suggest that PSMA may also be a marker for angiogenesis and could represent a target for deliverable agents recognizing either prostatic tumors or endothelial development. Cell surface PSMA would then present a unique target for treatment of patients early in their development of prostatic metastases.

  7. 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

  8. Development of a New Positron Emission Tomography Tracer for Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis: Synthesis, Small Animal Imaging, and Radiation Dosimetry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David S. Lalush

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis plays a key role in cancer progression and correlates with disease aggressiveness and poor clinical outcomes. Affinity ligands discovered by screening phage display random peptide libraries can be engineered to molecularly target tumor blood vessels for noninvasive imaging and early detection of tumor aggressiveness. In this study, we tested the ability of a phage-display-selected peptide sequence recognizing specifically bone marrow- derived pro-angiogenic tumor-homing cells, the QFP-peptide, radiolabeled with 64Cu radioisotope to selectively image tumor vasculature in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET. To prepare the targeted PET tracer we modified QFP-phage with the DOTA chelator and radiolabeled the purified QFP-phage-DOTA intermediate with 64Cu to obtain QFP-targeted radioconjugate with high radiopharmaceutical yield and specific activity. We evaluated the new PET tracer in vivo in a subcutaneous (s.c. Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC mouse model and conducted tissue distribution, small animal PET/CT imaging study, autoradiography, histology, fluorescence imaging, and dosimetry assessments. The results from this study show that, in the context of the s.c. LLC immunocompetent mouse model, the QFP-tracer can target tumor blood vessels selectively. However, further optimization of the biodistribution and dosimetry profile of the tracer is necessary to ensure efficient radiopharmaceutical applications enabled by the biological specificity of the QFP-peptide.

  9. A novel peptide derived from human apolipoprotein E is an inhibitor of tumor growth and ocular angiogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Partha S Bhattacharjee

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis is a hallmark of tumor development and metastasis and now a validated target for cancer treatment. We previously reported that a novel dimer peptide (apoEdp derived from the receptor binding region of human apolipoprotein E (apoE inhibits virus-induced angiogenesis. However, its role in tumor anti-angiogenesis is unknown. This study demonstrates that apoEdp has anti-angiogenic property in vivo through reduction of tumor growth in a mouse model and ocular angiogenesis in a rabbit eye model. Our in vitro studies show that apoEdp inhibits human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation, migration, invasion and capillary tube formation. We document that apoEdp inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor-induced Flk-1 activation as well as downstream signaling pathways that involve c-Src, Akt, eNOS, FAK, and ERK1/2. These in vitro data suggest potential sites of the apoE dipeptide inhibition that could occur in vivo.This is the first evidence that a synthetic dimer peptide mimicking human apoE has anti-angiogenesis functions and could be an anti-tumor drug candidate.

  10. [Markers of angiogenesis in tumor growth].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nefedova, N A; Kharlova, O A; Danilova, N V; Malkov, P G; Gaifullin, N M

    2016-01-01

    Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessels formation. The role of angiogenesis in growth, invasion and metastasis of malignant tumours is nowdays universally recognized. Though, investigation of mechanisms of blood vessels formation and elaboration methods for assessment of tumour angiogenesis are still up-dated. Another important concern are different aspects of usage of immunohistochemical markers of blood vessels endothelium (CD31 and CD34) for assessment of tumour aggressiveness and prognosis. The problems of malignant lymphangiogenesis are also up-to-date. The focus is on methods of immunohistochemical visualization of forming lymphatic vessels, role of podoplanin, the most reliable marker of lymphatic vessels, in their identification, and formulization of the main criteria for lymphangiogenesis estimation, its correlation with metastatic activity and prognostic potential. Studying of angiogenesis and lymph angiogenesis in malignant tumors is important and challenging direction for researching tumour progression and invention of antiangiogenic therapy.

  11. Lysyl Oxidase Plays a Critical Role in Endothelial Cell Stimulation to Drive Tumor Angiogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baker, Ann-Marie; Bird, Demelza; Welti, Jonathan C

    2013-01-01

    Identification of key molecules that drive angiogenesis is critical for the development of new modalities for the prevention of solid tumor progression. Using multiple models of colorectal cancer, we show that activity of the extracellular matrix-modifying enzyme lysyl oxidase (LOX) is essential...... for stimulating endothelial cells in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. We show that LOX activates Akt through platelet-derived growth factor receptor ß (PDGFRß) stimulation, resulting in increased VEGF expression. LOX-driven angiogenesis can be abrogated through targeting LOX directly or using inhibitors of PDGFRß...

  12. Long non-coding RNA taurine upregulated 1 enhances tumor-induced angiogenesis through inhibiting microRNA-299 in human glioblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, H; Liu, X; Zheng, J; Xue, Y; Ma, J; Li, Z; Xi, Z; Li, Z; Bao, M; Liu, Y

    2017-01-19

    Angiogenesis is one of the critical biological elements affecting the development and progression of cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators and aberrantly expressed in various types of human cancer. Our previous studies indicated that lncRNA taurine upregulated 1 (TUG1) implicated in the regulation of blood-tumor barrier permeability; however, its role in glioblastoma angiogenesis still unclear. Here we demonstrated that TUG1 was up-expressed in human glioblastoma tissues and glioblastoma cell lines. Knockdown of TUG1 remarkably suppressed tumor-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation as well as reducing spheroid-based angiogenesis ability in vitro, which are the critical steps for tumor angiogenesis. Besides, knockdown of TUG1 significantly increased the expression of mircroRNA-299 (miR-299), which was down-expressed in glioblastoma tissues and glioblastoma cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay revealed that TUG1 influenced tumor angiogenesis via directly binding to the miR-299 and there was a reciprocal repression between TUG1 and miR-299 in the same RNA-induced silencing complex. Moreover, knockdown of TUG1 reduced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), which was defined as a functional downstream target of miR-299. In addition, knockdown of TUG1, shown in the in vivo studies, has effects on suppressing tumor growth, reducing tumor microvessel density and decreasing the VEGFA expression by upregulating miR-299 in xenograft glioblastoma model. Overall, the results demonstrated that TUG1 enhances tumor-induced angiogenesis and VEGF expression through inhibiting miR-299. Also, the inhibition of TUG1 could provide a novel therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.

  13. Molecular Imaging of Ovarian Carcinoma Angiogenesis

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2007-01-01

    .... Ovarian cancer is angiogenesis dependent. Integrin , a key player in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis, has been identified as a target for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for several highly proliferative and metastatic tumor types...

  14. High-grade ovarian cancer secreting effective exosomes in tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Huan; Ye, Jun; Yang, Xiao-Mei; Zhang, Li-Wen; Zhang, Zhi-Gang; Chen, Ya-Ping

    2015-01-01

    Ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological cancer, related closely to tumor stage. High-grade ovarian cancer always results in a late diagnose and high recurrence, which reduce survival within five years. Until recently, curable therapy is still under research and anti-angiogenesis proves a promising way. Tumor-derived exosomes are essential in tumor migration and metastases such as angiogenesis is enhanced by exosomes. In our study, we have made comparison between high-grade and unlikely high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells on exosomal function of endothelial cells proliferation, migration and tube formation. Exosomes derived from high-grade ovarian cancer have a profound impact on angiogenesis with comparison to unlikely high-grade ovarian cancer. Proteomic profiles revealed some potential proteins involved in exosomal function of angiogenesis such as ATF2, MTA1, ROCK1/2 and so on. Therefore, exosomes plays an influential role in angiogenesis in ovarian serous cancer and also function more effectively in high-grade ovarian cancer cells.

  15. Targeting angiogenesis for radioimmunotherapy with a {sup 177}Lu-labeled antibody

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ehlerding, Emily B.; Hernandez, Reinier [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Medical Physics, Madison, WI (United States); Lacognata, Saige; Jiang, Dawei [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); Ferreira, Carolina A. [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Madison, WI (United States); Goel, Shreya [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Madison, WI (United States); Jeffery, Justin J. [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Small Animal Imaging Facility, Madison, WI (United States); Theuer, Charles P. [TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA (United States); Cai, Weibo [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Medical Physics, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Madison, WI (United States)

    2018-01-15

    Increased angiogenesis is a marker of aggressiveness in many cancers. Targeted radionuclide therapy of these cancers with angiogenesis-targeting agents may curtail this increased blood vessel formation and slow the growth of tumors, both primary and metastatic. CD105, or endoglin, has a primary role in angiogenesis in a number of cancers, making this a widely applicable target for targeted radioimmunotherapy. The anti-CD105 antibody, TRC105 (TRACON Pharmaceuticals), was conjugated with DTPA for radiolabeling with {sup 177}Lu (t{sub 1/2} 6.65 days). Balb/c mice were implanted with 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells, and five study groups were used: {sup 177}Lu only, TRC105 only, {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-IgG (a nonspecific antibody), {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105 low-dose, and {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105 high-dose. Toxicity of the agent was monitored by body weight measurements and analysis of blood markers. Biodistribution studies of {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105 were also performed at 1 and 7 days after injection. Ex vivo histology studies of various tissues were conducted at 1, 7, and 30 days after injection of high-dose {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105. Biodistribution studies indicated steady uptake of {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105 in 4T1 tumors between 1 and 7 days after injection (14.3 ± 2.3%ID/g and 11.6 ± 6.1%ID/g, respectively; n = 3) and gradual clearance from other organs. Significant inhibition of tumor growth was observed in the high-dose group, with a corresponding significant increase in survival (p < 0.001, all groups). In most study groups (all except the nonspecific IgG group), the body weights of the mice did not decrease by more than 10%, indicating the safety of the injected agents. Serum alanine transaminase levels remained nearly constant indicating no damage to the liver (a primary clearance organ of the agent), and this was confirmed by ex vivo histological analyses. {sup 177}Lu-DTPA-TRC105, when administered at a sufficient dose, is able to curtail tumor growth and provide a

  16. Endothelial-Rac1 is not required for tumor angiogenesis unless alphavbeta3-integrin is absent.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela D'Amico

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Endothelial cell migration is an essential aspect of tumor angiogenesis. Rac1 activity is needed for cell migration in vitro implying a requirement for this molecule in angiogenesis in vivo. However, a precise role for Rac1 in tumor angiogenesis has never been addressed. Here we show that depletion of endothelial Rac1 expression in adult mice, unexpectedly, has no effect on tumor growth or tumor angiogenesis. In addition, repression of Rac1 expression does not inhibit VEGF-mediated angiogenesis in vivo or ex vivo, nor does it affect chemotactic migratory responses to VEGF in 3-dimensions. In contrast, the requirement for Rac1 in tumor growth and angiogenesis becomes important when endothelial beta3-integrin levels are reduced or absent: the enhanced tumor growth, tumor angiogenesis and VEGF-mediated responses in beta3-null mice are all Rac1-dependent. These data indicate that in the presence of alphavbeta3-integrin Rac1 is not required for tumor angiogenesis.

  17. Targeting angiogenesis-dependent calcified neoplasms using combined polymer therapeutics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ehud Segal

    Full Text Available There is an immense clinical need for novel therapeutics for the treatment of angiogenesis-dependent calcified neoplasms such as osteosarcomas and bone metastases. We developed a new therapeutic strategy to target bone metastases and calcified neoplasms using combined polymer-bound angiogenesis inhibitors. Using an advanced "living polymerization" technique, the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT, we conjugated the aminobisphosphonate alendronate (ALN, and the potent anti-angiogenic agent TNP-470 with N-(2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide (HPMA copolymer through a Glycine-Glycine-Proline-Norleucine linker, cleaved by cathepsin K, a cysteine protease overexpressed at resorption sites in bone tissues. In this approach, dual targeting is achieved. Passive accumulation is possible due to the increase in molecular weight following polymer conjugation of the drugs, thus extravasating from the tumor leaky vessels and not from normal healthy vessels. Active targeting to the calcified tissues is achieved by ALN's affinity to bone mineral.The anti-angiogenic and antitumor potency of HPMA copolymer-ALN-TNP-470 conjugate was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. We show that free and conjugated ALN-TNP-470 have synergistic anti-angiogenic and antitumor activity by inhibiting proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation of endothelial and human osteosarcoma cells in vitro. Evaluation of anti-angiogenic, antitumor activity and body distribution of HPMA copolymer-ALN-TNP-470 conjugate was performed on severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID male mice inoculated with mCherry-labeled MG-63-Ras human osteosarcoma and by modified Miles permeability assay. Our targeted bi-specific conjugate reduced VEGF-induced vascular hyperpermeability by 92% and remarkably inhibited osteosarcoma growth in mice by 96%.This is the first report to describe a new concept of a narrowly-dispersed combined polymer therapeutic designed to target both tumor and

  18. Contribution to Tumor Angiogenesis From Innate Immune Cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment: Implications for Immunotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Albini

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The critical role of angiogenesis in promoting tumor growth and metastasis is strongly established. However, tumors show considerable variation in angiogenic characteristics and in their sensitivity to antiangiogenic therapy. Tumor angiogenesis involves not only cancer cells but also various tumor-associated leukocytes (TALs and stromal cells. TALs produce chemokines, cytokines, proteases, structural proteins, and microvescicles. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and inflammatory chemokines are not only major proangiogenic factors but are also immune modulators, which increase angiogenesis and lead to immune suppression. In our review, we discuss the regulation of angiogenesis by innate immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, specific features, and roles of major players: macrophages, neutrophils, myeloid-derived suppressor and dendritic cells, mast cells, γδT cells, innate lymphoid cells, and natural killer cells. Anti-VEGF or anti-inflammatory drugs could balance an immunosuppressive microenvironment to an immune permissive one. Anti-VEGF as well as anti-inflammatory drugs could therefore represent partners for combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors, enhancing the effects of immune therapy.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  20. Tumor necrosis is an important hallmark of aggressive endometrial cancer and associates with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bredholt, Geir; Mannelqvist, Monica; Stefansson, Ingunn M; Birkeland, Even; Bø, Trond Hellem; Øyan, Anne M; Trovik, Jone; Kalland, Karl-Henning; Jonassen, Inge; Salvesen, Helga B; Wik, Elisabeth; Akslen, Lars A

    2015-11-24

    Tumor necrosis is associated with aggressive features of endometrial cancer and poor prognosis. Here, we investigated gene expression patterns and potential treatment targets related to presence of tumor necrosis in primary endometrial cancer lesions. By DNA microarray analysis, expression of genes related to tumor necrosis reflected multiple tumor-microenvironment interactions like tissue hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation pathways. A tumor necrosis signature of 38 genes and a related patient cluster (Cluster I, 67% of the cases) were associated with features of aggressive tumors such as type II cancers, estrogen receptor negative tumors and vascular invasion. Further, the tumor necrosis signature was increased in tumor cells grown in hypoxic conditions in vitro. Multiple genes with increased expression are known to be activated by HIF1A and NF-kB. Our findings indicate that the presence of tumor necrosis within primary tumors is associated with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses. HIF1A, NF-kB and PI3K/mTOR might be potential treatment targets in aggressive endometrial cancers with presence of tumor necrosis.

  1. 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.

  2. Microultrasound Molecular Imaging of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 in a Mouse Model of Tumor Angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua J. Rychak

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available High-frequency microultrasound imaging of tumor progression in mice enables noninvasive anatomic and functional imaging at excellent spatial and temporal resolution, although microultrasonography alone does not offer molecular scale data. In the current study, we investigated the use of microbubble ultrasound contrast agents bearing targeting ligands specific for molecular markers of tumor angiogenesis using high-frequency microultrasound imaging. A xenograft tumor model in the mouse was used to image vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2 expression with microbubbles conjugated to an anti-VEGFR-2 monoclonal antibody or an isotype control. Microultrasound imaging was accomplished at a center frequency of 40 MHz, which provided lateral and axial resolutions of 40 and 90 μm, respectively. The B-mode (two-dimensional mode acoustic signal from microbubbles bound to the molecular target was determined by an ultrasound-based destruction-subtraction scheme. Quantification of the adherent microbubble fraction in nine tumor-bearing mice revealed significant retention of VEGFR-2-targeted microbubbles relative to control-targeted microbubbles. These data demonstrate that contrast-enhanced microultrasound imaging is a useful method for assessing molecular expression of tumor angiogenesis in mice at high resolution.

  3. Paradox between angiogenesis and oxygen effect in the treatment of tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Masanobu

    2008-01-01

    The paradox in the title is described on recent findings concerning the effects of anti-angiogenetic drugs on possible radiation resistance and sensitivity of tumor tissue. Suppression of angiogenesis leads to inhibition of tumor growth, based on which anti-tumor drugs like anti- vascular endotherial growth factor (VEGF) antibody bevacizumab to suppress the genesis have been developed and clinically used, but they conceivably increase the population of hypoxic tumor cells. Those drugs are essentially used in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents and/or radiation. Hypoxic tumor cells present in the tissue are generally radioresistant. There are reported findings, however, that the drugs sometimes elevate the efficacy of radiotherapy, which hypothesizes that the drugs induces a proangiogenetic state, where increased level of growth factors in the tissue is reduced to normalize the vasculature and thereby reoxygenation occurs, the oxygen effect. Because copper is a cofactor of growth factors like VEGF and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and essential for angiogenesis, authors have studied the effect of a Cu-chelator, trientine, on transplanted mouse tumors which has been shown to induce apoptosis of the target cells. Combination of the chelator with X-ray irradiation is found effective in tumor growth inhibition and in survival increase. For more effective combination therapy, the interaction occurring in combinations of regimen should be elucidated. (R.T.)

  4. Synthesis of Specific Nanoparticles for Targeting and Imaging Tumor Angiogenesis Using Electron-Beam Irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rizza, G.; Deshayes, S.; Maurizot, V.; Clochard, M. -C.; Berthelot, T.; Baudin, C.; Déléris, G., E-mail: giancarlo.rizza@polytechnique.edu [Commissariat à l' énergie atomique (CEA), Institut Rayonnement Matière de Saclay (IRaMIS), B.P. 52, 91191 Gif Sur Yvette Cedex (France)

    2010-07-01

    We have succeeded to synthesize PVDF nanoparticles by nanoemulsion polymerization and their functionalization with a peptide that presents an anti-angiogenic activity. Resulted nanoparticles present a radius of 60 nm. From FESEM images and light scattering measurements, we deduced that they were spherical and monodisperse. The alkyl radicals induced from electron beam irradiation combine immediately with the oxygen to form peroxide radicals. Because of a high specific area and small crystallite size, the radical decay with time is evidenced from EPR measurements. Despite this radical decay, electron beam irradiation allows us to graft PAA by radical polymerization onto freshly irradiated PVDF nanoparticles and then to immobilize CBO-P11 by click chemistry via a spacer arm. Evidences of grafting were shown using HRMAS NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Nanoparticles functionalized with an angiogenesis-targeting agent are an attractive option for anti-tumor therapy.

  5. Synthesis of Specific Nanoparticles for Targeting and Imaging Tumor Angiogenesis Using Electron-Beam Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizza, G.; Deshayes, S.; Maurizot, V.; Clochard, M.-C.; Berthelot, T.; Baudin, C.; Déléris, G.

    2010-01-01

    We have succeeded to synthesize PVDF nanoparticles by nanoemulsion polymerization and their functionalization with a peptide that presents an anti-angiogenic activity. Resulted nanoparticles present a radius of 60 nm. From FESEM images and light scattering measurements, we deduced that they were spherical and monodisperse. The alkyl radicals induced from electron beam irradiation combine immediately with the oxygen to form peroxide radicals. Because of a high specific area and small crystallite size, the radical decay with time is evidenced from EPR measurements. Despite this radical decay, electron beam irradiation allows us to graft PAA by radical polymerization onto freshly irradiated PVDF nanoparticles and then to immobilize CBO-P11 by click chemistry via a spacer arm. Evidences of grafting were shown using HRMAS NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Nanoparticles functionalized with an angiogenesis-targeting agent are an attractive option for anti-tumor therapy

  6. Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: focus on the cancer hallmark of tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhiwei; Brooks, Samira A; Dormoy, Valérian; Hsu, Chia-Wen; Hsu, Hsue-Yin; Lin, Liang-Tzung; Massfelder, Thierry; Rathmell, W Kimryn; Xia, Menghang; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Brown, Dustin G; Prudhomme, Kalan R; Colacci, Annamaria; Hamid, Roslida A; Mondello, Chiara; Raju, Jayadev; Ryan, Elizabeth P; Woodrick, Jordan; Scovassi, A Ivana; Singh, Neetu; Vaccari, Monica; Roy, Rabindra; Forte, Stefano; Memeo, Lorenzo; Salem, Hosni K; Lowe, Leroy; Jensen, Lasse; Bisson, William H; Kleinstreuer, Nicole

    2015-06-01

    One of the important 'hallmarks' of cancer is angiogenesis, which is the process of formation of new blood vessels that are necessary for tumor expansion, invasion and metastasis. Under normal physiological conditions, angiogenesis is well balanced and controlled by endogenous proangiogenic factors and antiangiogenic factors. However, factors produced by cancer cells, cancer stem cells and other cell types in the tumor stroma can disrupt the balance so that the tumor microenvironment favors tumor angiogenesis. These factors include vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelial tissue factor and other membrane bound receptors that mediate multiple intracellular signaling pathways that contribute to tumor angiogenesis. Though environmental exposures to certain chemicals have been found to initiate and promote tumor development, the role of these exposures (particularly to low doses of multiple substances), is largely unknown in relation to tumor angiogenesis. This review summarizes the evidence of the role of environmental chemical bioactivity and exposure in tumor angiogenesis and carcinogenesis. We identify a number of ubiquitous (prototypical) chemicals with disruptive potential that may warrant further investigation given their selectivity for high-throughput screening assay targets associated with proangiogenic pathways. We also consider the cross-hallmark relationships of a number of important angiogenic pathway targets with other cancer hallmarks and we make recommendations for future research. Understanding of the role of low-dose exposure of chemicals with disruptive potential could help us refine our approach to cancer risk assessment, and may ultimately aid in preventing cancer by reducing or eliminating exposures to synergistic mixtures of chemicals with carcinogenic potential. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Visualization of Tumor Angiogenesis Using MR Imaging Contrast Agent Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGF Receptor 2 Antibody Conjugate in a Mouse Tumor Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun, Hong Young; Yin, Hong Hua; Kim, Sun Hee; Park, Seong Hoon; Kim, Hun Soo; Yoon Kwon Ha Yoon

    2010-01-01

    To visualize tumor angiogenesis using the MRI contrast agent, Gd- DTPA-anti-VEGF receptor 2 antibody conjugate, with a 4.7-Tesla MRI instrument in a mouse model. We designed a tumor angiogenesis-targeting T1 contrast agent that was prepared by the bioconjugation of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) antibody. The specific binding of the agent complex to cells that express VEGFR2 was examined in cultured murine endothelial cells (MS-1 cells) with a 4.7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Angiogenesis-specific T1 enhancement was imaged with the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate using a CT-26 adenocarcinoma tumor model in eight mice. As a control, the use of the Gd-DTPA-anti-rat immunoglobulin G (Gd-DTPA-anti-rat IgG) was imaged with a tumor model in eight mice. Statistical significance was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. Tumor tissue was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. The Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate showed predominant binding to cultured endothelial cells that expressed a high level of VEGFR2. Signal enhancement was approximately three-fold for in vivo T1-weighted MR imaging with the use of the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate as compared with the Gd-DTPA-rat IgG in the mouse tumor model (p < 0.05). VEGFR2 expression in CT-26 tumor vessels was demonstrated using immunohistochemical staining. MR imaging using the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate as a contrast agent is useful in visualizing noninvasively tumor angiogenesis in a murine tumor model

  8. Visualization of Tumor Angiogenesis Using MR Imaging Contrast Agent Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGF Receptor 2 Antibody Conjugate in a Mouse Tumor Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jun, Hong Young; Yin, Hong Hua; Kim, Sun Hee; Park, Seong Hoon; Kim, Hun Soo; Yoon Kwon Ha Yoon [Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-08-15

    To visualize tumor angiogenesis using the MRI contrast agent, Gd- DTPA-anti-VEGF receptor 2 antibody conjugate, with a 4.7-Tesla MRI instrument in a mouse model. We designed a tumor angiogenesis-targeting T1 contrast agent that was prepared by the bioconjugation of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) antibody. The specific binding of the agent complex to cells that express VEGFR2 was examined in cultured murine endothelial cells (MS-1 cells) with a 4.7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Angiogenesis-specific T1 enhancement was imaged with the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate using a CT-26 adenocarcinoma tumor model in eight mice. As a control, the use of the Gd-DTPA-anti-rat immunoglobulin G (Gd-DTPA-anti-rat IgG) was imaged with a tumor model in eight mice. Statistical significance was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. Tumor tissue was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. The Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate showed predominant binding to cultured endothelial cells that expressed a high level of VEGFR2. Signal enhancement was approximately three-fold for in vivo T1-weighted MR imaging with the use of the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate as compared with the Gd-DTPA-rat IgG in the mouse tumor model (p < 0.05). VEGFR2 expression in CT-26 tumor vessels was demonstrated using immunohistochemical staining. MR imaging using the Gd-DTPA-anti-VEGFR2 antibody conjugate as a contrast agent is useful in visualizing noninvasively tumor angiogenesis in a murine tumor model

  9. Effective treatment of diverse medulloblastoma models with mebendazole and its impact on tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Ren-Yuan; Staedtke, Verena; Rudin, Charles M; Bunz, Fred; Riggins, Gregory J

    2015-04-01

    Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Current standard treatments cure 40%-60% of patients, while the majority of survivors suffer long-term neurological sequelae. The identification of 4 molecular groups of medulloblastoma improved the clinical management with the development of targeted therapies; however, the tumor acquires resistance quickly. Mebendazole (MBZ) has a long safety record as antiparasitic in children and has been recently implicated in inhibition of various tyrosine kinases in vitro. Here, we investigated the efficacy of MBZ in various medulloblastoma subtypes and MBZ's impact on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and tumor angiogenesis. The inhibition of MBZ on VEGFR2 kinase was investigated in an autophosphorylation assay and a cell-free kinase assay. Mice bearing orthotopic PTCH1-mutant medulloblastoma allografts, a group 3 medulloblastoma xenograft, and a PTCH1-mutant medulloblastoma with acquired resistance to the smoothened inhibitor vismodegib were treated with MBZ. The survival benefit and the impact on tumor angiogenesis and VEGFR2 kinase function were analyzed. We determined that MBZ interferes with VEGFR2 kinase by competing with ATP. MBZ selectively inhibited tumor angiogenesis but not the normal brain vasculatures in orthotopic medulloblastoma models and suppressed VEGFR2 kinase in vivo. MBZ significantly extended the survival of medulloblastoma models derived from different molecular backgrounds. Our findings support testing of MBZ as a possible low-toxicity therapy for medulloblastomas of various molecular subtypes, including tumors with acquired vismodegib resistance. Its antitumor mechanism may be partially explained by inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. {sup 18}F-labeled RGD peptide: initial evaluation for imaging brain tumor angiogenesis

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    Chen Xiaoyuan; Park, Ryan; Shahinian, Anthony H.; Tohme, Michel; Khankaldyyan, Vazgen; Bozorgzadeh, Mohammed H.; Bading, James R.; Moats, Rex; Laug, Walter E.; Conti, Peter S. E-mail: pconti@usc.edu

    2004-02-01

    Brain tumors are highly angiogenesis dependent. The cell adhesion receptor integrin {alpha}{sub v}{beta}{sub 3} is overexpressed in glioma and activated endothelial cells and plays an important role in brain tumor growth, spread and angiogenesis. Suitably labeled {alpha}{sub v}{beta}{sub 3}-integrin antagonists may therefore be useful for imaging brain tumor associated angiogenesis. Cyclic RGD peptide c(RGDyK) was labeled with {sup 18}F via N-succinimidyl-4-[{sup 18}F]fluorobenzoate through the side-chain {epsilon}-amino group of the lysine residue. The radiotracer was evaluated in vivo for its tumor targeting efficacy and pharmacokinetics in subcutaneously implanted U87MG and orthotopically implanted U251T glioblastoma nude mouse models by means of microPET, quantitative autoradiography and direct tissue sampling. The N-4-[{sup 18}F]fluorobenzoyl-RGD ([{sup 18}F]FB-RGD) was produced in less than 2 h with 20-25% decay-corrected yields and specific activity of 230 GBq/{mu}mol at end of synthesis. The tracer showed very rapid blood clearance and both hepatobiliary and renal excretion. Tumor-to-muscle uptake ratio at 30 min was approximately 5 in the subcutaneous U87MG tumor model. MicroPET imaging with the orthotopic U251T brain tumor model revealed very high tumor-to-brain ratio, with virtually no uptake in the normal brain. Successful blocking of tumor uptake of [{sup 18}F]FB-RGD in the presence of excess amount of c(RGDyK) revealed receptor specific activity accumulation. Hence, N-4-[{sup 18}F]fluorobenzoyl labeled cyclic RGD peptide [{sup 18}F]FB-RGD is a potential tracer for imaging {alpha}{sub v}{beta}{sub 3}-integrin positive tumors in brain and other anatomic locations.

  11. Evaluation of Tumor Angiogenesis with a Second-Generation US Contrast Medium in a Rat Breast Tumor Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ko, Eun Young; Lee, Sang Hoon; Kim, Hak Hee; Kim, Sung Moon; Shin, Myung Jin; Kim, Nam Kug; Gong, Gyung Yub

    2008-01-01

    Tumor angiogenesis is an important factor for tumor growth, treatment response and prognosis. Noninvasive imaging methods for the evaluation of tumor angiogenesis have been studied, but a method for the quantification of tumor angiogenesis has not been established. This study was designed to evaluate tumor angiogenesis in a rat breast tumor model by the use of a contrast enhanced ultrasound (US) examination with a second-generation US contrast agent. The alkylating agent 19N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) was injected into the intraperitoneal cavity of 30-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats. Three to four months later, breast tumors were detected along the mammary lines of the rats. A total of 17 breast tumors larger than 1 cm in nine rats were evaluated by gray-scale US, color Doppler US and contrast-enhanced US using SonoVue. The results were recorded as digital video images; time-intensity curves and hemodynamic parameters were analyzed. Pathological breast tumor specimens were obtained just after the US examinations. The tumor specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) and the expression of CD31, an endothelial cell marker, was determined by immunohistochemical staining. We also evaluated the pathological diagnosis of the tumors and the microvessel density (MVD). Spearman's correlation and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used for the analysis. The pathological diagnoses were 11 invasive ductal carcinomas and six benign intraductal epithelial proliferations. The MVD did not correlate with the pathological diagnosis. However, blood volume (BV) showed a statistically significant correlation with MVD (Spearman's correlation, p < 0.05). Contrast-enhanced US using a second-generation US contrast material was useful for the evaluation of tumor angiogenesis of breast tumors in the rat

  12. Molecular Therapeutic Targets for Glioma Angiogenesis

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    Shingo Takano

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the prominent angiogenesis that occurs in malignant glioma, antiangiogenic therapy has been attempted. There have been several molecular targets that are specific to malignant gliomas, as well as more broadly in systemic cancers. In this review, I will focus on some topics related to molecular therapeutic targets for glioma angiogenesis. First, important angiogenic factors that could be considered molecular targets are VEGF, VEGF-induced proteins on endothelial cells, tissue factor, osteopontin, v3 integrin, and thymidine phosphorylase as well as endogenous inhibitors, soluble Flt1, and thrombospondin 1. Second, hypoxic areas are also decreased by metronomic CPT11 treatment as well as temozolomide. Third, glioma-derived endothelial cells that are genetically and functionally distinct from normal endothelial cells should be targeted, for example, with SDF-1 and CXCR7 chemokine. Fourth, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs likely contribute towards glioma angiogenesis in the brain and could be useful as a drug delivery tool. Finally, blockade of delta-like 4 (Dll4 results in a nonfunctioning vasculature and could be another important target distinct from VEGF.

  13. Cinnamic aldehyde suppresses hypoxia-induced angiogenesis via inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression during tumor progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Woom-Yee; Choi, Jae-Sun; Kim, Ja-Eun; Jeong, Joo-Won

    2015-11-01

    During tumor progression, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) plays a critical role in tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth by regulating the transcription of several genes in response to a hypoxic environment and changes in growth factors. This study was designed to investigate the effects of cinnamic aldehyde (CA) on tumor growth and angiogenesis and the mechanisms underlying CA's anti-angiogenic activities. We found that CA administration inhibits tumor growth and blocks tumor angiogenesis in BALB/c mice. In addition, CA treatment decreased HIF-1α protein expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in mouse tumors and Renca cells exposed to hypoxia in vitro. Interestingly, CA treatment did not affect the stability of von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL)-associated HIF-1α and CA attenuated the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Collectively, these findings strongly indicate that the anti-angiogenic activity of CA is, at least in part, regulated by the mTOR pathway-mediated suppression of HIF-1α protein expression and these findings suggest that CA may be a potential drug for human cancer therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Positron emission tomography imaging of CD105 expression during tumor angiogenesis

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    Hong, Hao [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); Yang, Yunan [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); Third Military Medical University, Department of Ultrasound, Xinqiao Hospital, Chongqing (China); Zhang, Yin; Engle, Jonathan W.; Barnhart, Todd E.; Nickles, Robert J. [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Medical Physics, Madison, WI (United States); Leigh, Bryan R. [TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA (United States); Cai, Weibo [University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Radiology, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Medical Physics, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI (United States); University of Wisconsin - Madison, Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI (United States)

    2011-07-15

    Overexpression of CD105 (endoglin) correlates with poor prognosis in many solid tumor types. Tumor microvessel density (MVD) assessed by CD105 staining is the current gold standard for evaluating tumor angiogenesis in the clinic. The goal of this study was to develop a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for imaging CD105 expression. TRC105, a chimeric anti-CD105 monoclonal antibody, was conjugated to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and labeled with {sup 64}Cu. FACS analysis and microscopy studies were performed to compare the CD105 binding affinity of TRC105 and DOTA-TRC105. PET imaging, biodistribution, blocking, and ex vivo histology studies were performed on 4T1 murine breast tumor-bearing mice to evaluate the ability of {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-TRC105 to target tumor angiogenesis. Another chimeric antibody, cetuximab, was used as an isotype-matched control. FACS analysis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) revealed no difference in CD105 binding affinity between TRC105 and DOTA-TRC105, which was further validated by fluorescence microscopy. {sup 64}Cu labeling was achieved with high yield and specific activity. Serial PET imaging revealed that the 4T1 tumor uptake of the tracer was 8.0 {+-} 0.5, 10.4 {+-} 2.8, and 9.7 {+-} 1.8%ID/g at 4, 24, and 48 h post-injection, respectively (n = 3), higher than most organs at late time points which provided excellent tumor contrast. Biodistribution data as measured by gamma counting were consistent with the PET findings. Blocking experiments, control studies with {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-cetuximab, as well as ex vivo histology all confirmed the in vivo target specificity of {sup 64}Cu-DOTA-TRC105. This is the first successful PET imaging study of CD105 expression. Fast, prominent, persistent, and CD105-specific uptake of the tracer in the 4T1 tumor was observed. Further studies are warranted and currently underway. (orig.)

  15. DEspR roles in tumor vasculo-angiogenesis, invasiveness, CSC-survival and anoikis resistance: a 'common receptor coordinator' paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Victoria L; Decano, Julius L; Tan, Glaiza A; Moran, Ann M; Pasion, Khristine A; Matsubara, Yuichi; Ruiz-Opazo, Nelson

    2014-01-01

    A priori, a common receptor induced in tumor microvessels, cancer cells and cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) that is involved in tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, and CSC anoikis resistance and survival, could underlie contemporaneous coordination of these events rather than assume stochasticity. Here we show that functional analysis of the dual endothelin1/VEGFsignal peptide receptor, DEspR, (formerly named Dear, Chr.4q31.2) supports the putative common receptor paradigm in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and glioblastoma (GBM) selected for their invasiveness, CD133+CSCs, and polar angiogenic features. Unlike normal tissue, DEspR is detected in PDAC and GBM microvessels, tumor cells, and CSCs isolated from PDAC-Panc1 and GBM-U87 cells. DEspR-inhibition decreased angiogenesis, invasiveness, CSC-survival and anoikis resistance in vitro, and decreased Panc1-CSC and U87-CSC xenograft tumor growth, vasculo-angiogenesis and invasiveness in nude(nu/nu) rats, suggesting that DEspR activation would coordinate these tumor progression events. As an accessible, cell-surface 'common receptor coordinator', DEspR-inhibition defines a novel targeted-therapy paradigm for pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma.

  16. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Ligands: Potential Pharmacological Agents for Targeting the Angiogenesis Signaling Cascade in Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Costas Giaginis

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ has currently been considered as molecular target for the treatment of human metabolic disorders. Experimental data from in vitro cultures, animal models, and clinical trials have shown that PPAR-γ ligand activation regulates differentiation and induces cell growth arrest and apoptosis in a variety of cancer types. Tumor angiogenesis constitutes a multifaceted process implicated in complex downstream signaling pathways that triggers tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. In this aspect, accumulating in vitro and in vivo studies have provided extensive evidence that PPAR-γ ligands can function as modulators of the angiogenic signaling cascade. In the current review, the crucial role of PPAR-γ ligands and the underlying mechanisms participating in tumor angiogenesis are summarized. Targeting PPAR-γ may prove to be a potential therapeutic strategy in combined treatments with conventional chemotherapy; however, special attention should be taken as there is also substantial evidence to support that PPAR-γ ligands can enhance angiogenic phenotype in tumoral cells.

  17. Canonical hedgehog signaling augments tumor angiogenesis by induction of VEGF-A in stromal perivascular cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Weiwei; Tang, Tracy; Eastham-Anderson, Jeff; Dunlap, Debra; Alicke, Bruno; Nannini, Michelle; Gould, Stephen; Yauch, Robert; Modrusan, Zora; DuPree, Kelly J.; Darbonne, Walter C.; Plowman, Greg; de Sauvage, Frederic J.; Callahan, Christopher A.

    2011-01-01

    Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is critical to the patterning and development of a variety of organ systems, and both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent Hh pathway activation are known to promote tumorigenesis. Recent studies have shown that in tumors promoted by Hh ligands, activation occurs within the stromal microenvironment. Testing whether ligand-driven Hh signaling promotes tumor angiogenesis, we found that Hh antagonism reduced the vascular density of Hh-producing LS180 and SW480 xenografts. In addition, ectopic expression of sonic hedgehog in low-Hh–expressing DLD-1 xenografts increased tumor vascular density, augmented angiogenesis, and was associated with canonical Hh signaling within perivascular tumor stromal cells. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying Hh-mediated tumor angiogenesis, we established an Hh-sensitive angiogenesis coculture assay and found that fibroblast cell lines derived from a variety of human tissues were Hh responsive and promoted angiogenesis in vitro through a secreted paracrine signal(s). Affymetrix array analyses of cultured fibroblasts identified VEGF-A, hepatocyte growth factor, and PDGF-C as candidate secreted proangiogenic factors induced by Hh stimulation. Expression studies of xenografts and angiogenesis assays using combinations of Hh and VEGF-A inhibitors showed that it is primarily Hh-induced VEGF-A that promotes angiogenesis in vitro and augments tumor-derived VEGF to promote angiogenesis in vivo. PMID:21597001

  18. Molecular targeting of angiogenesis for imaging and therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brack, Simon S.; Neri, Dario; Dinkelborg, Ludger M.

    2004-01-01

    Angiogenesis, i.e. the proliferation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is an underlying process in many human diseases, including cancer, blinding ocular disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. The ability to selectively target and interfere with neovascularisation would potentially be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases. This review presents the authors' views on some of the most relevant markers of angiogenesis described to date, as well as on specific ligands which have been characterised in pre-clinical animal models and/or clinical studies. Furthermore, we present an overview on technologies which are likely to have an impact on the way molecular targeting of angiogenesis is performed in the future. (orig.)

  19. Tumor Cells and Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Secreted Proteins as Potential Targets for Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baay, Marc; Brouwer, Anja; Pauwels, Patrick; Peeters, Marc; Lardon, Filip

    2011-01-01

    Inflammatory pathways, meant to defend the organism against infection and injury, as a byproduct, can promote an environment which favors tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which constitute a significant part of the tumor-infiltrating immune cells, have been linked to the growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis of a variety of cancers, most likely through polarization of TAMs to the M2 (alternative) phenotype. The interaction between tumor cells and macrophages provides opportunities for therapy. This paper will discuss secreted proteins as targets for intervention. PMID:22162712

  20. Tumor Cells and Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Secreted Proteins as Potential Targets for Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc Baay

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory pathways, meant to defend the organism against infection and injury, as a byproduct, can promote an environment which favors tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs, which constitute a significant part of the tumor-infiltrating immune cells, have been linked to the growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis of a variety of cancers, most likely through polarization of TAMs to the M2 (alternative phenotype. The interaction between tumor cells and macrophages provides opportunities for therapy. This paper will discuss secreted proteins as targets for intervention.

  1. Imaging and Targeting of Hypoxic Tumor Cells with Use of HIF-1-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kizaka-Kondoh, Shinae; Harada, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Shotaro; Hiraoka, Masahiro

    2006-01-01

    This paper describes imaging (visualization) of transplanted tumor cells under hypoxia in vivo and molecular targeting to kill those cells by inducing their apoptosis. HIF (hypoxia inducible factor) concerned with angiogenesis is induced specifically in hypoxic tumor cells and its activity can be visualized by transfection of reporter vector construct of fluorescent protein GFP or luciferase. Authors established the transfected tumor cells with the plasmid p5HRE-luciferase and when transplanted in the nude mouse, those cells emitted light dependently to their hypoxic conditions, which could be visualized by in vivo imaging system (IVIS) with CCD camera. Authors prepared the oxygen-dependent degradation-procaspase 3-fusion protein (TOP3) to target the hypoxic tumor cells for enhancing their apoptotic signaling, whose apoptosis was actually observed by the IVIS. Reportedly, radiation transiently activates HIF-1 and combination treatment of radiation and TOP3 resulted in the enhanced death of tumor cells. Interestingly, the suppression of tumor growth lasted longer than expected, probably due to inhibition of angiogenesis. Authors called this anti-tumor strategy as the micro-environmental targeting. (T.I.)

  2. miR-181a Targets RGS16 to Promote Chondrosarcoma Growth, Angiogenesis, and Metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiaojuan; Charbonneau, Cherie; Wei, Lei; Chen, Qian; Terek, Richard M

    2015-09-01

    Chondrosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in adults, has no effective systemic treatment, and patients with this disease have poor survival. Altered expression of microRNA (miR) is involved in tumorigenesis; however, its role in chondrosarcoma is undetermined. miR-181a is overexpressed in high-grade chondrosarcoma, is upregulated by hypoxia, and increases VEGF expression. Here, the purpose was to determine the mechanism of miR-181a regulation of VEGF, determine whether miR-181a overexpression promotes tumor progression, and to evaluate an antagomir-based approach for chondrosarcoma treatment. Therapeutic inhibition of miR-181a decreased expression of VEGF and MMP1 in vitro, and angiogenesis, MMP1 activity, tumor growth, and lung metastasis, all by more than 50%, in a xenograft mouse model. A target of miR-181a is a regulator of G-protein signaling 16 (RGS16), a negative regulator of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) signaling. CXCR4 signaling is increased in chondrosarcoma, its expression is also increased by hypoxia, and is associated with angiogenesis and metastasis; however, receptor blockade is only partially effective. RGS16 expression is restored after miR-181a inhibition and partially accounts for the antiangiogenic and antimetastatic effects of miR-181a inhibition. These data establish miR-181a as an oncomiR that promotes chondrosarcoma progression through a new mechanism involving enhancement of CXCR4 signaling by inhibition of RGS16. Targeting miR-181a can inhibit tumor angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis, thus suggesting the possibility of antagomir-based therapy in chondrosarcoma. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  3. DEspR roles in tumor vasculo-angiogenesis, invasiveness, CSC-survival and anoikis resistance: a 'common receptor coordinator' paradigm.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria L Herrera

    Full Text Available A priori, a common receptor induced in tumor microvessels, cancer cells and cancer stem-like cells (CSCs that is involved in tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, and CSC anoikis resistance and survival, could underlie contemporaneous coordination of these events rather than assume stochasticity. Here we show that functional analysis of the dual endothelin1/VEGFsignal peptide receptor, DEspR, (formerly named Dear, Chr.4q31.2 supports the putative common receptor paradigm in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC and glioblastoma (GBM selected for their invasiveness, CD133+CSCs, and polar angiogenic features. Unlike normal tissue, DEspR is detected in PDAC and GBM microvessels, tumor cells, and CSCs isolated from PDAC-Panc1 and GBM-U87 cells. DEspR-inhibition decreased angiogenesis, invasiveness, CSC-survival and anoikis resistance in vitro, and decreased Panc1-CSC and U87-CSC xenograft tumor growth, vasculo-angiogenesis and invasiveness in nude(nu/nu rats, suggesting that DEspR activation would coordinate these tumor progression events. As an accessible, cell-surface 'common receptor coordinator', DEspR-inhibition defines a novel targeted-therapy paradigm for pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma.

  4. Polymeric micelles as a drug carrier for tumor targeting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neha M Dand

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric micelle can be targeted to tumor site by passive and active mechanism. Some inherent properties of polymeric micelle such as size in nanorange, stability in plasma, longevity in vivo, and pathological characteristics of tumor make polymeric micelles to be targeted at the tumor site by passive mechanism called enhanced permeability and retention effect. Polymeric micelle formed from the amphiphilic block copolymer is suitable for encapsulation of poorly water soluble, hydrophobic anticancer drugs. Other characteristics of polymeric micelles such as separated functionality at the outer shell are useful for targeting the anticancer drug to tumor by active mechanisms. Polymeric micelles can be conjugated with many ligands such as antibodies fragments, epidermal growth factors, α2 -glycoprotein, transferrine, and folate to target micelles to cancer cells. Application of heat and ultrasound are the alternative methods to enhance drug accumulation in tumoral cells. Targeting using micelles can also be done to tumor angiogenesis which is the potentially promising target for anticancer drugs. This review summarizes about recently available information regarding targeting the anticancer drug to the tumor site using polymeric micelles.

  5. Efficient inhibition of tumor angiogenesis and growth by a synthetic peptide blocking S100A4-methionine aminopeptidase 2 interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takahiro Ochiya

    Full Text Available The prometastatic calcium-binding protein, S100A4, is expressed in endothelial cells, and its downregulation markedly suppresses tumor angiogenesis in a xenograft cancer model. Given that endothelial S100A4 can be a molecular target for inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, we addressed here whether synthetic peptide capable of blocking S100A4-effector protein interaction could be a novel antiangiogenic agent. To examine this hypothesis, we focused on the S100A4-binding domain of methionine aminopeptidase 2, an effector protein, which plays a role in endothelial cell growth. Overexpression of the domain in mouse endothelial MSS31 cells reduced DNA synthesis, and the corresponding synthetic peptide (named NBD indeed interacted with S100A4 and inhibited capillary formation in vitro and new blood vessel formation in vivo. Intriguingly, a single intra-tumor administration of the NBD peptide in human prostate cancer xenografts significantly reduced vascularity, resulting in tumor regression. Mechanistically, the NBD peptide enhanced assembly of nonmuscle myosin IIA filaments along with Ser1943 phosphorylation, stimulated formation of focal adhesions without phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, and provoked G1/S arrest of the cell cycle. Altogether, the NBD peptide is a potent inhibitor for tumor angiogenesis, and is the first example of an anticancer peptide drug developed on the basis of an endothelial S100A4-targeted strategy.

  6. Increased expression of CYP4Z1 promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in human breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Wei; Chai, Hongyan; Li, Ying; Zhao, Haixia; Xie, Xianfei; Zheng, Hao; Wang, Chenlong; Wang, Xue; Yang, Guifang; Cai, Xiaojun; Falck, John R.; Yang, Jing

    2012-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4Z1, a novel CYP4 family member, is over-expressed in human mammary carcinoma and associated with high-grade tumors and poor prognosis. However, the precise role of CYP4Z1 in tumor progression is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CYP4Z1 overexpression promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in breast cancer. Stable expression of CYP4Z1 in T47D and BT-474 human breast cancer cells significantly increased mRNA expression and production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, and decreased mRNA levels and secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2), without affecting cell proliferation and anchorage-independent cell growth in vitro. Notably, the conditioned medium from CYP4Z1-expressing cells enhanced proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and promoted angiogenesis in the zebrafish embryo and chorioallantoic membrane of the chick embryo. In addition, there were lower levels of myristic acid and lauric acid, and higher contents of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in CYP4Z1-expressing T47D cells compared with vector control. CYP4Z1 overexpression significantly increased tumor weight and microvessel density by 2.6-fold and 1.9-fold in human tumor xenograft models, respectively. Moreover, CYP4Z1 transfection increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt, while PI3K or ERK inhibitors and siRNA silencing reversed CYP4Z1-mediated changes in VEGF-A and TIMP-2 expression. Conversely, HET0016, an inhibitor of the CYP4 family, potently inhibited the tumor-induced angiogenesis with associated changes in the intracellular levels of myristic acid, lauric acid and 20-HETE. Collectively, these data suggest that increased CYP4Z1 expression promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in breast cancer partly via PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 activation. -- Highlights: ► CYP4Z1 overexpression promotes human breast cancer growth and angiogenesis. ► The pro-angiogenic effects of CYP4Z1 have

  7. Increased expression of CYP4Z1 promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in human breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Wei [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Chai, Hongyan [Center for Gene Diagnosis, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Li, Ying; Zhao, Haixia; Xie, Xianfei; Zheng, Hao; Wang, Chenlong; Wang, Xue [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Yang, Guifang [Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Cai, Xiaojun [Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Falck, John R. [Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 (United States); Yang, Jing, E-mail: yangjingliu@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China); Research Center of Food and Drug Evaluation, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071 (China)

    2012-10-01

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4Z1, a novel CYP4 family member, is over-expressed in human mammary carcinoma and associated with high-grade tumors and poor prognosis. However, the precise role of CYP4Z1 in tumor progression is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CYP4Z1 overexpression promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in breast cancer. Stable expression of CYP4Z1 in T47D and BT-474 human breast cancer cells significantly increased mRNA expression and production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, and decreased mRNA levels and secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2), without affecting cell proliferation and anchorage-independent cell growth in vitro. Notably, the conditioned medium from CYP4Z1-expressing cells enhanced proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and promoted angiogenesis in the zebrafish embryo and chorioallantoic membrane of the chick embryo. In addition, there were lower levels of myristic acid and lauric acid, and higher contents of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in CYP4Z1-expressing T47D cells compared with vector control. CYP4Z1 overexpression significantly increased tumor weight and microvessel density by 2.6-fold and 1.9-fold in human tumor xenograft models, respectively. Moreover, CYP4Z1 transfection increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt, while PI3K or ERK inhibitors and siRNA silencing reversed CYP4Z1-mediated changes in VEGF-A and TIMP-2 expression. Conversely, HET0016, an inhibitor of the CYP4 family, potently inhibited the tumor-induced angiogenesis with associated changes in the intracellular levels of myristic acid, lauric acid and 20-HETE. Collectively, these data suggest that increased CYP4Z1 expression promotes tumor angiogenesis and growth in breast cancer partly via PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 activation. -- Highlights: ► CYP4Z1 overexpression promotes human breast cancer growth and angiogenesis. ► The pro-angiogenic effects of CYP4Z1 have

  8. Suppression of tumor growth and angiogenesis by a specific antagonist of the cell-surface expressed nucleolin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damien Destouches

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Emerging evidences suggest that nucleolin expressed on the cell surface is implicated in growth of tumor cells and angiogenesis. Nucleolin is one of the major proteins of the nucleolus, but it is also expressed on the cell surface where is serves as a binding protein for variety of ligands implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, mitogenesis and angiogenesis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By using a specific antagonist that binds the C-terminal tail of nucleolin, the HB-19 pseudopeptide, here we show that the growth of tumor cells and angiogenesis are suppressed in various in vitro and in vivo experimental models. HB-19 inhibited colony formation in soft agar of tumor cell lines, impaired migration of endothelial cells and formation of capillary-like structures in collagen gel, and reduced blood vessel branching in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane. In athymic nude mice, HB-19 treatment markedly suppressed the progression of established human breast tumor cell xenografts in nude mice, and in some cases eliminated measurable tumors while displaying no toxicity to normal tissue. This potent antitumoral effect is attributed to the direct inhibitory action of HB-19 on both tumor and endothelial cells by blocking and down regulating surface nucleolin, but without any apparent effect on nucleolar nucleolin. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results illustrate the dual inhibitory action of HB-19 on the tumor development and the neovascularization process, thus validating the cell-surface expressed nucleolin as a strategic target for an effective cancer drug. Consequently, the HB-19 pseudopeptide provides a unique candidate to consider for innovative cancer therapy.

  9. DEspR Roles in Tumor Vasculo-Angiogenesis, Invasiveness, CSC-Survival and Anoikis Resistance: A ‘Common Receptor Coordinator’ Paradigm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Victoria L.; Decano, Julius L.; Tan, Glaiza A.; Moran, Ann M.; Pasion, Khristine A.; Matsubara, Yuichi; Ruiz-Opazo, Nelson

    2014-01-01

    A priori, a common receptor induced in tumor microvessels, cancer cells and cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) that is involved in tumor angiogenesis, invasiveness, and CSC anoikis resistance and survival, could underlie contemporaneous coordination of these events rather than assume stochasticity. Here we show that functional analysis of the dual endothelin1/VEGFsignal peptide receptor, DEspR, (formerly named Dear, Chr.4q31.2) supports the putative common receptor paradigm in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and glioblastoma (GBM) selected for their invasiveness, CD133+CSCs, and polar angiogenic features. Unlike normal tissue, DEspR is detected in PDAC and GBM microvessels, tumor cells, and CSCs isolated from PDAC-Panc1 and GBM-U87 cells. DEspR-inhibition decreased angiogenesis, invasiveness, CSC-survival and anoikis resistance in vitro, and decreased Panc1-CSC and U87-CSC xenograft tumor growth, vasculo-angiogenesis and invasiveness in nudenu/nu rats, suggesting that DEspR activation would coordinate these tumor progression events. As an accessible, cell-surface ‘common receptor coordinator’, DEspR-inhibition defines a novel targeted-therapy paradigm for pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma. PMID:24465725

  10. FOXD3 suppresses tumor growth and angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Jun-Hai; Zhao, Chun-Liu; Ding, Lan-Bao; Zhou, Xi

    2015-01-01

    The transcription factor forkhead box D3 (FOXD3), widely studied as a transcriptional repressor in embryogenesis, participates in the carcinogenesis of many cancers. However, the expression pattern and role of FOXD3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been well characterized. We report that FOXD3 is significantly downregulated in NSCLC cell lines and clinical tissues. FOXD3 overexpression significantly inhibits cell growth and results in G1 cell cycle arrest in NSCLC A549 and H1299 cells. In a xenograft tumor model, FOXD3 overexpression inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis. Remarkably, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was reduced in FOXD3 overexpression models both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that FOXD3 plays a potential tumor suppressor role in NSCLC progression and represents a promising clinical prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. - Highlights: • FOXD3 is downregulated in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. • FOXD3 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation in NSCLC cells. • FOXD3 overexpression led to decreased angiogenesis in NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo.

  11. FOXD3 suppresses tumor growth and angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Jun-Hai; Zhao, Chun-Liu [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Luwan Branch of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 20020 (China); Ding, Lan-Bao [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai 10th People' s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072 (China); Zhou, Xi, E-mail: modelmap@139.com [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Luwan Branch of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 20020 (China)

    2015-10-09

    The transcription factor forkhead box D3 (FOXD3), widely studied as a transcriptional repressor in embryogenesis, participates in the carcinogenesis of many cancers. However, the expression pattern and role of FOXD3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been well characterized. We report that FOXD3 is significantly downregulated in NSCLC cell lines and clinical tissues. FOXD3 overexpression significantly inhibits cell growth and results in G1 cell cycle arrest in NSCLC A549 and H1299 cells. In a xenograft tumor model, FOXD3 overexpression inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis. Remarkably, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was reduced in FOXD3 overexpression models both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that FOXD3 plays a potential tumor suppressor role in NSCLC progression and represents a promising clinical prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. - Highlights: • FOXD3 is downregulated in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. • FOXD3 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation in NSCLC cells. • FOXD3 overexpression led to decreased angiogenesis in NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo.

  12. Tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R Inhibits Osteosarcoma Angiogenesis in the In Vivo Gelfoam® Assay Visualized by Color-coded Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiyuna, Tasuku; Tome, Yasunori; Uehara, Fuminari; Murakami, Takashi; Zhang, Yong; Zhao, Ming; Kanaya, Fuminori; Hoffman, Robert M

    2018-01-01

    We previously developed a color-coded imaging model that can quantify the length of nascent blood vessels using Gelfoam® implanted in nestin-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP) nude mice. In this model, nascent blood vessels selectively express GFP. We also previously showed that osteosarcoma cells promote angiogenesis in this assay. We have also previously demonstrated the tumor-targeting bacteria Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R) can inhibit or regress all tested tumor types in mouse models. The aim of the present study was to determine if S. typhimurium A1-R could inhibit osteosarcoma angiogenesis in the in vivo Gelfoam® color-coded imaging assay. Gelfoam® was implanted subcutaneously in ND-GFP nude mice. Skin flaps were made 7 days after implantation and 143B-RFP human osteosarcoma cells expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) were injected into the implanted Gelfoam. After establishment of tumors in the Gelfoam®, control-group mice were treated with phosphate buffered saline via tail-vein injection (iv) and the experimental group was treated with S. typhimurium A1-R iv Skin flaps were made at day 7, 14, 21, and 28 after implantation of the Gelfoam® to allow imaging of vascularization in the Gelfoam® using a variable-magnification small-animal imaging system and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Nascent blood vessels expressing ND-GFP extended into the Gelfoam® over time in both groups. However, the extent of nascent blood-vessel growth was significantly inhibited by S. typhimurium A1-R treatment by day 28. The present results indicate S. typhimurium A1-R has potential for anti-angiogenic targeted therapy of osteosarcoma. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  13. Passive versus active tumor targeting using RGD- and NGR-modified polymeric nanomedicines

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kunjachan, Sijumon; Pola, Robert; Gremse, Felix; Theek, Benjamin; Ehling, Josef; Moeckel, Diana; Hermanns-Sachweh, Benita; Pechar, Michal; Ulbrich, Karel; Hennink, Wim E.; Storm, Gert; Lederle, Wiltrud; Kiessling, Fabian; Lammers, Twan

    2014-01-01

    Enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) and the (over-) expression of angiogenesis-related surface receptors are key features of tumor blood vessels. As a consequence, EPR-mediated passive and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and Asn-Gly-Arg (NGR) based active tumor targeting have received considerable attention

  14. Thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized Fe2O3/Au nanoparticles targeted to CD105: Synthesis, characterization and application in MR imaging of tumor angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Song; Gong, Mingfu; Zhang, Dong; Yang, Hua; Gao, Fabao; Zou, Liguang

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To detect tumor angiogenesis in tumor-bearing mice using thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized Fe 2 O 3 /Au nanoparticles targeted to CD105 on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Fe 2 O 3 /Au nanoparticles (hybrids) were prepared by reducing Au 3+ on the surface of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. Hybrids were stabilized with thiol-PEG-carboxyl via the Au–S covalent bond, and further conjugated with anti-CD105 antibodies through amide linkages. Characteristics of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles were evaluated. Using these nanoparticles, the labeling specificity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated in vitro. MRI T2*-weighted images were obtained at different time points after intravenous administration of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles in the tumor-bearing mice. After MR imaging, the breast cancer xenografts were immediately resected for immunohistochemistry staining and Prussian blue staining to measure the tumor microvessel density (MVD) and evaluate the labeling of blood microvessels by the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles in vivo. Results: The mean diameter of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was 56.6 ± 8.0 nm, as measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immune activity of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was 53% of that of the anti-CD105 antibody, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The specific binding of HUVECs with the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was proved by immunostaining and Prussian blue staining in vitro. For breast cancer xenografts, the combination of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles with blood microvessels was detectable by MRI after 60 min administration of the contrast agent. The T2* relative signal intensity (SI R ) was positively correlated with the tumor MVD (R 2 = 0.8972). Conclusion: Anti-CD105 antibody-coupled, thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized core–shell Fe 2 O 3 /Au nanoparticles can efficiently target CD105 expressed by HUVECs. Furthermore, the hybrid-PEG-CD105

  15. Angiogenesis and vascular targeting: Relevance for hyperthermia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Horsman, Michael R

    2008-01-01

    The creation of a functional blood supply from the normal tissue vasculature via the process of angiogenesis is critical for the continued growth and development of solid tumours. This importance has led to the concept of targeting the tumour vasculature as a therapeutic strategy, and two major...... types of vascular targeting agents (VTAs) have developed; those that inhibit the angiogenic process-angiogenesis inhibiting agents (AIAs)-and those that specifically damage the already established neovasculature-vascular disrupting agents (VDAs). The tumour vasculature also plays a critical role...

  16. Galectin-1 as a potent target for cancer therapy: role in the tumor microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Koichi; Stannard, Kimberley; Gabutero, Elwyn; Clark, Amanda M; Neo, Shi-Yong; Onturk, Selda; Blanchard, Helen; Ralph, Stephen J

    2012-12-01

    The microenvironment of a tumor is a highly complex milieu, primarily characterized by immunosuppression, abnormal angiogenesis, and hypoxic regions. These features promote tumor progression and metastasis, resulting in poor prognosis and greater resistance to existing cancer therapies. Galectin-1 is a β-galactoside binding protein that is abundantly secreted by almost all types of malignant tumor cells. The expression of galectin-1 is regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and it plays vital pro-tumorigenic roles within the tumor microenvironment. In particular, galectin-1 suppresses T cell-mediated cytotoxic immune responses and promotes tumor angiogenesis. However, since galectin-1 displays many different activities by binding to a number of diverse N- or O-glycan modified target proteins, it has been difficult to fully understand how galectin-1 supports tumor growth and metastasis. This review explores the importance of galectin-1 and glycan expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment and the potential effects of inhibiting galectin-1 as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

  17. Concanavalin A: A potential anti-neoplastic agent targeting apoptosis, autophagy and anti-angiogenesis for cancer therapeutics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Wen-wen; Yu, Jia-ying; Xu, Huai-long; Bao, Jin-ku

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → ConA induces cancer cell death targeting apoptosis and autophagy. → ConA inhibits cancer cell angiogenesis. → ConA is utilized in pre-clinical and clinical trials. -- Abstract: Concanavalin A (ConA), a Ca 2+ /Mn 2+ -dependent and mannose/glucose-binding legume lectin, has drawn a rising attention for its remarkable anti-proliferative and anti-tumor activities to a variety of cancer cells. ConA induces programmed cell death via mitochondria-mediated, P73-Foxo1a-Bim apoptosis and BNIP3-mediated mitochondrial autophagy. Through IKK-NF-κB-COX-2, SHP-2-MEK-1-ERK, and SHP-2-Ras-ERK anti-angiogenic pathways, ConA would inhibit cancer cell survival. In addition, ConA stimulates cell immunity and generates an immune memory, resisting to the same genotypic tumor. These biological findings shed light on new perspectives of ConA as a potential anti-neoplastic agent targeting apoptosis, autophagy and anti-angiogenesis in pre-clinical or clinical trials for cancer therapeutics.

  18. Oxidative stress in tumor microenvironment——Its role in angiogenesis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Armando ROJAS; Raúl SILVA; Héctor FIGUEROA; Miguel A MORALES

    2008-01-01

    The tumor angiogenesis process is believed to be dependent on an "angiogenic switch" formed by a cascade of biologic events as a consequence of the "cross-talk" between tumor cells and several components of local microenvironment including endothelial cells, macrophages, mast cells and stromal components. Oxidative stress represents an important stimulus that widely contributes to this angiogenic switch, which is particularly relevant in lungs,where oxidative stress is originated from different sources including the incomplete reduction of oxygen during respiration,exposure to hypoxia/reoxygenation, stimulated resident or chemoattracted immune ceils to lung tissues, as well as by a variety of chemicals compounds. In the present review we highlight the role of oxidative stress in tumor angiogenesis as a key signal linked to other relevant actors in this complex process.

  19. Suppression of tumor growth, invasion and angiogenesis of human gastric cancer by adenovirus-mediated expression of NK4

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heideman, Daniëlle A. M.; van Beusechem, Victor W.; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Snijders, Peter J. F.; Craanen, Mikael E.; Offerhaus, G. Johan A.; Derksen, Patrick W. B.; de Bruin, Michiel; Witlox, M. Adhiambo; Molenaar, Bonnie; Meijer, Chris J. L. M.; Gerritsen, Winald R.

    2004-01-01

    Background To improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer it is important to develop novel treatment modalities targeting the malignant behavior of tumor cells. Concerning this, NK4, which acts as HGF-antagonist and angiogenesis inhibitor, might be a potential therapeutic agent for gastric

  20. Nanobodies As Novel Agents for Targeting Angiogenesis in Solid Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roghaye Arezumand

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Solid cancers are dependent on angiogenesis for sustenance. The FDA approval of Bevacizumab in 2004 inspired many scientists to develop more inhibitors of angiogenesis. Although several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs are being administered to successfully combat various pathologies, the complexity and large size of mAbs seem to narrow the therapeutic applications. To improve the performance of cancer therapeutics, including those blocking tumor angiogenesis, attractive strategies such as miniaturization of the antibodies have been introduced. Nanobodies (Nbs, small single-domain antigen-binding antibody fragments, are becoming promising therapeutic and diagnostic proteins in oncology due to their favorable unique structural and functional properties. This review focuses on the potential and state of the art of Nbs to inhibit the angiogenic process for therapy and the use of labeled Nbs for non-invasive in vivo imaging of the tumors.

  1. Hacking macrophage-associated immunosuppression for regulating glioblastoma angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Xin; Morales, Renee-Tyler Tan; Qian, Weiyi; Wang, Haoyu; Gagner, Jean-Pierre; Dolgalev, Igor; Placantonakis, Dimitris; Zagzag, David; Cimmino, Luisa; Snuderl, Matija; Lam, Raymond H W; Chen, Weiqiang

    2018-04-01

    Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary adult brain tumor and its pathology is hallmarked by distorted neovascularization, diffuse tumor-associated macrophage infiltration, and potent immunosuppression. Reconstituting organotypic tumor angiogenesis models with biomimetic cell heterogeneity and interactions, pro-/anti-inflammatory milieu and extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics is critical for preclinical anti-angiogenic therapeutic screening. However, current in vitro systems do not accurately mirror in vivo human brain tumor microenvironment. Here, we engineered a three-dimensional (3D), microfluidic angiogenesis model with controllable and biomimetic immunosuppressive conditions, immune-vascular and cell-matrix interactions. We demonstrate in vitro, GL261 and CT-2A GBM-like tumors steer macrophage polarization towards a M2-like phenotype for fostering an immunosuppressive and proangiogenic niche, which is consistent with human brain tumors. We distinguished that GBM and M2-like immunosuppressive macrophages promote angiogenesis, while M1-like pro-inflammatory macrophages suppress angiogenesis, which we coin "inflammation-driven angiogenesis." We observed soluble immunosuppressive cytokines, predominantly TGF-β1, and surface integrin (α v β 3 ) endothelial-macrophage interactions are required in inflammation-driven angiogenesis. We demonstrated tuning cell-adhesion receptors using an integrin (α v β 3 )-specific collagen hydrogel regulated inflammation-driven angiogenesis through Src-PI3K-YAP signaling, highlighting the importance of altered cell-ECM interactions in inflammation. To validate the preclinical applications of our 3D organoid model and mechanistic findings of inflammation-driven angiogenesis, we screened a novel dual integrin (α v β 3 ) and cytokine receptor (TGFβ-R1) blockade that suppresses GBM tumor neovascularization by simultaneously targeting macrophage-associated immunosuppression, endothelial-macrophage interactions, and

  2. Quantitative gene-expression of the tumor angiogenesis markers vascular endothelial growth factor, integrin alphaV and integrin beta3 in human neuroendocrine tumors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oxboel, Jytte; Binderup, Tina; Knigge, Ulrich

    2009-01-01

    , in neuroendocrine tumors. We used quantitative real-time PCR for measuring mRNA gene-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), integrin alphaV, and integrin beta3, and CD34 for a group of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (n=13). Tissue from patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (n=14...... compared to both colorectal liver metastases (p=0.10) and normal liver tissue (p=0.06). In neuroendocrine tumors, gene-expression was highly variable of VEGF (530-fold), integrin alphaV (23-fold) and integrin beta3 (106-fold). Quantitative gene-expression levels of the key angiogenesis molecules VEGF......Anti-angiogenesis treatment is a promising new therapy for cancer that recently has also been suggested for patients with neuroendocrine tumors. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the level of tumor angiogenesis, and thereby the molecular basis for anti-angiogenesis treatment...

  3. Pharmacological blockade of cholesterol trafficking by cepharanthine in endothelial cells suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyu, Junfang; Yang, Eun Ju; Head, Sarah A; Ai, Nana; Zhang, Baoyuan; Wu, Changjie; Li, Ruo-Jing; Liu, Yifan; Yang, Chen; Dang, Yongjun; Kwon, Ho Jeong; Ge, Wei; Liu, Jun O; Shim, Joong Sup

    2017-11-28

    Cholesterol is an important modulator of membrane protein function and signaling in endothelial cells, thus making it an emerging target for anti-angiogenic agents. In this study, we employed a phenotypic screen that detects intracellular cholesterol distribution in endothelial cells (HUVEC) and identified 13 existing drugs as cholesterol trafficking inhibitors. Cepharanthine, an approved drug for anti-inflammatory and cancer management use, was amongst the candidates, which was selected for in-depth mechanistic studies to link cholesterol trafficking and angiogenesis. Cepharanthine inhibited the endolysosomal trafficking of free-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein in HUVEC by binding to Niemann-Pick disease, type C1 (NPC1) protein and increasing the lysosomal pH. The blockade of cholesterol trafficking led to a cholesterol-dependent dissociation of mTOR from the lysosomes and inhibition of its downstream signaling. Cepharanthine inhibited angiogenesis in HUVEC and in zebrafish in a cholesterol-dependent manner. Furthermore, cepharanthine suppressed tumor growth in vivo by inhibiting angiogenesis and it enhanced the antitumor activity of the standard chemotherapy cisplatin in lung and breast cancer xenografts in mice. Altogether, these results strongly support the idea that cholesterol trafficking is a viable drug target for anti-angiogenesis and that the inhibitors identified among existing drugs, such as cepharanthine, could be potential anti-angiogenic and antitumor agents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Au nanoparticles targeted to CD105: Synthesis, characterization and application in MR imaging of tumor angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Song; Gong, Mingfu; Zhang, Dong; Yang, Hua [Department of Radiology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037 (China); Gao, Fabao [Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Zou, Liguang, E-mail: zlgxqyy@163.com [Department of Radiology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037 (China)

    2014-07-15

    Objective: To detect tumor angiogenesis in tumor-bearing mice using thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Au nanoparticles targeted to CD105 on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Au nanoparticles (hybrids) were prepared by reducing Au{sup 3+} on the surface of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. Hybrids were stabilized with thiol-PEG-carboxyl via the Au–S covalent bond, and further conjugated with anti-CD105 antibodies through amide linkages. Characteristics of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles were evaluated. Using these nanoparticles, the labeling specificity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated in vitro. MRI T2*-weighted images were obtained at different time points after intravenous administration of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles in the tumor-bearing mice. After MR imaging, the breast cancer xenografts were immediately resected for immunohistochemistry staining and Prussian blue staining to measure the tumor microvessel density (MVD) and evaluate the labeling of blood microvessels by the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles in vivo. Results: The mean diameter of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was 56.6 ± 8.0 nm, as measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immune activity of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was 53% of that of the anti-CD105 antibody, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The specific binding of HUVECs with the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles was proved by immunostaining and Prussian blue staining in vitro. For breast cancer xenografts, the combination of the hybrid-PEG-CD105 nanoparticles with blood microvessels was detectable by MRI after 60 min administration of the contrast agent. The T2* relative signal intensity (SI{sub R}) was positively correlated with the tumor MVD (R{sup 2} = 0.8972). Conclusion: Anti-CD105 antibody-coupled, thiol-PEG-carboxyl-stabilized core–shell Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Au nanoparticles can efficiently target CD105 expressed

  5. Serum human chorionic gonadotropin is associated with angiogenesis in germ cell testicular tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avilés-Salas Alejandro

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Germ cell testicular tumors have survival rate that diminishes with high tumor marker levels, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG. hCG may regulate vascular neoformation through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF. Our purpose was to determine the relationship between hCG serum levels, angiogenesis, and VEGF expression in germ cell testicular tumors. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 101 patients. Serum levels of hCG, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, and lactate dehydrogenase were measured prior to surgery. Vascular density (VD and VEGF tissue expression were determined by immunohistochemistry and underwent double-blind analysis. Results Histologically, 46% were seminomas and 54%, non-seminomas. Median follow-up was 43 ± 27 months. Relapse was present in 7.5% and mortality in 11.5%. Factors associated with high VD included non-seminoma type (p = 0.016, AFP ≥ 14.7 ng/mL (p = 0.0001, and hCG ≥ 25 mIU/mL (p = 0.0001. In multivariate analysis, the only significant VD-associated factor was hCG level (p = 0.04. When hCG levels were stratified, concentrations ≥ 25 mIU/mL were related with increased neovascularization (p Conclusion This is the first study that relates increased serum hCG levels with vascularization in testicular germ cell tumors. Hence, its expression might play a role in tumor angiogenesis, independent of VEGF expression, and may explain its association with poor prognosis. hCG might represent a molecular target for therapy.

  6. Chemokine receptor CXCR7 regulates the invasion, angiogenesis and tumor growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Fan

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In spite of recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic measures, the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC patients remains poor. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what factors are involved in promoting development of HCC. Evidence is accumulating that members of the chemokine receptor family are viewed as promising therapeutic targets in the fight against cancer. More recent studies have revealed that chemokine receptor CXCR7 plays an important role in cancer development. However, little is known about the effect of CXCR7 on the process of HCC cell invasion and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CXCR7 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and cell lines and to evaluate the role of CXCR7 in tumor growth, angiogenesis and invasion of HCC cells. Methods We constructed CXCR7 expressing shRNA, and CXCR7shRNA was subsequently stably transfected into human HCC cells. We evaluated the effect of CXCR7 inhibition on cell invasion, adhesion, VEGF secretion, tube formation and tumor growth. Immunohistochemistry was done to assess the expression of CXCR7 in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and CD31 in tumor of mice. We also evaluated the effect of VEGF stimulation on expression of CXCR7. Results CXCR7 was overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. We showed that high invasive potential HCC cell lines express high levels of CXCR7. In vitro, CXCL12 was found to induce invasion, adhesion, tube formation, and VEGF secretion in SMMC-7721 cells. These biological effects were inhibited by silencing of CXCR7 in SMMC-7721 cells. In addition, we also found that VEGF stimulation can up-regulate CXCR7 expression in SMMC-7721 cells and HUVECs. More importantly, enhanced expression of CXCR7 by VEGF was founctional. In vivo, tumor growth and angiogenesis were suppressed by knockdown of CXCR7 in SMMC-7721 cells. However, silencing of CXCR7 did not affect metastasis of tumor in vivo

  7. The hypoxia-inducible factor-responsive proteins semaphorin 4D and vascular endothelial growth factor promote tumor growth and angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Hua; Yang, Ying-Hua [Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, 650W. Baltimore Street, 7-North, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States); Binmadi, Nada O. [Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, 650W. Baltimore Street, 7-North, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States); Department of Oral Basic and Clinical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Proia, Patrizia [Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, 650W. Baltimore Street, 7-North, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States); Department of Sports Science (DISMOT), University of Palermo, Via Eleonora Duse 2 90146, Palermo (Italy); Basile, John R., E-mail: jbasile@umaryland.edu [Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, 650W. Baltimore Street, 7-North, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States); Greenebaum Cancer Center, 22S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (United States)

    2012-08-15

    Growth and metastasis of solid tumors requires induction of angiogenesis to ensure the delivery of oxygen, nutrients and growth factors to rapidly dividing transformed cells. Through either mutations, hypoxia generated by cytoreductive therapies, or when a malignancy outgrows its blood supply, tumor cells undergo a change from an avascular to a neovascular phenotype, a transition mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) family of transcriptional regulators. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one example of a gene whose transcription is stimulated by HIF. VEGF plays a crucial role in promoting tumor growth and survival by stimulating new blood vessel growth in response to such stresses as chemotherapy or radiotherapy-induced hypoxia, and it therefore has become a tempting target for neutralizing antibodies in the treatment of advanced neoplasms. Emerging evidence has shown that the semaphorins, proteins originally associated with control of axonal growth and immunity, are regulated by changes in oxygen tension as well and may play a role in tumor-induced angiogenesis. Through the use of RNA interference, in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays and tumor xenograft experiments, we demonstrate that expression of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D), which is under the control of the HIF-family of transcription factors, cooperates with VEGF to promote tumor growth and vascularity in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We use blocking antibodies to show that targeting SEMA4D function along with VEGF could represent a novel anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategy for the treatment of OSCC and other solid tumors. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Similar to VEGF, SEMA4D promotes angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Both VEGF and SEMA4D are produced by OSCC cells in a HIF-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These factors combine to elicit a robust pro-angiogenic phenotype in OSCC. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Anti-SEMA4D

  8. The hypoxia-inducible factor-responsive proteins semaphorin 4D and vascular endothelial growth factor promote tumor growth and angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Hua; Yang, Ying-Hua; Binmadi, Nada O.; Proia, Patrizia; Basile, John R.

    2012-01-01

    Growth and metastasis of solid tumors requires induction of angiogenesis to ensure the delivery of oxygen, nutrients and growth factors to rapidly dividing transformed cells. Through either mutations, hypoxia generated by cytoreductive therapies, or when a malignancy outgrows its blood supply, tumor cells undergo a change from an avascular to a neovascular phenotype, a transition mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) family of transcriptional regulators. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one example of a gene whose transcription is stimulated by HIF. VEGF plays a crucial role in promoting tumor growth and survival by stimulating new blood vessel growth in response to such stresses as chemotherapy or radiotherapy-induced hypoxia, and it therefore has become a tempting target for neutralizing antibodies in the treatment of advanced neoplasms. Emerging evidence has shown that the semaphorins, proteins originally associated with control of axonal growth and immunity, are regulated by changes in oxygen tension as well and may play a role in tumor-induced angiogenesis. Through the use of RNA interference, in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays and tumor xenograft experiments, we demonstrate that expression of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D), which is under the control of the HIF-family of transcription factors, cooperates with VEGF to promote tumor growth and vascularity in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We use blocking antibodies to show that targeting SEMA4D function along with VEGF could represent a novel anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategy for the treatment of OSCC and other solid tumors. -- Highlights: ► Similar to VEGF, SEMA4D promotes angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. ► Both VEGF and SEMA4D are produced by OSCC cells in a HIF-dependent manner. ► These factors combine to elicit a robust pro-angiogenic phenotype in OSCC. ► Anti-SEMA4D blocking antibody inhibits Plexin-B1 activation. ► SEMA4D is a valid anti-angiogenic target in the

  9. Inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation by targeting Rac1 GTPase with small interference RNA in tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xue Yan; Bi Feng; Zhang Xueyong; Pan Yanglin; Liu Na; Zheng Yi; Fan Daiming

    2004-01-01

    Hypoxia-induced angiogenesis plays an important role in the malignancy of solid tumors. A number of recent studies including our own have suggested that Rho family small GTPases are involved in this process, and Rac1, a prominent member of the Rho family, may be critical in regulating hypoxia-induced gene activation of several angiogenesis factors and tumor suppressors. To further define Rac1 function in angiogenesis and to explore novel approaches to modulate angiogenesis, we employed the small interference RNA technique to knock down gene expression of Rac1 in gastric cancer cell line AGS that expresses a high level of Rac1. Both the mRNA and protein levels of Rac1 in the AGS cells were decreased dramatically after transfection with a Rac1-specific siRNA vector. When the conditioned medium derived from the Rac1 downregulated AGS cells was applied to the human endothelial cells, it could significantly inhibit the cell proliferation. Further study proved that, VEGF and HIF-1α, two angiogenesis promoting factors, were found to be downregulated whereas p53 and VHL, which are tumor suppressors and angiogenesis inhibitors, were upregulated in the Rac1 siRNA transfected cells. Our results suggest that Rac1 may be involved in angiogenesis by controlling the expression of angiogenesis-related factors and provide a possible strategy for the treatment of tumor angiogenesis by targeting the Rac1 GTPase

  10. Anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor activity of recombinant anginex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandwijk, Ricardo J.M.G.E.; Dings, Ruud P.M.; Linden, Edith van der; Mayo, Kevin H.; Thijssen, Victor L.J.L.; Griffioen, Arjan W.

    2006-01-01

    Anginex, a synthetic 33-mer angiostatic peptide, specifically inhibits vascular endothelial cell proliferation and migration along with induction of apoptosis in endothelial cells. Here we report on the in vivo characterization of recombinant anginex and use of the artificial anginex gene for gene therapy approaches. Tumor growth of human MA148 ovarian carcinoma in athymic mice was inhibited by 80% when treated with recombinant anginex. Histological analysis of the tumors showed an approximate 2.5-fold reduction of microvessel density, suggesting that angiogenesis inhibition is the cause of the anti-tumor effect. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the gene expression patterns of 16 angiogenesis-related factors after treatment with both recombinant and synthetic anginex. To validate the applicability of the anginex gene for gene therapy, stable transfectants of murine B16F10 melanoma cells expressing recombinant anginex were made. Supernatants of these cells inhibited endothelial cell proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, after subcutaneous injection of these cells in C57BL/6 mice, an extensive delay in tumor growth was observed. These data show that the artificial anginex gene can be used to produce a recombinant protein with similar activity as its synthetic counterpart and that the gene can be applied in gene therapy approaches for cancer treatment

  11. Imaging techniques used for the real-time assessment of angiogenesis in digestive cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saftoiu, Adrian; Vilmann, Peter; Săftoiu, Adrian

    2011-01-01

    Angiogenesis has a critical role in primary tumor growth and the development of metastases. Several angiogenesis inhibitors were recently developed, being a very attractive target for digestive tumor therapy. However, individualized therapy should not only be based on the pre-treatment imaging...... of reviews was to analyze and enhance current knowledge and future perspectives about the real-time assessment of angiogenesis in digestive cancers, used for the longitudinal monitoring of the effects of chemo-radiotherapy (including anti-angiogenic therapies), as well as for the precise targeting of drugs...

  12. Angiogenesis-Related Pathways in the Pathogenesis of Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aristotle Bamias

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian Cancer represents the most fatal type of gynecological malignancies. A number of processes are involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer, especially within the tumor microenvironment. Angiogenesis represents a hallmark phenomenon in cancer, and it is responsible for tumor spread and metastasis in ovarian cancer, among other tumor types, as it leads to new blood vessel formation. In recent years angiogenesis has been given considerable attention in order to identify targets for developing effective anti-tumor therapies. Growth factors have been identified to play key roles in driving angiogenesis and, thus, the formation of new blood vessels that assist in “feeding” cancer. Such molecules include the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, the platelet derived growth factor (PDGF, the fibroblast growth factor (FGF, and the angiopoietin/Tie2 receptor complex. These proteins are key players in complex molecular pathways within the tumor cell and they have been in the spotlight of the development of anti-angiogenic molecules that may act as stand-alone therapeutics, or in concert with standard treatment regimes such as chemotherapy. The pathways involved in angiogenesis and molecules that have been developed in order to combat angiogenesis are described in this paper.

  13. A BMP7 Variant Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo through Direct Modulation of Endothelial Cell Biology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Courtney M Tate

    Full Text Available Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs, members of the TGF-β superfamily, have numerous biological activities including control of growth, differentiation, and vascular development. Using an in vitro co-culture endothelial cord formation assay, we investigated the role of a BMP7 variant (BMP7v in VEGF, bFGF, and tumor-driven angiogenesis. BMP7v treatment led to disruption of neo-endothelial cord formation and regression of existing VEGF and bFGF cords in vitro. Using a series of tumor cell models capable of driving angiogenesis in vitro, BMP7v treatment completely blocked cord formation. Pre-treatment of endothelial cells with BMP7v significantly reduced their cord forming ability, indicating a direct effect on endothelial cell function. BMP7v activated the canonical SMAD signaling pathway in endothelial cells but targeted gene knockdown using shRNA directed against SMAD4 suggests this pathway is not required to mediate the anti-angiogenic effect. In contrast to SMAD activation, BMP7v selectively decreased ERK and AKT activation, significantly decreased endothelial cell migration and down-regulated expression of critical RTKs involved in VEGF and FGF angiogenic signaling, VEGFR2 and FGFR1 respectively. Importantly, in an in vivo angiogenic plug assay that serves as a measurement of angiogenesis, BMP7v significantly decreased hemoglobin content indicating inhibition of neoangiogenesis. In addition, BMP7v significantly decreased angiogenesis in glioblastoma stem-like cell (GSLC Matrigel plugs and significantly impaired in vivo growth of a GSLC xenograft with a concomitant reduction in microvessel density. These data support BMP7v as a potent anti-angiogenic molecule that is effective in the context of tumor angiogenesis.

  14. A BMP7 Variant Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo through Direct Modulation of Endothelial Cell Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tate, Courtney M; Mc Entire, Jacquelyn; Pallini, Roberto; Vakana, Eliza; Wyss, Lisa; Blosser, Wayne; Ricci-Vitiani, Lucia; D'Alessandris, Quintino Giorgio; Morgante, Liliana; Giannetti, Stefano; Larocca, Luigi Maria; Todaro, Matilde; Benfante, Antonina; Colorito, Maria Luisa; Stassi, Giorgio; De Maria, Ruggero; Rowlinson, Scott; Stancato, Louis

    2015-01-01

    Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the TGF-β superfamily, have numerous biological activities including control of growth, differentiation, and vascular development. Using an in vitro co-culture endothelial cord formation assay, we investigated the role of a BMP7 variant (BMP7v) in VEGF, bFGF, and tumor-driven angiogenesis. BMP7v treatment led to disruption of neo-endothelial cord formation and regression of existing VEGF and bFGF cords in vitro. Using a series of tumor cell models capable of driving angiogenesis in vitro, BMP7v treatment completely blocked cord formation. Pre-treatment of endothelial cells with BMP7v significantly reduced their cord forming ability, indicating a direct effect on endothelial cell function. BMP7v activated the canonical SMAD signaling pathway in endothelial cells but targeted gene knockdown using shRNA directed against SMAD4 suggests this pathway is not required to mediate the anti-angiogenic effect. In contrast to SMAD activation, BMP7v selectively decreased ERK and AKT activation, significantly decreased endothelial cell migration and down-regulated expression of critical RTKs involved in VEGF and FGF angiogenic signaling, VEGFR2 and FGFR1 respectively. Importantly, in an in vivo angiogenic plug assay that serves as a measurement of angiogenesis, BMP7v significantly decreased hemoglobin content indicating inhibition of neoangiogenesis. In addition, BMP7v significantly decreased angiogenesis in glioblastoma stem-like cell (GSLC) Matrigel plugs and significantly impaired in vivo growth of a GSLC xenograft with a concomitant reduction in microvessel density. These data support BMP7v as a potent anti-angiogenic molecule that is effective in the context of tumor angiogenesis.

  15. Linking transgene expression of engineered mesenchymal stem cells and angiopoietin-1-induced differentiation to target cancer angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conrad, Claudius; Hüsemann, Yves; Niess, Hanno; von Luettichau, Irene; Huss, Ralf; Bauer, Christian; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Klein, Christoph A; Bruns, Christiane; Nelson, Peter J

    2011-03-01

    To specifically target tumor angiogenesis by linking transgene expression of engineered mesenchymal stem cells to angiopoietin-1-induced differentiation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to deliver therapeutic genes into solid tumors. These strategies rely on their homing mechanisms only to deliver the therapeutic agent. We engineered murine MSC to express reporter genes or therapeutic genes under the selective control of the Tie2 promoter/enhancer. This approach uses the differentiative potential of MSCs induced by the tumor microenvironment to drive therapeutic gene expression only in the context of angiogenesis. When injected into the peripheral circulation of mice with either, orthotopic pancreatic or spontaneous breast cancer, the engineered MSCs were actively recruited to growing tumor vasculature and induced the selective expression of either reporter red florescent protein or suicide genes [herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (TK) gene] when the adoptively transferred MSC developed endothelial-like characteristics. The TK gene product in combination with the prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) produces a potent toxin, which affects replicative cells. The homing of engineered MSC with selective induction of TK in concert with GCV resulted in a toxic tumor-specific environment. The efficacy of this approach was demonstrated by significant reduction in primary tumor growth and prolongation of life in both tumor models. This "Trojan Horse" combined stem cell/gene therapy represents a novel treatment strategy for tailored therapy of solid tumors.

  16. Neutrophils responsive to endogenous IFN-beta regulate tumor angiogenesis and growth in a mouse tumor model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jablonska, Jadwiga; Leschner, Sara; Westphal, Kathrin; Lienenklaus, Stefan; Weiss, Siegfried

    2010-04-01

    Angiogenesis is a hallmark of malignant neoplasias, as the formation of new blood vessels is required for tumors to acquire oxygen and nutrients essential for their continued growth and metastasis. However, the signaling pathways leading to tumor vascularization are not fully understood. Here, using a transplantable mouse tumor model, we have demonstrated that endogenous IFN-beta inhibits tumor angiogenesis through repression of genes encoding proangiogenic and homing factors in tumor-infiltrating neutrophils. We determined that IFN-beta-deficient mice injected with B16F10 melanoma or MCA205 fibrosarcoma cells developed faster-growing tumors with better-developed blood vessels than did syngeneic control mice. These tumors displayed enhanced infiltration by CD11b+Gr1+ neutrophils expressing elevated levels of the genes encoding the proangiogenic factors VEGF and MMP9 and the homing receptor CXCR4. They also expressed higher levels of the transcription factors c-myc and STAT3, known regulators of VEGF, MMP9, and CXCR4. In vitro, treatment of these tumor-infiltrating neutrophils with low levels of IFN-beta restored expression of proangiogenic factors to control levels. Moreover, depletion of these neutrophils inhibited tumor growth in both control and IFN-beta-deficient mice. We therefore suggest that constitutively produced endogenous IFN-beta is an important mediator of innate tumor surveillance. Further, we believe our data help to explain the therapeutic effect of IFN treatment during the early stages of cancer development.

  17. Contrast-enhanced color Doppler US in breast cancer: Tumoral vascularity correlated with angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Eun A; Yoon, Kwon Ha; Yun, Ki Jung; Lee, Kwang Man; Park, Ki Han; Juhng, Seon Kwan; Won, Jong Jin [Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2000-12-15

    To evaluate the effects of contrast-enhanced color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) on the depiction of vascularity and flow pattern in breast cancer and to determine the relationship between tumoral vascularity and angiogenesis. Twenty-one patients with breast cancer were prospectively evaluated with CDUS before and after injection of the contrast agent (SH U 508A, 2.5g, 300 mg/ml ). The tumoral vascularity was expressed as percentage of color Doppler area, which was measured quantitatively by a computerized program (Ultrasonic Imaging Tool; Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea). The flow pattern (four-patterns; spotty, linear, branching, marginal) of the vascularity was analyzed. After surgery, tumor angiogenesis was assessed by microvessel density. The relationship between the vascularity on CDUS and microvessel density was statistically analyzed. At unenhanced CDUS, tumoral flow signals were detected in 12 lesions (48%); at contrast-enhanced CDUS, 18 lesions (86%). All These 18 lesions showed increased signals, compared with those at unenhanced CDUS. The percentage color Doppler area was 1.86 {+-} 0.48% at unenhanced CDUS and 5.23 {+-} 1.18% at contrast-enhanced CDUS. The flow patterns before contrast injection were spotty pattern in 11 tumors and linear pattern in one; after contrast injection, spotty in 8, linear in 4, branching in 5, and marginal in one. The tumoral vascularity at contrast-enhanced CDUS showed no significant correlation with microvessel density. Contrast-enhanced CDUS seems to be a valuable tool in the depiction of vascularity and characterization of flow pattern in breast cancer. However, tumoral vascularity on CDUS may not reflect tumoral angiogenesis.

  18. Microenvironment around tumors and their radiation sensitivity. The possibility of molecular target for radiation sensitization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akimoto, Tetsuo; Ishikawa, Hitoshi [Gunma Univ., Maebashi (Japan). School of Medicine; Mitsuhashi, Norio [Tokyo Women' s Medical Coll. (Japan)

    2001-12-01

    There have been scarce studies concerning the effect of microenvironment around tumors on their radiation sensitivity and this review describes the influence of environmental factors of cell adhesion, growth factors, cytokines, hypoxia and angiogenesis on the sensitivity and response to radiation and on the signal transduction to consider the possibility of molecular target for radiation sensitization. Cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix interaction in response to radiation may have a role in inducing apoptotic process like anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic one. Growth factors and cytokines can affect the tumor response to radiation in more extent than p53 gene status since apoptosis induction is not always an indication of radiation sensitivity in many tumors clinically encountered. Radiation sensitivity is low in tumor cells under hypoxic conditions and it is important to know the relationship between those hypoxic cell response and angiogenesis by factors like HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor)-1. Molecular targets for radiation sensitization are now under development and both basic and clinical studies are important for future application of those sensitizing agents for the radiotherapy of tumors. (K.H.)

  19. Microenvironment around tumors and their radiation sensitivity. The possibility of molecular target for radiation sensitization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akimoto, Tetsuo; Ishikawa, Hitoshi

    2001-01-01

    There have been scarce studies concerning the effect of microenvironment around tumors on their radiation sensitivity and this review describes the influence of environmental factors of cell adhesion, growth factors, cytokines, hypoxia and angiogenesis on the sensitivity and response to radiation and on the signal transduction to consider the possibility of molecular target for radiation sensitization. Cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix interaction in response to radiation may have a role in inducing apoptotic process like anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic one. Growth factors and cytokines can affect the tumor response to radiation in more extent than p53 gene status since apoptosis induction is not always an indication of radiation sensitivity in many tumors clinically encountered. Radiation sensitivity is low in tumor cells under hypoxic conditions and it is important to know the relationship between those hypoxic cell response and angiogenesis by factors like HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor)-1. Molecular targets for radiation sensitization are now under development and both basic and clinical studies are important for future application of those sensitizing agents for the radiotherapy of tumors. (K.H.)

  20. Retrotransposon Targeting of Tumor Cells

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Wu, Dongdong; DeVaux, George

    2005-01-01

    .... Cancer gene therapy techniques include oncogene inactivation, tumor suppressor gene replacement, inhibition of angiogenesis, immunopotentiation, molecular chemotherapy, and transfer of drug resistance genes...

  1. Human tumor cells induce angiogenesis through positive feedback between CD147 and insulin-like growth factor-I.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanke Chen

    Full Text Available Tumor angiogenesis is a complex process based upon a sequence of interactions between tumor cells and endothelial cells. Previous studies have shown that CD147 was correlated with tumor angiogenesis through increasing tumor cell secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs. In this study, we made a three-dimensional (3D tumor angiogenesis model using a co-culture system of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 and humanumbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs in vitro. We found that CD147-expressing cancer cells could promote HUVECs to form net-like structures resembling the neo-vasculature, whereas the ability of proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVECs was significantly decreased in tumor conditioned medium (TCM of SMMC-7721 cells transfected with specific CD147-siRNA. Furthermore, by assaying the change of pro-angiogenic factors in TCM, we found that the inhibition of CD147 expression led to significant decrease of VEGF and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I secretion. Interestingly, we also found that IGF-I up-regulated the expression of CD147 in both tumor cells and HUVECs. These findings suggest that there is a positive feedback between CD147 and IGF-I at the tumor-endothelial interface and CD147 initiates the formation of an angiogenesis niche.

  2. Integrin αvβ3–Targeted Dynamic Contrast–Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using a Gadolinium-Loaded Polyethylene Gycol–Dendrimer–Cyclic RGD Conjugate to Evaluate Tumor Angiogenesis and to Assess Early Antiangiogenic Treatment Response in a Mouse Xenograft Tumor Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Tsung Chen

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to validate an integrin αvβ3–targeted magnetic resonance contrast agent, PEG-G3-(Gd-DTPA6-(cRGD-DTPA2, for its ability to detect tumor angiogenesis and assess early response to antiangiogenic therapy using dynamic contrast–enhanced (DCE magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. Integrin αvβ3–positive U87 cells and control groups were incubated with fluorescein-labeled cRGD-conjugated dendrimer, and the cellular attachment of the dendrimer was observed. DCE MRI was performed on mice bearing KB xenograft tumors using either PEG-G3-(Gd-DTPA6-(cRGD-DTPA2 or PEG-G3-(Gd-DTPA6-(cRAD-DTPA2. DCE MRI was also performed 2 hours after anti–integrin αvβ3 monoclonal antibody treatment and after bevacizumab treatment on days 3 and 6t. Using DCE MRI, the 30-minute contrast washout percentage was significantly lower in the cRGD-conjugate injection groups. The enhancement patterns were different between the two contrast injection groups. In the antiangiogenic therapy groups, a rapid increase in 30-minute contrast washout percentage was observed in both the LM609 and bevacizumab treatment groups, and this occurred before there was an observable decrease in tumor size. The integrin αvβ3 targeting ability of PEG-G3-(Gd-DTPA6-(cRGD-DTPA2 in vitro and in vivo was demonstrated. The 30-minute contrast washout percentage is a useful parameter for examining tumor angiogenesis and for the early assessment of antiangiogenic treatment response.

  3. Angiogenesis for tumor vascular normalization of Endostar on hepatoma 22 tumor-bearing mice is involved in the immune response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Qingyu; Gu, Junfei; Lv, You; Yuan, Jiarui; Yang, Nan; Chen, Juan; Wang, Chunfei; Hou, Xuefeng; Jia, Xiaobin; Feng, Liang; Yin, Guowen

    2018-03-01

    Tumor vascular normalization involved in immune response is beneficial to the chemotherapy of tumors. Recombinant human endostatin (Endostar), an angiogenesis inhibitor, has been demonstrated to be effective in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). However, its vascular normalization in HCC and the role of the immune response in angiogenesis were unclear. In the present study, effects of Endostar on tumor vascular normalization were evaluated in hepatoma 22 (H22) tumor-bearing mice. Endostar was able to inhibit the proliferation and infiltration of tumor cells and improve α-fetoprotein, tumor necrosis factor-α and cyclic adenosine 5'-phosphate levels in the serum of H22-bearing mice, as well as the protein expression levels of the immune factors interferon-γ and cluster of differentiation (CD)86 in liver tissue. Endostar also exhibited more marked downregulation of the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, CD31, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and interleukin-17 during day 3-9 treatment, resulting in short-term normalization of tumor blood vessels. The period of vascular normalization was 3-9 days. The results of the present study demonstrated that Endostar was able to induce the period of vascular normalization, contributing to a more efficacious means of HCC treatment combined with other chemotherapy, and this effect was associated with the immune response. It may be concluded that Endostar inhibited immunity-associated angiogenesis behaviors of vascular endothelial cells in response to HCC. The results of the present study provided more reasonable possibility for the combination therapy of Endostar for the treatment of HCC.

  4. Tumor Angiogenesis Therapy Using Targeted Delivery of Paclitaxel to the Vasculature of Breast Cancer Metastases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shijun Zhu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer aberrantly expresses tissue factor (TF in cancer tissues and cancer vascular endothelial cells (VECs. TF plays a central role in cancer angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis and, as such, is a target for therapy and drug delivery. TF is the cognate receptor of factor VIIa (fVIIa. We have coupled PTX (paclitaxel, also named Taxol with a tripeptide, phenylalanine-phenylalanine-arginine chloromethyl ketone (FFRck and conjugated it with fVIIa. The key aim of the work is to evaluate the antiangiogenic effects of PTX-FFRck-fVIIa against a PTX-resistant breast cancer cell line. Matrigel mixed with VEGF and MDA-231 was injected subcutaneously into the flank of athymic nude mice. Animals were treated by tail vein injection of the PTX-FFRck-fVIIa conjugate, unconjugated PTX, or PBS. The PTX-FFRck-fVIIa conjugate significantly reduces microvessel density in matrigel (p<0.01–0.05 compared to PBS and unconjugated PTX. The breast cancer lung metastasis model in athymic nude mice was developed by intravenous injection of MDA-231 cells expressing luciferase. Animals were similarly treated intravenously with the PTX-FFRck-fVIIa conjugate or PBS. The conjugate significantly inhibits lung metastasis as compared to the control, highlighting its potential to antagonize angiogenesis in metastatic carcinoma. In conclusion, PTX conjugated to fVIIa is a promising therapeutic approach for improving selective drug delivery and inhibiting angiogenesis.

  5. Coupled Hybrid Continuum-Discrete Model of Tumor Angiogenesis and Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Lyu

    Full Text Available The processes governing tumor growth and angiogenesis are codependent. To study the relationship between them, we proposed a coupled hybrid continuum-discrete model. In this model, tumor cells, their microenvironment (extracellular matrixes, matrix-degrading enzymes, and tumor angiogenic factors, and their network of blood vessels, described by a series of discrete points, were considered. The results of numerical simulation reveal the process of tumor growth and the change in microenvironment from avascular to vascular stage, indicating that the network of blood vessels develops gradually as the tumor grows. Our findings also reveal that a tumor is divided into three regions: necrotic, semi-necrotic, and well-vascularized. The results agree well with the previous relevant studies and physiological facts, and this model represents a platform for further investigations of tumor therapy.

  6. Indirubin inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in tumor-derived endothelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Z

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Zhuohong Li, Chaofu Zhu, Baiping An, Yu Chen, Xiuyun He, Lin Qian, Lan Lan, Shijie Li Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most predominant malignancies with high fatality rate and its incidence is rising at an alarming rate because of its resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Indirubin is the major active anti-tumor ingredient of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of indirubin on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of tumor-derived endothelial cells (Td-EC. Methods: Td-EC were derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC by treating HUVEC with the conditioned medium of human liver cancer cell line HepG2. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis were assessed by MTT, wound healing, in vitro cell invasion, and in vitro tube formation assay. Results: Td-EC were successfully obtained from HUVEC cultured with 50% culture supernatant from serum-starved HepG2 cells. Indirubin significantly inhibited Td-EC proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Indirubin also inhibited Td-EC migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. However, indirubin’s effects were weaker on HUVEC than Td-EC. Conclusion: Indirubin significantly inhibited Td-EC proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Keywords: indirubin, Td-EC, proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis

  7. Imaging techniques used for the real-time assessment of angiogenesis in digestive cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Săftoiu, Adrian; Vilmann, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Angiogenesis has a critical role in primary tumor growth and the development of metastases. Several angiogenesis inhibitors were recently developed, being a very attractive target for digestive tumor therapy. However, individualized therapy should not only be based on the pre-treatment imaging...... evaluation, but also on sensitive monitoring of microvascular changes during treatment. State-of-the-art imaging techniques have the potential to visualize and characterize angiogenesis, although the technology and methodologies employed are recent and need further validation. The aim of this series...... of reviews was to analyze and enhance current knowledge and future perspectives about the real-time assessment of angiogenesis in digestive cancers, used for the longitudinal monitoring of the effects of chemo-radiotherapy (including anti-angiogenic therapies), as well as for the precise targeting of drugs...

  8. Hypoxia independent drivers of melanoma angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svenja eMeierjohann

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Tumor angiogenesis is a process which is traditionally regarded as the tumor`s response to low nutrient supply occurring under hypoxic conditions. However, hypoxia is not a prerequisite for angiogenesis. The fact that even single tumor cells or small tumor cell aggregates are capable of attracting blood vessels reveals the early metastatic capability of tumor cells. This review sheds light on the hypoxia independent mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis in melanoma.

  9. Lack of association between level of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 and estimates of tumor angiogenesis in early breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Offersen, Birgitte Vrou; Riisbro, Rikke; Knoop, Ann

    2007-01-01

    Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) is involved in tumor invasion and progression. High levels of PAI-1 are associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer, and PAI-1 has been shown to play a role in angiogenic processes. Since estimates of tumor angiogenesis may predict poor prognosis...... we studied the relationship between PAI-1 and estimates of angiogenesis in breast cancer. Tumor tissue specimens from 438 breast cancer patients were included. Median follow-up was 10.3 years. Protein levels of PAI-1 were measured using an ELISA. Angiogenesis scores were performed using a Chalkley.......009) were independent markers of death from breast cancer. This study confirms high PAI-1 or high Chalkley counts as markers of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, and suggests that the prognostic impact of PAI-1 is independent of its supposed involvement in tumor angiogenesis. Udgivelsesdato: 2007...

  10. Imaging angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charnley, Natalie; Donaldson, Stephanie; Price, Pat

    2009-01-01

    There is a need for direct imaging of effects on tumor vasculature in assessment of response to antiangiogenic drugs and vascular disrupting agents. Imaging tumor vasculature depends on differences in permeability of vasculature of tumor and normal tissue, which cause changes in penetration of contrast agents. Angiogenesis imaging may be defined in terms of measurement of tumor perfusion and direct imaging of the molecules involved in angiogenesis. In addition, assessment of tumor hypoxia will give an indication of tumor vasculature. The range of imaging techniques available for these processes includes positron emission tomography (PET), dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), perfusion computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound (US).

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  12. The selective Cox-2 inhibitor Celecoxib suppresses angiogenesis and growth of secondary bone tumors: An intravital microscopy study in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klenke, Frank Michael; Gebhard, Martha-Maria; Ewerbeck, Volker; Abdollahi, Amir; Huber, Peter E; Sckell, Axel

    2006-01-01

    The inhibition of angiogenesis is a promising strategy for the treatment of malignant primary and secondary tumors in addition to established therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. There is strong experimental evidence in primary tumors that Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) inhibition is a potent mechanism to reduce angiogenesis. For bone metastases which occur in up to 85% of the most frequent malignant primary tumors, the effects of Cox-2 inhibition on angiogenesis and tumor growth remain still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Celecoxib, a selective Cox-2 inhibitor, on angiogenesis, microcirculation and growth of secondary bone tumors. In 10 male severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, pieces of A549 lung carcinomas were implanted into a newly developed cranial window preparation where the calvaria serves as the site for orthotopic implantation of the tumors. From day 8 after tumor implantation, five animals (Celecoxib) were treated daily with Celecoxib (30 mg/kg body weight, s.c.), and five animals (Control) with the equivalent amount of the CMC-based vehicle. Angiogenesis, microcirculation, and growth of A549 tumors were analyzed by means of intravital microscopy. Apoptosis was quantified using the TUNEL assay. Treatment with Celecoxib reduced both microvessel density and tumor growth. TUNEL reaction showed an increase in apoptotic cell death of tumor cells after treatment with Celecoxib as compared to Controls. Celecoxib is a potent inhibitor of tumor growth of secondary bone tumors in vivo which can be explained by its anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic effects. The results indicate that a combination of established therapy regimes with Cox-2 inhibition represents a possible application for the treatment of bone metastases

  13. Soluble Tie2 overrides the heightened invasion induced by anti-angiogenesis therapies in gliomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes-Santiago, Nahir; Hossain, Mohammad B; Gabrusiewicz, Konrad; Fan, Xuejun; Gumin, Joy; Marini, Frank C; Alonso, Marta M; Lang, Frederick; Yung, W K; Fueyo, Juan; Gomez-Manzano, Candelaria

    2016-03-29

    Glioblastoma recurrence after treatment with the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent bevacizumab is characterized by a highly infiltrative and malignant behavior that renders surgical excision and chemotherapy ineffective. Our group has previously reported that Tie2-expressing monocytes (TEMs) are aberrantly present at the tumor/normal brain interface after anti-VEGF therapies and their significant role in the invasive outgrowth of these tumors. Here, we aimed to further understand the mechanisms leading to this pro-invasive tumor microenvironment. Examination of a U87MG xenogeneic glioma model and a GL261 murine syngeneic model showed increased tumor expression of angiopoietin 2 (Ang2), a natural ligand of Tie2, after anti-angiogenesis therapies targeting VEGF or VEGF receptor (VEGFR), as assessed by immunohistochemical analysis, immunofluorescence analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of tumor lysates. Migration and gelatinolytic assays showed that Ang2 acts as both a chemoattractant of TEMs and an enhancing signal for their tumor-remodeling properties. Accordingly, in vivo transduction of Ang2 into intracranial gliomas increased recruitment of TEMs into the tumor. To reduce invasive tumor outgrowth after anti-angiogenesis therapy, we targeted the Ang-Tie2 axis using a Tie2 decoy receptor. Using syngeneic models, we observed that overexpression of soluble Tie2 within the tumor prevented the recruitment of TEMs to the tumor and the development of invasion after anti-angiogenesis treatment. Taken together, these data indicate an active role for the Ang2-Tie2 pathway in invasive glioma recurrence after anti-angiogenesis treatment and provide a rationale for testing the combined targeting of VEGF and Ang-Tie2 pathways in patients with glioblastoma.

  14. HIF-2alpha-dependent PAI-1 induction contributes to angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geis, Theresa, E-mail: geis@biochem.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute of Biochemistry I—Pathobiochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Döring, Claudia, E-mail: C.Doering@em.uni-frankfurt.de [Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Popp, Rüdiger, E-mail: popp@vrc.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Grossmann, Nina, E-mail: grossmann@biochem.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute of Biochemistry I—Pathobiochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Fleming, Ingrid, E-mail: fleming@vrc.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute for Vascular Signalling, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Hansmann, Martin-Leo, E-mail: m.l.hansmann@em.uni-frankfurt.de [Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Dehne, Nathalie, E-mail: dehne@biochem.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute of Biochemistry I—Pathobiochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Brüne, Bernhard, E-mail: b.bruene@biochem.uni-frankfurt.de [Institute of Biochemistry I—Pathobiochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    2015-02-01

    Hypoxia promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), not only affecting tumor cell proliferation and invasion, but also angiogenesis and thus, increasing the risk of metastasis. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIF)-1α and -2α cause adaptation of tumors to hypoxia, still with uncertainties towards the angiogenic switch. We created a stable knockdown of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in HepG2 cells and generated cocultures of HepG2 spheroids with embryonic bodies as an in vitro tumor model mimicking the cancer microenvironment. The naturally occuring oxygen and nutrient gradients within the cocultures allow us to question the role of distinct HIF isoforms in regulating HCC angiogenesis. In cocultures with a HIF-2α knockdown, angiogenesis was attenuated, while the knockdown of HIF-1α was without effect. Microarray analysis identified plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) as a HIF-2α target gene in HepG2 cells. The knockdown of PAI-1 in HepG2 cells also lowered angiogenesis. Blocking plasmin, the downstream target of PAI-1, with aprotinin in HIF-2α knockdown (k/d) cells proved a cause–effect relation and restored angiogenesis, with no effect on control cocultures. Suggestively, HIF-2α increases PAI-1 to lower concentrations of active plasmin, thereby supporting angiogenesis. We conclude that the HIF-2α target gene PAI-1 favors the angiogenic switch in HCC. - Highlights: • HepG2 were cocultured with stem cells to mimic a cancer microenvironment in vitro. • A knockdown of HIF-2α reduces angiogenesis. • PAI-1 was identified as a HIF-2α target gene in HCC by microarray analysis. • HIF-2α induces the angiogenic switch via inhibition of plasmin.

  15. HIF-2alpha-dependent PAI-1 induction contributes to angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geis, Theresa; Döring, Claudia; Popp, Rüdiger; Grossmann, Nina; Fleming, Ingrid; Hansmann, Martin-Leo; Dehne, Nathalie; Brüne, Bernhard

    2015-01-01

    Hypoxia promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), not only affecting tumor cell proliferation and invasion, but also angiogenesis and thus, increasing the risk of metastasis. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIF)-1α and -2α cause adaptation of tumors to hypoxia, still with uncertainties towards the angiogenic switch. We created a stable knockdown of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in HepG2 cells and generated cocultures of HepG2 spheroids with embryonic bodies as an in vitro tumor model mimicking the cancer microenvironment. The naturally occuring oxygen and nutrient gradients within the cocultures allow us to question the role of distinct HIF isoforms in regulating HCC angiogenesis. In cocultures with a HIF-2α knockdown, angiogenesis was attenuated, while the knockdown of HIF-1α was without effect. Microarray analysis identified plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) as a HIF-2α target gene in HepG2 cells. The knockdown of PAI-1 in HepG2 cells also lowered angiogenesis. Blocking plasmin, the downstream target of PAI-1, with aprotinin in HIF-2α knockdown (k/d) cells proved a cause–effect relation and restored angiogenesis, with no effect on control cocultures. Suggestively, HIF-2α increases PAI-1 to lower concentrations of active plasmin, thereby supporting angiogenesis. We conclude that the HIF-2α target gene PAI-1 favors the angiogenic switch in HCC. - Highlights: • HepG2 were cocultured with stem cells to mimic a cancer microenvironment in vitro. • A knockdown of HIF-2α reduces angiogenesis. • PAI-1 was identified as a HIF-2α target gene in HCC by microarray analysis. • HIF-2α induces the angiogenic switch via inhibition of plasmin

  16. Characterization of Heterogeneous Prostate Tumors in Targeted Pten Knockout Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanneke Korsten

    Full Text Available Previously, we generated a preclinical mouse prostate tumor model based on PSA-Cre driven inactivation of Pten. In this model homogeneous hyperplastic prostates (4-5m developed at older age (>10m into tumors. Here, we describe the molecular and histological characterization of the tumors in order to better understand the processes that are associated with prostate tumorigenesis in this targeted mouse Pten knockout model. The morphologies of the tumors that developed were very heterogeneous. Different histopathological growth patterns could be identified, including intraductal carcinoma (IDC, adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma, all strongly positive for the epithelial cell marker Cytokeratin (CK, and carcinosarcomas, which were negative for CK. IDC pattern was already detected in prostates of 7-8 month old mice, indicating that it could be a precursor stage. At more than 10 months IDC and carcinosarcoma were most frequently observed. Gene expression profiling discriminated essentially two molecular subtypes, denoted tumor class 1 (TC1 and tumor class 2 (TC2. TC1 tumors were characterized by high expression of epithelial markers like Cytokeratin 8 and E-Cadherin whereas TC2 tumors showed high expression of mesenchyme/stroma markers such as Snail and Fibronectin. These molecular subtypes corresponded with histological growth patterns: where TC1 tumors mainly represented adenocarcinoma/intraductal carcinoma, in TC2 tumors carcinosarcoma was the dominant growth pattern. Further molecular characterization of the prostate tumors revealed an increased expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response. Moreover, functional markers for senescence, proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis were higher expressed in tumors compared to hyperplasia. The highest expression of proliferation and angiogenesis markers was detected in TC2 tumors. Our data clearly showed that in the genetically well-defined PSA-Cre;Pten-loxP/loxP prostate tumor

  17. Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 is an enhancer of tumor angiogenesis in human prostate cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iván González-Chavarría

    Full Text Available Altered expression and function of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1 has been associated with several diseases such as endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and obesity. In these pathologies, oxLDL/LOX-1 activates signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, cell motility and angiogenesis. Recent studies have indicated that olr1 mRNA is over-expressed in stage III and IV of human prostatic adenocarcinomas. However, the function of LOX-1 in prostate cancer angiogenesis remains to be determined. Our aim was to analyze the contribution of oxLDL and LOX-1 to tumor angiogenesis using C4-2 prostate cancer cells. We analyzed the expression of pro-angiogenic molecules and angiogenesis on prostate cancer tumor xenografts, using prostate cancer cell models with overexpression or knockdown of LOX-1 receptor. Our results demonstrate that the activation of LOX-1 using oxLDL increases cell proliferation, and the expression of the pro-angiogenic molecules VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in a dose-dependent manner. Noticeably, these effects were prevented in the C4-2 prostate cancer model when LOX-1 expression was knocked down. The angiogenic effect of LOX-1 activated with oxLDL was further demonstrated using the aortic ring assay and the xenograft model of tumor growth on chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos. Consequently, we propose that LOX-1 activation by oxLDL is an important event that enhances tumor angiogenesis in human prostate cancer cells.

  18. Relationship of binding specificity and structural property of the technetium-99m complexes for tumor hypoxia and tumor angiogenesis imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Z.F.

    2005-01-01

    The growth of tumor requires nutrition and oxygen. Tumor cells will become hypoxic when the supply of oxygen is insufficient. Hypoxic tumor cells will not only resist radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but also induce angiogenesis for oxygen supply and for metastasis. Therefore, detection of tumor hypoxia and tumor angiogenesis with high sensitive radio labeled imaging agents is important. Hypoxic tumor cells may display some molecules as tumor markers for the specific binding with radiopharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceuticals, unlike the non-radioactive drugs, are trace compounds in a given dosage. Due to the extreme low concentration, the non-specific accumulation of the radiotracers by blood cells and proteins, tissues, and organs can be even more serious compared to the non-radioactive drugs. The non-specific accumulation of the radiotracers can make the ratios of tumor/tissue (in terms of i.d.%/g) falling to the range of 2∼7 [1-2]. Non-specific binding of radiopharmaceuticals is common, but detailed studies on it are poor documented. This presentation reports the study of the relationship of non-specific accumulation and the structural property of two type of 99m TC labeled compounds: (a) 99m Tc-(amine o xime) containing either 2-nitroimidazole (2-NI, as hypoxia tumor cells specific agents), or 4-nitro- imidazole (4-NI, as control), or aniline (as reference) groups; (b) 99m Tc-(arginine-glycine- aspartic acid, RGD, as tumor angiogenesis specific agents) and 99m Tc-(arginine-glycine- glutarmic acid, RGE, as control). The 99m Tc-(amine-oxime) complexes, in addition to the 2-NI, 4-NI, and aniline groups, contain methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, iso-butyl-, t-butyl-, phenyl-, and Benzyl- groups as well to make the radiotracers differing in structure and in lipophilicity , while the lipophilicity of a radiotracer plays an important role in non-specific cellular accumulation and protein binding, The results demonstrated that (1) the complex containing 2-NI showed specific

  19. Combined-modality treatment of solid tumors using radiotherapy and molecular targeted agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Brigette B Y; Bristow, Robert G; Kim, John; Siu, Lillian L

    2003-07-15

    Molecular targeted agents have been combined with radiotherapy (RT) in recent clinical trials in an effort to optimize the therapeutic index of RT. The appeal of this strategy lies in their potential target specificity and clinically acceptable toxicity. This article integrates the salient, published research findings into the underlying molecular mechanisms, preclinical efficacy, and clinical applicability of combining RT with molecular targeted agents. These agents include inhibitors of intracellular signal transduction molecules, modulators of apoptosis, inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoints control, antiangiogenic agents, and cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors. Molecular targeted agents can have direct effects on the cytoprotective and cytotoxic pathways implicated in the cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR). These pathways involve cellular proliferation, DNA repair, cell cycle progression, nuclear transcription, tumor angiogenesis, and prostanoid-associated inflammation. These pathways can also converge to alter RT-induced apoptosis, terminal growth arrest, and reproductive cell death. Pharmacologic modulation of these pathways may potentially enhance tumor response to RT though inhibition of tumor repopulation, improvement of tumor oxygenation, redistribution during the cell cycle, and alteration of intrinsic tumor radiosensitivity. Combining RT and molecular targeted agents is a rational approach in the treatment of solid tumors. Translation of this approach from promising preclinical data to clinical trials is actively underway.

  20. Longitudinal Studies of Angiogenesis in Hormone-Dependent Shionogi Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trevor P. Wade

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Vessel size imaging was used to assess changes in the average vessel size of Shionogi tumors throughout the tumor growth cycle. Changes in R2 and R2* relaxivities caused by the injection of a superparamagnetic contrast agent (ferumoxtran-10 were measured using a 2.35-T animal magnetic resonance imaging system, and average vessel size index (VSI was calculated for each stage of tumor progression: growth, regression, and relapse. Statistical analysis using Spearman rank correlation test showed no dependence between vessel size and tumor volume at any stage of the tumor growth cycle. Paired Student's t test was used to assess the statistical significance of the differences in average vessel size for the three stages of the tumor growth cycle. The average VSI for regressing tumors (15.1 ± 6.6 wm was significantly lower than that for growing tumors (35.2 ± 25.5 μm; P < .01. Relapsing tumors also had an average VSI (45.4 ± 41.8 μm higher than that of regressing tumors, although the difference was not statistically significant (P = .067. This study shows that VSI imaging is a viable method for the noninvasive monitoring of angiogenesis during the progression of a Shionogi tumor from androgen dependence to androgen independence.

  1. Melatonin as an angiogenesis inhibitor to combat cancer: Mechanistic evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goradel, Nasser Hashemi; Asghari, Mohammad Hossein; Moloudizargari, Milad; Negahdari, Babak; Haghi-Aminjan, Hamed; Abdollahi, Mohammad

    2017-11-15

    Melatonin, a pineal indolamine, participates in different body functions and is shown to possess diverse biological activities such as anti-tumor action. Angiogenesis inhibition is one of the mechanisms by which melatonin exerts its oncostatic effects. Increased angiogenesis is a major feature of tumor progression, thus angiogenesis inhibition is a critical step in cancer therapy. Melatonin employs a variety of mechanisms to target nutrients and oxygen supply to cancer cells. At the transcriptional level, hypoxia induced factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the genes under its control, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are the main targets of melatonin for inhibition of angiogenesis. Melatonin prevents translocation of HIF-1α into the nucleus thereby hindering VEGF expression and also prevents the formation of HIF-1α, phospho-STAT3 and CBP/p300 complex which is involved in the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. Angiostatic properties of melatonin could be also due to its ability to inhibit VEGFR2's activation and expression. Other angiostatic mechanisms of melatonin include the inhibition of endothelial cell migration, invasion, and tube formation. In the present study, we have reviewed the molecular anti-angiogenesis pathways mediated by melatonin and the responsible mechanisms in various types of cancers both in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Human IgG1 antibodies suppress angiogenesis in a target-independent manner

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bogdanovich, Sasha; Kim, Younghee; Mizutani, Takeshi; Yasuma, Reo; Tudisco, Laura; Cicatiello, Valeria; Bastos-Carvalho, Ana; Kerur, Nagaraj; Hirano, Yoshio; Baffi, Judit Z; Tarallo, Valeria; Li, Shengjian; Yasuma, Tetsuhiro; Arpitha, Parthasarathy; Fowler, Benjamin J; Wright, Charles B; Apicella, Ivana; Greco, Adelaide; Brunetti, Arturo; Ruvo, Menotti; Sandomenico, Annamaria; Nozaki, Miho; Ijima, Ryo; Kaneko, Hiroki; Ogura, Yuichiro; Terasaki, Hiroko; Ambati, Balamurali K; Leusen, Jeanette HW; Langdon, Wallace Y; Clark, Michael R; Armour, Kathryn L; Bruhns, Pierre; Verbeek, J Sjef; Gelfand, Bradley D; De Falco, Sandro; Ambati, Jayakrishna

    2016-01-01

    Aberrant angiogenesis is implicated in diseases affecting nearly 10% of the world's population. The most widely used anti-angiogenic drug is bevacizumab, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that targets human VEGFA. Although bevacizumab does not recognize mouse Vegfa, it inhibits angiogenesis in

  3. Halofuginone Inhibits Angiogenesis and Growth in Implanted Metastatic Rat Brain Tumor Model-an MRI Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rinat Abramovitch

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Tumor growth and metastasis depend on angiogenesis; therefore, efforts are made to develop specific angiogenic inhibitors. Halofuginone (HF is a potent inhibitor of collagen type α1(I. In solid tumor models, HF has a potent antitumor and antiangiogenic effect in vivo, but its effect on brain tumors has not yet been evaluated. By employing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, we monitored the effect of HF on tumor progression and vascularization by utilizing an implanted malignant fibrous histiocytoma metastatic rat brain tumor model. Here we demonstrate that treatment with HF effectively and dose-dependently reduced tumor growth and angiogenesis. On day 13, HF-treated tumors were fivefold smaller than control (P < .001. Treatment with HF significantly prolonged survival of treated animals (142%; P = .001. In HF-treated rats, tumor vascularization was inhibited by 30% on day 13 and by 37% on day 19 (P < .05. Additionally, HF treatment inhibited vessel maturation (P = .03. Finally, in HF-treated rats, we noticed the appearance of a few clusters of satellite tumors, which were distinct from the primary tumor and usually contained vessel cores. This phenomenon was relatively moderate when compared to previous reports of other antiangiogenic agents used to treat brain tumors. We therefore conclude that HF is effective for treatment of metastatic brain tumors.

  4. Targeting solid tumors with non-pathogenic obligate anaerobic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  5. Targeting Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells to Bypass Tumor-Induced Immunosuppression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viktor Fleming

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The immune system has many sophisticated mechanisms to balance an extensive immune response. Distinct immunosuppressive cells could protect from excessive tissue damage and autoimmune disorders. Tumor cells take an advantage of those immunosuppressive mechanisms and establish a strongly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME, which inhibits antitumor immune responses, supporting the disease progression. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC play a crucial role in this immunosuppressive TME. Those cells represent a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells with a strong immunosuppressive potential. They inhibit an antitumor reactivity of T cells and NK cells. Furthermore, they promote angiogenesis, establish pre-metastatic niches, and recruit other immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T cells. Accumulating evidences demonstrated that the enrichment and activation of MDSC correlated with tumor progression, recurrence, and negative clinical outcome. In the last few years, various preclinical studies and clinical trials targeting MDSC showed promising results. In this review, we discuss different therapeutic approaches on MDSC targeting to overcome immunosuppressive TME and enhance the efficiency of current tumor immunotherapies.

  6. Radiolabeling of VEGF(165) with Tc-99m to evaluate VEGFR expression in tumor angiogenesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Galli, Filippo; Artico, Marco; Taurone, Samanta; Manni, Isabella; Bianchi, Enrica; Piaggio, Giulia; Weintraub, Bruce D.; Szkudlinski, Mariusz W.; Agostinelli, Enzo; Dierckx, Rudi A. J. O.; Signore, Alberto

    Angiogenesis is the main process responsible for tumor growth and metastatization. The principal effector of such mechanism is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secreted by cancer cells and other components of tumor microenvironment. Radiolabeled VEGF analogues may provide a useful tool

  7. Post-transcriptional regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor: Implications for tumor angiogenesis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Peter S Yoo; Abby L Mulkeen; Charles H Cha

    2006-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent secreted mitogen critical for physiologic and tumor angiogenesis. Regulation of VEGF occurs at several levels, including transcription, mRNA stabilization,translation, and differential cellular localization of various isoforms. Recent advances in our understanding of posttranscriptional regulation of VEGF include identification of the stabilizing mRNA binding protein, HuR, and the discovery of internal ribosomal entry sites in the 5'UTR of the VEGF mRNA. Monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody was recently approved for use in humans, but suffers from the need for high systemic doses. RNA interference (RNAi)technology is being used in vitro and in animal models with promising results. Here, we review the literature on post-transcriptional regulation of VEGF and describe recent progress in targeting these mechanisms for therapeutic benefit.

  8. Loss of Mel-18 induces tumor angiogenesis through enhancing the activity and expression of HIF-1α mediated by the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, J H; Lee, J Y; Shin, D H; Jang, K S; Kim, H J; Kong, Gu

    2011-11-10

    Mel-18 has been implicated in several processes in tumor progression, in which the Akt pathway is involved as an important key molecular event. However, the function of Mel-18 in human cancers has not been fully established yet. Here, we examined the effect of Mel-18 on tumor angiogenesis in human breast cancer, and found that Mel-18 was a novel regulator of HIF-1α. Mel-18 negatively regulated the HIF-1α expression and its target gene VEGF transcription during both normoxia and hypoxia. We demonstrated that Mel-18 regulated the HIF-1α expression and activity via the PI3K/Akt pathway. Loss of Mel-18 downregulated Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) expression, consequently activating the PI3K/Akt/MDM2 pathway, and leading to an increase of HIF-1α protein level. Mel-18 modulated the HIF-1α transcriptional activity via regulating the cytoplasmic retention of FOXO3a, a downstream effector of Akt, and recruitment of HIF-1α/CBP complex to the VEGF promoter. Furthermore, our data shows that Mel-18 blocked tumor angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Mel-18 overexpression inhibited in vitro tube formation in human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). Xenografts in NOD/SCID mice derived from stably Mel-18 knocked down MCF7 human breast cancer cells showed increased tumor volume, microvessel density, and phospho-Akt and HIF-1α expression levels. In conclusion, our findings provide that Mel-18 is a novel regulator of tumor angiogenesis through regulating HIF-1α and its target VEGF expressions mediated by the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting a new tumor-suppressive role of Mel-18 in human breast cancer.

  9. Cell-cycle-dependent drug-resistant quiescent cancer cells induce tumor angiogenesis after chemotherapy as visualized by real-time FUCCI imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yano, Shuya; Takehara, Kiyoto; Tazawa, Hiroshi; Kishimoto, Hiroyuki; Urata, Yasuo; Kagawa, Shunsuke; Fujiwara, Toshiyoshi; Hoffman, Robert M.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT We previously demonstrated that quiescent cancer cells in a tumor are resistant to conventional chemotherapy as visualized with a fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator (FUCCI). We also showed that proliferating cancer cells exist in a tumor only near nascent vessels or on the tumor surface as visualized with FUCCI and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing tumor vessels. In the present study, we show the relationship between cell-cycle phase and chemotherapy-induced tumor angiogenesis using in vivo FUCCI real-time imaging of the cell cycle and nestin-driven GFP to detect nascent blood vessels. We observed that chemotherapy-treated tumors, consisting of mostly of quiescent cancer cells after treatment, had much more and deeper tumor vessels than untreated tumors. These newly-vascularized cancer cells regrew rapidly after chemotherapy. In contrast, formerly quiescent cancer cells decoyed to S/G2 phase by a telomerase-dependent adenovirus did not induce tumor angiogenesis. The present results further demonstrate the importance of the cancer-cell position in the cell cycle in order that chemotherapy be effective and not have the opposite effect of stimulating tumor angiogenesis and progression. PMID:27715464

  10. Monitoring angiogenesis using magnetic resonance methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, David Alberg

    2008-01-01

    When a tumor reaches a certain size it can no longer rely on passive perfusion for nutrition. The tumor therefore emits signaling molecules which stimulating surrounding vessels to divide and grow towards the tumor, a process known as angiogenesis. Very little angiogenesis is present in healthy...... adults where it is primaily found in wound healing, pregnancy and during the menstrual cycle. This thesis focus on the negative consequences of angiogenesis in cancer. It consists of a an initial overview followed by four manuscripts. The overview gives a short introduction to the process of angiogenesis...... and the involved signaling molecules. Subsequently, a short review of contrast agents and perfusion measurements is given. Finally, methods for monitoring angiogenesis using magnetic resonance imaging are reviewed. A method for monitoring early stages of angiogenesis as well as the effect of anti...

  11. Effects of Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl on tumor angiogenesis and on tumor growth in nude mice implanted with cervical cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahasiripanth, Taksanee; Hokputsa, Sanya; Niruthisard, Somchai; Bhattarakosol, Parvapan; Patumraj, Suthiluk

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the crude extract of Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl (AE) on tumor growth and angiogenesis by utilizing a tumor model in which nude mice were implanted with cervical cancer cells containing human papillomavirus 16 DNA (HPV-16 DNA). The growth-inhibitory effect of AE was investigated in four different cell types: CaSki (HPV-16 positive), HeLa (HPV-18 positive), hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2), and human dermal fibroblast cells (HDFs). The cell viabilities and IC 50 values of AE were determined in cells incubated with AE for different lengths of time. To conduct studies in vivo, female BALB/c nude mice (aged 6–7 weeks, weighing 20–25 g) were used. A cervical cancer-derived cell line (CaSki) with integrated HPV-16 DNA was injected subcutaneously (1 × 10 7 cells/200 μL) in the middle dorsum of each animal (HPV group). One week after injection, mice were fed orally with AE crude extract at either 300 or 3000 mg/kg body weight/day for 14 or 28 days (HPV-AE groups). Tumor microvasculature and capillary vascularity were determined using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Tumor tissue was collected from each mouse to evaluate tumor histology and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining. The time-response curves of AE and the dose-dependent effect of AE on growth inhibition were determined. After a 48-hour incubation period, the IC 50 of AE in CaSki was discovered to be significantly different from that of HDFs (P < 0.05). A microvascular network was observed around the tumor area in the HPV group on days 21 and 35. Tumor capillary vascularity in the HPV group was significantly increased compared with the control group (P < 0.001). High-dose treatment of AE extract (HPV-3000AE group) significantly attenuated the increase in VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis in mice that received either the 14- or 28-day treatment period (P < 0.001). Our novel findings demonstrated that AE crude extract could

  12. 64Cu-NODAGA-c(RGDyK) Is a Promising New Angiogenesis PET Tracer: Correlation between Tumor Uptake and Integrin αvβ3 Expression in Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Xenografts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    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....

  13. Correlation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α with Angiogenesis in Liver Tumors After Transcatheter Arterial Embolization in an Animal Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang Bin; Zheng Chuansheng; Feng, Gan-Sheng; Wu Hanping; Wang Yong; Zhao Hui; Qian Jun; Liang Huimin

    2010-01-01

    This study sought to determine the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and its relation to angiogenesis in liver tumors after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in an animal model. A total of 20 New Zealand White rabbits were implanted with VX2 tumor in liver. TAE-treated group animals (n = 10) received TAE with polyvinyl alcohol particles. Control group animals (n = 10) received sham embolization with distilled water. Six hours or 3 days after TAE, animals were humanely killed, and tumor samples were collected. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression and microvessel density (MVD). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine VEGF mRNA levels. The levels of HIF-1α protein were significantly higher in TAE-treated tumors than those in the control tumors (P = 0.001). HIF-1α protein was expressed in viable tumor cells that were located predominantly at the periphery of necrotic tumor regions. The levels of VEGF protein and mRNA, and mean MVD were significantly increased in TAE-treated tumors compared with the control tumors (P = 0.001, 0.000, and 0.001, respectively). HIF-1α protein level was significantly correlated with VEGF mRNA (r = 0.612, P = 0.004) and protein (r = 0.554, P = 0.011), and MVD (r = 0.683, P = 0.001). We conclude that HIF-1α is overexpressed in VX2 tumors treated with TAE as a result of intratumoral hypoxia generated by the procedure and involved in activation of the TAE-associated tumor angiogenesis. HIF-1α might represent a promising therapeutic target for antiangiogenesis in combination with TAE against liver tumors.

  14. MRI monitoring of tumor response following angiogenesis inhibition in an experimental human breast cancer model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turetschek, Karl; Preda, Anda; Shames, David M.; Novikov, Viktor; Roberts, Timothy P.L.; Fu, Yanjun; Brasch, Robert C.; Floyd, Eugenia; Carter, Wayne O.; Wood, Jeanette M.

    2003-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhanced by macromolecular contrast agents to monitor noninvasively the therapeutic effect of an anti-angiogenesis VEGF receptor kinase inhibitor in an experimental cancer model. MDA-MB-435, a poorly differentiated human breast cancer cell line, was implanted into the mammary fat pad in 20 female homozygous athymic rats. Animals were assigned randomly to a control (n=10) or drug treatment group (n=10). Baseline dynamic MRI was performed on sequential days using albumin-(GdDTPA) 30 (6.0 nm diameter) and ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles (30 nm diameter). Subjects were treated either with PTK787/ZK 222584, a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or saline given orally twice daily for 1 week followed by repeat MRI examinations serially using each contrast agent. Employing a unidirectional kinetic model comprising the plasma and interstitial water compartments, tumor microvessel characteristics including fractional plasma volume and transendothelial permeability (K PS ) were estimated for each contrast medium. Tumor growth and the microvascular density, a histologic surrogate of angiogenesis, were also measured. Control tumors significantly increased (P PS ) based on MRI assays using both macromolecular contrast media. In contrast, tumor growth was significantly reduced (P PS values declined slightly. Estimated values for the fractional plasma volume did not differ significantly between treatment groups or contrast agents. Microvascular density counts correlated fairly with the tumor growth rate (r=0.64) and were statistically significant higher (P PS ), using either of two macromolecular contrast media, were able to detect effects of treatment with a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor on tumor vascular permeability. In a clinical setting such quantitative MRI measurements could be used to monitor tumor anti-angiogenesis therapy. (orig.)

  15. Systemic effects of angiogenesis inhibition alter pharmacokinetics and intratumoral delivery of nab-paclitaxel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steins, Anne; Ebbing, Eva A.; Pistorius, Marcel C. M.; Waasdorp, Cynthia; Krishnadath, Kausilia K.; Medema, Jan Paul; Wilmink, Johanna W.; Mathôt, Ron A. A.; Bijlsma, Maarten F.; van Laarhoven, Hanneke W. M.

    2017-01-01

    Angiogenesis is critical to the growth of tumors. Vascularization-targeting agents, with or without cytotoxic drugs, are widely used for the treatment of several solid tumors including esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. However, little is known about the systemic effects of anti-angiogenic therapies

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  17. Benzyl isothiocyanate suppresses pancreatic tumor angiogenesis and invasion by inhibiting HIF-α/VEGF/Rho-GTPases: pivotal role of STAT-3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srinivas Reddy Boreddy

    Full Text Available Our previous studies have shown that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting STAT-3; however, the exact mechanism of tumor growth suppression was not clear. Here we evaluated the effects and mechanism of BITC on pancreatic tumor angiogenesis. Our results reveal that BITC significantly inhibits neovasularization on rat aorta and Chicken-Chorioallantoic membrane. Furthermore, BITC blocks the migration and invasion of BxPC-3 and PanC-1 pancreatic cancer cells in a dose dependant manner. Moreover, secretion of VEGF and MMP-2 in normoxic and hypoxic BxPC-3 and PanC-1 cells was significantly suppressed by BITC. Both VEGF and MMP-2 play a critical role in angiogenesis and metastasis. Our results reveal that BITC significantly suppresses the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 (Tyr-1175, and expression of HIF-α. Rho-GTPases, which are regulated by VEGF play a crucial role in pancreatic cancer progression. BITC treatment reduced the expression of RhoC whereas up-regulated the expression of tumor suppressor RhoB. STAT-3 over-expression or IL-6 treatment significantly induced HIF-1α and VEGF expression; however, BITC substantially suppressed STAT-3 as well as STAT-3-induced HIF-1α and VEGF expression. Finally, in vivo tumor growth and matrigel-plug assay show reduced tumor growth and substantial reduction of hemoglobin content in the matrigel plugs and tumors of mice treated orally with 12 µmol BITC, indicating reduced tumor angiogenesis. Immunoblotting of BITC treated tumors show reduced expression of STAT-3 phosphorylation (Tyr-705, HIF-α, VEGFR-2, VEGF, MMP-2, CD31 and RhoC. Taken together, our results suggest that BITC suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis through STAT-3-dependant pathway.

  18. BONE TUMOR ENVIRONMENT AS POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN EWING SARCOMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Françoise eREDINI

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric bone tumor, with three cases per million worldwide. In clinical terms, ES is an aggressive, rapidly fatal malignancy that mainly develops in osseous sites (85%, but also in extraskeletal soft tissue. It spreads naturally to the lungs, bones and bone marrow with poor prognosis in the two latter cases. Bone lesions from primary or secondary (metastases tumors are characterized by extensive bone remodeling, more often due to osteolysis. Osteoclast activation and subsequent bone resorption is responsible for the clinical features of bone tumors including pain, vertebral collapse and spinal cord compression. Based on the vicious cycle concept of tumor cells and bone resorbing cells, drugs which target osteoclasts may be promising agents as adjuvant setting for treating bone tumors, including Ewing sarcoma. There is also increasing evidence that cellular and molecular protagonists present in the bone microenvironment play a part in establishing a favorable niche for tumor initiation and progression. The purpose of this review is to discuss the potential therapeutic value of drugs targeting the bone tumor microenvironment in Ewing Sarcoma. The first part of the review will focus on targeting the bone resorbing function of osteoclasts by means of bisphosphonates (BPs or drugs blocking the pro-resorbing cytokine Receptor Activator of NF-kappa B Ligand (RANKL. Second, the role of this peculiar hypoxic microenvironment will be discussed in the context of resistance to chemotherapy, escape from the immune system, or neo-angiogenesis. Therapeutic interventions based on these specificities could be then proposed in the context of Ewing sarcoma.

  19. Tumor Cells and Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Secreted Proteins as Potential Targets for Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Baay, Marc; Brouwer, Anja; Pauwels, Patrick; Peeters, Marc; Lardon, Filip

    2011-01-01

    Inflammatory pathways, meant to defend the organism against infection and injury, as a byproduct, can promote an environment which favors tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which constitute a significant part of the tumor-infiltrating immune cells, have been linked to the growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis of a variety of cancers, most likely through polarization of TAMs to the M2 (alternative) phenotype. The interaction between tumor cells and macrophages pro...

  20. Angiogenesis in urinary bladder carcinoma as defined by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Among the patients with bladder cancer, a group is still at risk of disease recurrence, progression, and death from their cancer after curative treatment. Angiogenesis is a crucial pathogenic mechanism for this type of urothelial carcinoma and is a potential therapeutic target. Objectives: To quantify tumor ...

  1. E2-EPF UCP targets pVHL for degradation and associates with tumor growth and metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Cho-Rok; Hwang, Kyung-Sun; Yoo, Jinsang; Cho, Won-Kyung; Kim, Jin-Man; Kim, Woo Ho; Im, Dong-Soo

    2006-07-01

    The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor, pVHL, forms part of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that targets specific substrates for degradation, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), which is involved in tumor progression and angiogenesis. It remains unclear, however, how pVHL is destabilized. Here we show that E2-EPF ubiquitin carrier protein (UCP) associates with and targets pVHL for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis in cells, thereby stabilizing HIF-1alpha. UCP is detected coincidently with HIF-1alpha in human primary liver, colon and breast tumors, and metastatic cholangiocarcinoma and colon cancer cells. UCP level correlates inversely with pVHL level in most tumor cell lines. In vitro and in vivo, forced expression of UCP boosts tumor-cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis through effects on the pVHL-HIF pathway. Our results suggest that UCP helps stabilize HIF-1alpha and may be a new molecular target for therapeutic intervention in human cancers.

  2. Bone marrow-derived CD13+ cells sustain tumor progression: A potential non-malignant target for anticancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2014-01-01

    Non-malignant cells found within neoplastic lesions express alanyl (membrane) aminopeptidase (ANPEP, best known as CD13), and CD13-null mice exhibit limited tumor growth and angiogenesis. We have recently demonstrated that a subset of bone marrow-derived CD11b + CD13 + myeloid cells accumulate within neoplastic lesions in several murine models of transplantable cancer to promote angiogenesis. If these findings were confirmed in clinical settings, CD11b + CD13 + myeloid cells could become a non-malignant target for the development of novel anticancer regimens.

  3. Over-expression of p53 mutants in LNCaP cells alters tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perryman, L.A.; Blair, J.M.; Kingsley, E.A.; Szymanska, B.; Ow, K.T.; Wen, V.W.; MacKenzie, K.L.; Vermeulen, P.B.; Jackson, P.; Russell, P.J.

    2006-01-01

    This study has investigated the impact of three specific dominant-negative p53 mutants (F134L, M237L, and R273H) on tumorigenesis by LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Mutant p53 proteins were associated with an increased subcutaneous 'take rate' in NOD-SCID mice, and increased production of PSA. Tumors expressing F134L and R273H grew slower than controls, and were associated with decreased necrosis and apoptosis, but not hypoxia. Interestingly, hypoxia levels were increased in tumors expressing M237L. There was less proliferation in F134L-bearing tumors compared to control, but this was not statistically significant. Angiogenesis was decreased in tumors expressing F134L and R273H compared with M237L, or controls. Conditioned medium from F134L tumors inhibited growth of normal human umbilical-vein endothelial cells but not telomerase-immortalized bone marrow endothelial cells. F134L tumor supernatants showed lower levels of VEGF and endostatin compared with supernatants from tumors expressing other mutants. Our results support the possibility that decreased angiogenesis might account for reduced growth rate of tumor cells expressing the F134L p53 mutation

  4. Nanomedicine targeting the tumor microenvironment: Therapeutic strategies to inhibit angiogenesis, remodel matrix, and modulate immune responses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth L. Siegler

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Increasing attention has been given to the tumor microenvironment (TME, which includes cellular and structural components such as fibroblasts, immune cells, vasculature, and extracellular matrix (ECM that surround tumor sites. These components contribute to tumor growth and metastasis and are one reason why traditional chemotherapy often is insufficient to eradicate the tumor completely. Newer treatments that target aspects of the TME, such as antiangiogenic and immunostimulatory therapies, have seen limited clinical success despite promising preclinical results. This can be attributed to a number of reasons, including a lack of drug penetration deeper into the necrotic tumor core, nonspecific delivery, rapid clearance from serum, or toxic side effects at high doses. Nanoparticles offer a potential solution to all of these obstacles, and many recent studies have shown encouraging results using nanomedicine to target TME vasculature, ECM, and immune response. While few of these platforms have made it to clinical trials to date, these strategies are relatively new and may offer a way to improve the effects of anticancer therapies.

  5. Dioscin inhibits colon tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis through regulating VEGFR2 and AKT/MAPK signaling pathways

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tong, Qingyi [Regenerative Medicine Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China); Qing, Yong, E-mail: qingyongxy@yahoo.co.jp [Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China); Wu, Yang [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China); Hu, Xiaojuan; Jiang, Lei [Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China); Wu, Xiaohua, E-mail: wuxh@scu.edu.cn [Regenerative Medicine Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China)

    2014-12-01

    Dioscin has shown cytotoxicity against cancer cells, but its in vivo effects and the mechanisms have not elucidated yet. The purpose of the current study was to assess the antitumor effects and the molecular mechanisms of dioscin. We showed that dioscin could inhibit tumor growth in vivo and has no toxicity at the test condition. The growth suppression was accompanied by obvious blood vessel decrease within solid tumors. We also found dioscin treatment inhibited the proliferation of cancer and endothelial cell lines, and most sensitive to primary cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). What's more, analysis of HUVECs migration, invasion, and tube formation exhibited that dioscin has significantly inhibitive effects to these actions. Further analysis of blood vessel formation in the matrigel plugs indicated that dioscin could inhibit VEGF-induced blood vessel formation in vivo. We also identified that dioscin could suppress the downstream protein kinases of VEGFR2, including Src, FAK, AKT and Erk1/2, accompanied by the increase of phosphorylated P38MAPK. The results potently suggest that dioscin may be a potential anticancer drug, which efficiently inhibits angiogenesis induced by VEGFR2 signaling pathway as well as AKT/MAPK pathways. - Highlights: • Dioscin inhibits tumor growth in vivo and does not exhibit any toxicity. • Dioscin inhibits angiogenesis within solid tumors. • Dioscin inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation of HUVECs. • Dioscin inhibits VEGF–induced blood vessel formation in vivo. • Dioscin inhibits VEGFR2 signaling pathway as well as AKT/MAPK pathway.

  6. JS-K has Potent Anti-Angiogenic Activity in vitro and Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis in a Multiple Myeloma Model in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Gurmeet; Kiziltepe, Tanyel; Anderson, Kenneth C.; Kutok, Jeffery L.; Jia, Lee; Boucher, Kenneth M.; Saavedra, Joseph E.; Keefer, Larry K.; Shami, Paul J.

    2009-01-01

    Glutathione S-Transferases (GST) play an important role in multidrug resistance and are upregulated in multiple cancers. We have designed a prodrug class that releases NO on metabolism by GST. O2-(2,4-Dinitrophenyl) 1-[(4-ethoxycarbonyl)piperazin-1-yl]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (JS-K, a member of this class) has potent anti-neoplastic activity. We studied the effect of JS-K on angiogenesis. JS-K inhibited the proliferation of HUVEC’s with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.432, 0.466, and 0.505 µM at 24, 48, and 72 hours, respectively. In the cord formation assay, JS-K led to a decrease in the number of cord junctions and cord length with an IC50 of 0.637 and 0.696 µM, respectively. JS-K inhibited cell migration at 5 hours using VEGF as a chemoattractant. Migration inhibition occurred with an IC50 of 0.493 µM. In the chick aortic ring assay using VEGF or FGF-b for vessel growth stimulation, 0.5 µM JS-K completely inhibited vessel growth. JS-K inhibited tumor angiogenesis in vivo in NIH III mice implanted subcutaneously with OPM1 multiple myeloma cells. JS-K is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis in vitro and tumor vessel growth in vivo. As such, it establishes a new class of anti-neoplastic agents that target the malignant cells directly as well as their microenvironment. PMID:20723011

  7. Active targeting of tumor cells using light emitting bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moon, Sung Min; Min, Jung Joon; Hong, Yeong Jin; Kim, Hyun Ju; Le, Uuenchi N.; Rhee, Joon Haeng; Song, Ho Chun; Heo, Young Jun; Bom, Hee Seung; Choy, Hyon E

    2004-01-01

    The presence of bacteria and viruses in human tumors has been recognized for more than 50 years. Today, with the discovery of bacterial strains that specifically target tumors, and aided by genomic sequencing and genetic engineering, there is new interest in the use of bacteria as tumor vectors. Here, we show that bacteria injected intravenously into live animals entered and replicated in solid tumors and metastases using the novel imaging technology of biophotonics. Bioluminescence operon (LuxCDABE) or fluorescence protein, GFP) has been cloned into pUC19 plasmid to engineer pUC19lux or pUC19gfp. Engineered plasmid was transformed into different kinds of wild type (MG1655) or mutant E. coli (DH5, ppGpp, fnr, purE, crpA, flagella, etc.) strains to construct light emitting bacteria. Xenograft tumor model has been established using CT26 colon cancer cell line. Light emitting bacteria was injected via tail vein into tumor bearing mouse. In vivo bioluminescence imaging has been done after 20 min to 14 days of bacterial injection. We observed localization of tumors by light-emitting E. coli in tumor (CT-26) bearing mice. We confirmed the presence of light-emitting bacteria under the fluorescence microscope with E. coli expressing GFP. Althoug varying mutants strain with deficient invading function has been found in tumor tissues, mutant strains of movement (flagella) couldn't show any light signal from the tumor tissue under the cooled CCD camera, indicating bacteria may actively target the tumor cells. Based on their 'tumor-finding' nature, bacteria may be designed to carry multiple genes or drugs for detection and treatment of cancer, such as prodrug-converting enzymes, toxins, angiogenesis inhibitors and cytokines

  8. 3D discrete angiogenesis dynamic model and stochastic simulation for the assessment of blood perfusion coefficient and impact on heat transfer between nanoparticles and malignant tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yifat, Jonathan; Gannot, Israel

    2015-03-01

    Early detection of malignant tumors plays a crucial role in the survivability chances of the patient. Therefore, new and innovative tumor detection methods are constantly searched for. Tumor-specific magnetic-core nano-particles can be used with an alternating magnetic field to detect and treat tumors by hyperthermia. For the analysis of the method effectiveness, the bio-heat transfer between the nanoparticles and the tissue must be carefully studied. Heat diffusion in biological tissue is usually analyzed using the Pennes Bio-Heat Equation, where blood perfusion plays an important role. Malignant tumors are known to initiate an angiogenesis process, where endothelial cell migration from neighboring vasculature eventually leads to the formation of a thick blood capillary network around them. This process allows the tumor to receive its extensive nutrition demands and evolve into a more progressive and potentially fatal tumor. In order to assess the effect of angiogenesis on the bio-heat transfer problem, we have developed a discrete stochastic 3D model & simulation of tumor-induced angiogenesis. The model elaborates other angiogenesis models by providing high resolution 3D stochastic simulation, capturing of fine angiogenesis morphological features, effects of dynamic sprout thickness functions, and stochastic parent vessel generator. We show that the angiogenesis realizations produced are well suited for numerical bio-heat transfer analysis. Statistical study on the angiogenesis characteristics was derived using Monte Carlo simulations. According to the statistical analysis, we provide analytical expression for the blood perfusion coefficient in the Pennes equation, as a function of several parameters. This updated form of the Pennes equation could be used for numerical and analytical analyses of the proposed detection and treatment method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Alpha-V Integrin Targeted PET Imagining of Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Lose-Dose Metronomic Anti-Angiogenic Chemotherapy Efficacy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2005-01-01

    ...) To demonstrate the feasibility of PET/18F-RGD to image breast tumor growth, spread, and angiogenesis as well as quantifying av-integrin expression level during breast tumor neovascularization overtime. (3...

  10. Association of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression with Tumor Angiogenesis and with Early Relapse in Primary Breast Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshina, Seigo; Takayanagi, Toshiaki; Tominaga, Takeshi

    1994-01-01

    Angiogenesis is an independent prognostic indicator in breast cancer. In this report, the relationship between expression of vascular endothclial growth factor (VEGF; a selective mitogen for endothelial cells) and the microvessel density was examined in 103 primary breast cancers. The expression of VEGF was evaluated by immunocytochemical staining using anti‐VEGF antibody. The microvessel density, which was determined by immunostaining for factor VIII antigen, in VEGF‐rich tumors was clearly higher than that in VEGF‐poor tumors (P<0.01). There was a good correlation between VEGF expression and the increment of microvessel density. Furthermore, postoperative survey demonstrated that the relapse‐free survival rate of VEGF‐rich tumors was significantly worse than that of VEGF‐poor tumors. It was suggested that the expression of VEGF is closely associated with the promotion of angiogenesis and with early relapse in primary breast cancer. PMID:7525523

  11. Bone Tumor Environment as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Ewing Sarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redini, Françoise; Heymann, Dominique

    2015-01-01

    Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric bone tumor, with three cases per million worldwide. In clinical terms, Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive, rapidly fatal malignancy that mainly develops not only in osseous sites (85%) but also in extra-skeletal soft tissue. It spreads naturally to the lungs, bones, and bone marrow with poor prognosis in the two latter cases. Bone lesions from primary or secondary (metastases) tumors are characterized by extensive bone remodeling, more often due to osteolysis. Osteoclast activation and subsequent bone resorption are responsible for the clinical features of bone tumors, including pain, vertebral collapse, and spinal cord compression. Based on the "vicious cycle" concept of tumor cells and bone resorbing cells, drugs, which target osteoclasts, may be promising agents as adjuvant setting for treating bone tumors, including Ewing sarcoma. There is also increasing evidence that cellular and molecular protagonists present in the bone microenvironment play a part in establishing a favorable "niche" for tumor initiation and progression. The purpose of this review is to discuss the potential therapeutic value of drugs targeting the bone tumor microenvironment in Ewing sarcoma. The first part of the review will focus on targeting the bone resorbing function of osteoclasts by means of bisphosphonates or drugs blocking the pro-resorbing cytokine receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand. Second, the role of this peculiar hypoxic microenvironment will be discussed in the context of resistance to chemotherapy, escape from the immune system, or neo-angiogenesis. Therapeutic interventions based on these specificities could be then proposed in the context of Ewing sarcoma.

  12. Alpha-v Integrin Targeted PET Imaging of Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Low-Dose Metronomic Anti-Angiogenic Chemotherapy Efficacy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2006-01-01

    ...) To demonstrate the feasibility of PET/18F-RGD to image breast tumor growth spread and angiogenesis as well as quantifying alpha-v integrin expression level during breast tumor neovascularization over time. (3...

  13. Alpha-v Integrin Targeted PET Imaging of Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Low-Dose Metronomic Anti-Angiogenic Chemotherapy Efficacy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2007-01-01

    ...) To demonstrate the feasibility of PET/18F-RGD to image breast tumor growth spread and angiogenesis as well as quantifying alpha v-integrin expression level during breast tumor neovascularization over time. (3...

  14. Interleukin-34 promotes tumor progression and metastatic process in osteosarcoma through induction of angiogenesis and macrophage recruitment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ségaliny, Aude I; Mohamadi, Amel; Dizier, Blandine; Lokajczyk, Anna; Brion, Régis; Lanel, Rachel; Amiaud, Jérôme; Charrier, Céline; Boisson-Vidal, Catherine; Heymann, Dominique

    2015-07-01

    Interleukin-34 (IL-34) was recently characterized as the M-CSF "twin" cytokine, regulating the proliferation/differentiation/survival of myeloid cells. The implication of M-CSF in oncology was initially suspected by the reduced metastatic dissemination in knock-out mice, due to angiogenesis impairment. Based on this observation, our work studied the involvement of IL-34 in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. The in vivo effects of IL-34 were assessed on tissue vasculature and macrophage infiltration in a murine preclinical model based on a paratibial inoculation of human osteosarcoma cells overexpressing or not IL-34 or M-CSF. In vitro investigations using endothelial cell precursors and mature HUVEC cells were performed to analyse the involvement of IL-34 in angiogenesis and myeloid cell adhesion. The data revealed that IL-34 overexpression was associated with the progression of osteosarcoma (tumor growth, lung metastases) and an increase of neo-angiogenesis. In vitro analyses demonstrated that IL-34 stimulated endothelial cell proliferation and vascular cord formation. Pre-treatment of endothelial cells by chondroitinases/heparinases reduced the formation of vascular tubes and abolished the associated cell signalling. In addition, IL-34 increased the in vivo recruitment of M2 tumor-associated macrophages into the tumor tissue. IL-34 increased in vitro monocyte/CD34(+) cell adhesion to activated HUVEC monolayers under physiological shear stress conditions. This work also demonstrates that IL-34 is expressed by osteosarcoma cells, is regulated by TNF-α, IL-1β, and contributes to osteosarcoma growth by increasing the neo-angiogenesis and the recruitment of M2 macrophages. By promoting new vessel formation and extravasation of immune cells, IL-34 may play a key role in tumor development and inflammatory diseases. © 2014 UICC.

  15. Anti-tumor angiogenesis effect of aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin against B16-BL6 melanoma cells orthotopically implanted into syngeneic mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aozuka, Yasushi; Koizumi, Keiichi; Saitoh, Yurika; Ueda, Yasuji; Sakurai, Hiroaki; Saiki, Ikuo

    2004-12-08

    We investigated the effect of bestatin, an inhibitor of aminopeptidase N (APN)/CD13 and aminopeptidase B, on the angiogenesis induced by B16-BL6 melanoma cells. Oral administration of bestatin (100-200 mg/kg/day) was found to significantly inhibit the melanoma cell-induced angiogenesis in a mouse dorsal air sac assay. Additionally, anti-APN/CD13 mAb (WM15), which neutralizes the aminopeptidase activity in tumor cells, as well as bestatin inhibited the tube-like formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal administration of bestatin (50-100 mg/kg/day) after the orthotopic implantation of B16-BL6 melanoma cells into mice reduced the number of vessels oriented towards the established primary tumor mass on the dorsal side of mice. These findings suggest that bestatin is an active anti-angiogenic agent that may inhibit tumor angiogenesis in vivo and tube-like formation of endothelial cells in vitro through its inhibition of APN/CD13 activity.

  16. Wogonin inhibits tumor angiogenesis via degradation of HIF-1α protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Xiuming; Yao, Jing; Wang, Fei; Zhou, Mi; Zhou, Yuxin; Wang, Hu; Wei, Libin; Zhao, Li; Li, Zhiyu; Lu, Na; Guo, Qinglong

    2013-01-01

    Wogonin, a plant-derived flavone, has been shown recently to have antitumor effects. However, the mechanisms that wogonin inhibits tumor angiogenesis are not well known. In this study, we investigated the effects of wogonin on expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor cells. We found that wogonin decreased the expression of HIF-1α by affecting its stability and reduced the secretion of VEGF, which suppressed angiogenesis in cancer. Wogonin promoted the degradation of HIF-1α by increasing its prolyl hydroxylation, which depended on prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) and the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL). Intriguingly, wogonin impeded the binding between heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and HIF-1α. In addition, wogonin down-regulated the Hsp90 client proteins EGFR, Cdk4 and survivin, but did not affect the level of Hsp90. Wogonin also increased ubiquitination of HIF-1α and promoted its degradation in proteasome. We also found that wogonin could inhibit nuclear translocation of HIF-1α. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that wogonin decreased the binding activity of exogenous consensus DNA oligonucleotide with HIF-1α in nuclear extracts from MCF-7 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay also revealed that HIF-1α directly binded to endogenous hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) and this binding was significantly decreased in MCF-7 cells treated with wogonin. Preliminary results indicated in vivo activity of wogonin against xenograft-induced angiogenesis in nude mice. Taken together, the results suggested that wogonin was a potent inhibitor of HIF-1α and provided a new insight into the mechanisms of wogonin against cancers. - Highlights: • Wogonin is an all around inhibitor of VEGF signaling. • We firstly demonstrate that wogonin inhibits secretion of VEGF by decreasing HIF-1α. • Wogonin enhances PDH and VHL expression and inhibits Hsp90 function.

  17. Wogonin inhibits tumor angiogenesis via degradation of HIF-1α protein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Xiuming; Yao, Jing; Wang, Fei; Zhou, Mi; Zhou, Yuxin; Wang, Hu; Wei, Libin; Zhao, Li; Li, Zhiyu; Lu, Na, E-mail: luna555@163.com; Guo, Qinglong, E-mail: anticancer_drug@yahoo.com.cn

    2013-09-01

    Wogonin, a plant-derived flavone, has been shown recently to have antitumor effects. However, the mechanisms that wogonin inhibits tumor angiogenesis are not well known. In this study, we investigated the effects of wogonin on expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor cells. We found that wogonin decreased the expression of HIF-1α by affecting its stability and reduced the secretion of VEGF, which suppressed angiogenesis in cancer. Wogonin promoted the degradation of HIF-1α by increasing its prolyl hydroxylation, which depended on prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) and the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL). Intriguingly, wogonin impeded the binding between heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and HIF-1α. In addition, wogonin down-regulated the Hsp90 client proteins EGFR, Cdk4 and survivin, but did not affect the level of Hsp90. Wogonin also increased ubiquitination of HIF-1α and promoted its degradation in proteasome. We also found that wogonin could inhibit nuclear translocation of HIF-1α. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that wogonin decreased the binding activity of exogenous consensus DNA oligonucleotide with HIF-1α in nuclear extracts from MCF-7 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay also revealed that HIF-1α directly binded to endogenous hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) and this binding was significantly decreased in MCF-7 cells treated with wogonin. Preliminary results indicated in vivo activity of wogonin against xenograft-induced angiogenesis in nude mice. Taken together, the results suggested that wogonin was a potent inhibitor of HIF-1α and provided a new insight into the mechanisms of wogonin against cancers. - Highlights: • Wogonin is an all around inhibitor of VEGF signaling. • We firstly demonstrate that wogonin inhibits secretion of VEGF by decreasing HIF-1α. • Wogonin enhances PDH and VHL expression and inhibits Hsp90 function.

  18. MicroRNA-939 governs vascular integrity and angiogenesis through targeting γ-catenin in endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, Shiqiang; Fang, Ming; Zhu, Qian; Liu, Ying; Liu, Liang; Li, Xinming

    2017-01-01

    Coronary collateral circulation (CCC) functions as a natural bypass in the event of coronary obstruction, which markedly improves prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in multiple physiological and pathological processes, including angiogenesis involved in CCC growth. The roles that miRNA-939 (miR-939) plays in angiogenesis remain largely unknown. We conducted this study to explore the expression of miR-939 in CAD patients and its role in angiogenesis. For the first time, our results indicated that the expression of circulating miR-939 was down-regulated in patients with sufficient CCC compared with patients with poor CCC. Overexpression of miR-939 in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) significantly inhibited the proliferation, adhesion and tube formation, but promoted the migration of cells. In contrast, miR-939 knockdown exerted reverse effects. We further identified that γ-catenin was a novel target of miR-939 by translational repression, which could rescue the effects of miR-939 in HUVECs. In summary, this study revealed that the expression of circulating miR-939 was down-regulated in CAD patients with sufficient CCC. MiR-939 abolished vascular integrity and repressed angiogenesis through directly targeting γ-catenin. It provided a potential biomarker and a therapeutic target for CAD. - Highlights: • Circulating miR-939 is decreased in sufficient coronary collateral circulation. • MiR-939 abolishes vascular integrity in endothelial cells. • MiR-939 represses angiogenesis. • γ-catenin is a novel target of miR-939.

  19. Canine classical seminoma: a specific malignant type with human classifications is highly correlated with tumor angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jong-Hyuk; Yu, Chi-Ho; Yhee, Ji-Young; Im, Keum-Soon; Kim, Na-Hyun; Sur, Jung-Hyang

    2010-01-01

    Human seminoma is classified as classical seminoma (SE) and spermatocytic seminoma (SS). Human SE is known to be more malignant and metastasizing more frequently than SS. Tumor angiogenesis is highly related with tumor progression and metastasis, with microvessel density (MVD) being an important parameter of metastatic potential. Canine seminoma is not yet well-established as SE or SS type including correlation with angiogenesis. We classified canine SE and SS, and then compared them to tumor associated vessels. Twenty-three cases of canine seminomas (2 intratubular, 9 diffuse, and 12 intratubular/diffuse seminomas showing both intratubular and diffuse patterns) were classified as SE or SS by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using monoclonal antibody against PLAP and by PAS stain. The histopathological data were then compared to see if there was a correlation with SE or SS. Angiogenesis of seminomas were evaluated by immunohistochemical assay using polyclonal antibody against Von Willebrand factor (vWF) and by calculating the means of MVD, vessels area and perimeters using computerized image analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program was used for various statistical analyses. The numbers of PLAP+/PAS+ canine SEs were 8/23 (34.8%) and PLAP-/PAS- SSs were 15/23 (61.2%). All SE cases (8/8, 100%) were intratubular/diffuse types. SS types included 2 intratubular (2/15, 13.3%), 9 diffuse (9/15, 60%), and 4 intratubular/diffuse (4/15, 26.7%) types. MVD and vascular parameters in SEs were significantly higher than in SSs, showing the highest value in the intratubular/diffuse type. Seminomas observed with neoplastic cells invasion of vessels presented higher perimeter and area values than seminomas without conformed neoplastic cells invasion. In this study, we demonstrated a positive relationship between canine SE and tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, we also showed that a tumor cells invasion of vessels were a correlated vascular parameter. Although

  20. Canine classical seminoma: a specific malignant type with human classifications is highly correlated with tumor angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Jong-Hyuk

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human seminoma is classified as classical seminoma (SE and spermatocytic seminoma (SS. Human SE is known to be more malignant and metastasizing more frequently than SS. Tumor angiogenesis is highly related with tumor progression and metastasis, with microvessel density (MVD being an important parameter of metastatic potential. Canine seminoma is not yet well-established as SE or SS type including correlation with angiogenesis. We classified canine SE and SS, and then compared them to tumor associated vessels. Methods Twenty-three cases of canine seminomas (2 intratubular, 9 diffuse, and 12 intratubular/diffuse seminomas showing both intratubular and diffuse patterns were classified as SE or SS by immunohistochemistry (IHC using monoclonal antibody against PLAP and by PAS stain. The histopathological data were then compared to see if there was a correlation with SE or SS. Angiogenesis of seminomas were evaluated by immunohistochemical assay using polyclonal antibody against Von Willebrand factor (vWF and by calculating the means of MVD, vessels area and perimeters using computerized image analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS program was used for various statistical analyses. Results The numbers of PLAP+/PAS+ canine SEs were 8/23 (34.8% and PLAP-/PAS- SSs were 15/23 (61.2%. All SE cases (8/8, 100% were intratubular/diffuse types. SS types included 2 intratubular (2/15, 13.3%, 9 diffuse (9/15, 60%, and 4 intratubular/diffuse (4/15, 26.7% types. MVD and vascular parameters in SEs were significantly higher than in SSs, showing the highest value in the intratubular/diffuse type. Seminomas observed with neoplastic cells invasion of vessels presented higher perimeter and area values than seminomas without conformed neoplastic cells invasion. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated a positive relationship between canine SE and tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, we also showed that a tumor cells invasion of vessels

  1. History of research on angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribatti, Domenico

    2014-01-01

    Over the past 25 years, the number of Medline publications dealing with angiogenesis has increased in a nonlinear fashion, reflecting the interest among basic scientists and clinicians in this field. Under physiological conditions, angiogenesis is regulated by the local balance between endogenous stimulators and inhibitors of this process. In tumor growth, there is an imbalance between endogenous stimulator and inhibitor levels, leading to an 'angiogenic switch'. Starting with the hypothesis formulated by Judah Folkman that tumor growth is angiogenesis-dependent, this area of research has a solid scientific foundation and inhibition of angiogenesis is a major area of therapeutic development for the treatment of cancer. This paper offers an account of the most relevant discoveries in this field of biomedical research. Copyright © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Identification and characterization of angiogenesis targets through proteomic profiling of endothelial cells in human cancer tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Mesri

    Full Text Available Genomic and proteomic analysis of normal and cancer tissues has yielded abundant molecular information for potential biomarker and therapeutic targets. Considering potential advantages in accessibility to pharmacological intervention, identification of targets resident on the vascular endothelium within tumors is particularly attractive. By employing mass spectrometry (MS as a tool to identify proteins that are over-expressed in tumor-associated endothelium relative to normal cells, we aimed to discover targets that could be utilized in tumor angiogenesis cancer therapy. We developed proteomic methods that allowed us to focus our studies on the discovery of cell surface/secreted proteins, as they represent key antibody therapeutic and biomarker opportunities. First, we isolated endothelial cells (ECs from human normal and kidney cancer tissues by FACS using CD146 as a marker. Additionally, dispersed human colon and lung cancer tissues and their corresponding normal tissues were cultured ex-vivo and their endothelial content were preferentially expanded, isolated and passaged. Cell surface proteins were then preferentially captured, digested with trypsin and subjected to MS-based proteomic analysis. Peptides were first quantified, and then the sequences of differentially expressed peptides were resolved by MS analysis. A total of 127 unique non-overlapped (157 total tumor endothelial cell over-expressed proteins identified from directly isolated kidney-associated ECs and those identified from ex-vivo cultured lung and colon tissues including known EC markers such as CD146, CD31, and VWF. The expression analyses of a panel of the identified targets were confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC including CD146, B7H3, Thy-1 and ATP1B3. To determine if the proteins identified mediate any functional role, we performed siRNA studies which led to previously unidentified functional dependency for B7H3 and ATP1B3.

  3. Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition reduces angiogenesis via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and Notch1 in head neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Ming Wang

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis, a marker of cancer development, affects response to radiotherapy sensibility. This preclinical study aims to understand the receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated angiogenesis in head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. The receptor tyrosine kinase activity in a transgenic mouse model of HNSCC was assessed. The anti-tumorigenetic and anti-angiogenetic effects of cetuximab-induced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR inhibition were investigated in xenograft and transgenic mouse models of HNSCC. The signaling transduction of Notch1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α was also analyzed. EGFR was overexpressed and activated in the Tgfbr1/Pten deletion (2cKO mouse model of HNSCC. Cetuximab significantly delayed tumor onset by reducing tumor angiogenesis. This drug exerted similar effects on heterotopic xenograft tumors. In the human HNSCC tissue array, increased EGFR expression correlated with increased HIF-1α and micro vessel density. Cetuximab inhibited tumor-induced angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo by significantly downregulating HIF-1α and Notch1. EGFR is involved in the tumor angiogenesis of HNSCC via the HIF-1α and Notch1 pathways. Therefore, targeting EGFR by suppressing hypoxia- and Notch-induced angiogenesis may benefit HNSCC therapy.

  4. Disruption of tumor neovasculature by microbubble enhanced ultrasound: a potential new physical therapy of anti-angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zheng; Gao, Shunji; Zhao, Yang; Li, Peijing; Liu, Jia; Li, Peng; Tan, Kaibin; Xie, Feng

    2012-02-01

    Tumor angiogenesis is of vital importance to the growth and metastasis of solid tumors. The angiogenesis is featured with a defective, leaky and fragile vascular construction. Microbubble enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) cavitation is capable of mechanical disruption of small blood vessels depending on effective acoustic pressure amplitude. We hypothesized that acoustic cavitation combining high-pressure amplitude pulsed ultrasound (US) and circulating microbubble could potentially disrupt tumor vasculature. A high-pressure amplitude, pulsed ultrasound device was developed to induce inertial cavitation of circulating microbubbles. The tumor vasculature of rat Walker 256 was insonated percutaneously with two acoustic pressures, 2.6 MPa and 4.8 MPa, both with intravenous injection of a lipid microbubble. The controls were treated by the ultrasound only or sham ultrasound exposure. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and histology were performed to assess tumor circulation and pathological changes. The CEUS results showed that the circulation of Walker 256 tumors could be completely blocked off for 24 hours in 4.8 MPa treated tumors. The CEUS gray scale value (GSV) indicated that there was significant GSV drop-off in both of the two experimental groups but none in the controls. Histology showed that the tumor microvasculature was disrupted into diffuse hematomas accompanied by thrombosis, intercellular edema and multiple cysts formation. The 24 hours of tumor circulation blockage resulted in massive necrosis of the tumor. MEUS provides a new, simple physical method for anti-angiogenic therapy and may have great potential for clinical applications. Copyright © 2012 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. EGCG, a major green tea catechin suppresses breast tumor angiogenesis and growth via inhibiting the activation of HIF-1α and NFκB, and VEGF expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Jian-Wei; Makey, Kristina L; Tucker, Kevan B; Chinchar, Edmund; Mao, Xiaowen; Pei, Ivy; Thomas, Emily Y; Miele, Lucio

    2013-05-02

    The role of EGCG, a major green tea catechin in breast cancer therapy is poorly understood. The present study tests the hypothesis that EGCG can inhibit the activation of HIF-1α and NFκB, and VEGF expression, thereby suppressing tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer progression. Sixteen eight-wk-old female mice (C57BL/6 J) were inoculated with 10^6 E0771 (mouse breast cancer) cells in the left fourth mammary gland fat pad. Eight mice received EGCG at 50-100 mg/kg/d in drinking water for 4 weeks. 8 control mice received drinking water only. Tumor size was monitored using dial calipers. At the end of the experiment, blood samples, tumors, heart and limb muscles were collected for measuring VEGF expression using ELISA and capillary density (CD) using CD31 immunohistochemistry. EGCG treatment significantly reduced tumor weight over the control (0.37 ± 0.15 vs. 1.16 ± 0.30 g; P < 0.01), tumor CD (109 ± 20 vs. 156 ± 12 capillary #/mm^2; P < 0.01), tumor VEGF expression (45.72 ± 1.4 vs. 59.03 ± 3.8 pg/mg; P < 0.01), respectively. But, it has no effects on the body weight, heart weight, angiogenesis and VEGF expression in the heart and skeletal muscle of mice. EGCG at 50 μg/ml significantly inhibited the activation of HIF-1α and NFκB as well as VEGF expression in cultured E0771 cells, compared to the control, respectively. These findings support the hypothesis that EGCG, a major green tea catechin, directly targets both tumor cells and tumor vasculature, thereby inhibiting tumor growth, proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of breast cancer, which is mediated by the inhibition of HIF-1α and NFκB activation as well as VEGF expression.

  6. Metastatic papillary craniopharyngioma: case study and study of tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmaci, Lhan; Kurtkaya-Yapicier, Ozlem; Ekinci, Gazanfer; Sav, Aydin; Pamir, M. Necmettin; Vidal, Sergio; Kovacs, Kalman; Scheithauer, Bernd W.

    2002-01-01

    We report a case of suprasellar papillary craniopharyngioma metastatic to the temporoparietal region 2 years after its initial resection. The literature documents examples of craniopharyngioma recurrences along the surgical tract, as well as remote ipsi- and contralateral metastases via cerebrospinal fluid seeding. Ours is the second report of a craniopharyngioma of papillary type to exhibit metastatic behavior. The tumor spread opposite the side of craniotomy. Although a rare occurrence, it confirms the limited capacity of histologically benign craniopharyngiomas to undergo meningeal seeding, likely the result of surgical manipulation. Immunohistochemical demonstration of increased microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression, as well as a high vascular endothelial growth receptor (VEGFR2) signal by in situ hybridization, suggests that tumor vascularity facilitated angiogenesis and may have been involved in the establishment and growth of the metastatic deposit. PMID:11916504

  7. Canonical hedgehog signaling augments tumor angiogenesis by induction of VEGF-A in stromal perivascular cells

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Weiwei; Tang, Tracy; Eastham-Anderson, Jeff; Dunlap, Debra; Alicke, Bruno; Nannini, Michelle; Gould, Stephen; Yauch, Robert; Modrusan, Zora; DuPree, Kelly J.; Darbonne, Walter C.; Plowman, Greg; de Sauvage, Frederic J.; Callahan, Christopher A.

    2011-01-01

    Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is critical to the patterning and development of a variety of organ systems, and both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent Hh pathway activation are known to promote tumorigenesis. Recent studies have shown that in tumors promoted by Hh ligands, activation occurs within the stromal microenvironment. Testing whether ligand-driven Hh signaling promotes tumor angiogenesis, we found that Hh antagonism reduced the vascular density of Hh-producing LS180 and SW480 xenograf...

  8. 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

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    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...

  9. Tumor angiogenesis--a new therapeutic target in gliomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, E L; Spang-Thomsen, M; Skovgaard-Poulsen, H

    1998-01-01

    significant angiogenic activity primarily by the expression of the angiogenic factor VEGF Anti-angiogenic therapy represents a new promising therapeutic modality in solid tumors. Several agents are currently under evaluation in clinical trials. The present review describes the principal inducers...

  10. Tumor angiogenesis in advanced stage ovarian carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollingsworth, H C; Kohn, E C; Steinberg, S M; Rothenberg, M L; Merino, M J

    1995-07-01

    Tumor angiogenesis has been found to have prognostic significance in many tumor types for predicting an increased risk of metastasis. We assessed tumor vascularity in 43 cases of advanced stage (International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians stages III and IV) ovarian cancer by using the highly specific endothelial cell marker CD34. Microvessel counts and stage were associated with disease-free survival and with overall survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The plots show that higher stage, higher average vessel count at 200x (200x avg) and 400x (400x avg) magnification and highest vessel count at 400x (400x high) magnification confer a worse prognosis for disease-free survival. Average vessel count of less than 16 (400x avg, P2 = 0.01) and less than 45 (200x avg, P2 = 0.026) suggested a better survival. Similarly, a high vessel count of less than 20 (400x high, P2 = 0.019) conferred a better survival as well. The plots suggest that higher stage, higher average vessel count at 200x and 400x, and highest vessel count at 200x and 400x show a trend to worse overall survival as well. With the Cox proportional hazards model, stage was the best predictor of overall survival, however, the average microvessel count at 400x was found to be the best predictor of disease-free survival. These results suggest that analysis of neovascularization in advanced stage ovarian cancer may be a useful prognostic factor.

  11. Therapeutic Implications from Sensitivity Analysis of Tumor Angiogenesis Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poleszczuk, Jan; Hahnfeldt, Philip; Enderling, Heiko

    2015-01-01

    Anti-angiogenic cancer treatments induce tumor starvation and regression by targeting the tumor vasculature that delivers oxygen and nutrients. Mathematical models prove valuable tools to study the proof-of-concept, efficacy and underlying mechanisms of such treatment approaches. The effects of parameter value uncertainties for two models of tumor development under angiogenic signaling and anti-angiogenic treatment are studied. Data fitting is performed to compare predictions of both models and to obtain nominal parameter values for sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the success of different cancer treatments depends on tumor size and tumor intrinsic parameters. In particular, we show that tumors with ample vascular support can be successfully targeted with conventional cytotoxic treatments. On the other hand, tumors with curtailed vascular support are not limited by their growth rate and therefore interruption of neovascularization emerges as the most promising treatment target. PMID:25785600

  12. Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis through Downregulation of HIF-1/VEGF Signaling under Hypoxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng-Chuan Chen

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Activation of hypoxia-induced hypoxia-inducible factors-1 (HIF-1 plays a critical role in promoting tumor angiogenesis, growth and metastasis. Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF is prepared from brown algae, and exhibits anticancer activity. However, whether LMWF attenuates hypoxia-induced angiogenesis in bladder cancer cells and the molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. This is the first study to demonstrate that LMWF can inhibit hypoxia-stimulated H2O2 formation, HIF-1 accumulation and transcriptional activity vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF secretion, and the migration and invasion in hypoxic human bladder cancer cells (T24 cells. LMWF also downregulated hypoxia-activated phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K/4EBP-1 signaling in T24 cells. Blocking PI3K/AKT or mTOR activity strongly diminished hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression and VEGF secretion in T24 cells, supporting the involvement of PI3K/AKT/mTOR in the induction of HIF-1α and VEGF. Additionally, LMWF significantly attenuated angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo evidenced by reduction of tube formation of hypoxic human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and blood capillary generation in the tumor. Similarly, administration of LMWF also inhibited the HIF-1α and VEGF expression in vivo, accompanied by a reduction of tumor growth. In summary, under hypoxia conditions, the antiangiogenic activity of LMWF in bladder cancer may be associated with suppressing HIF-1/VEGF-regulated signaling pathway.

  13. Inhibition of VEGF-dependent angiogenesis by the anti-CD82 monoclonal antibody 4F9 through regulation of lipid raft microdomains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomura, Sayaka; Iwata, Satoshi; Hatano, Ryo; Komiya, Eriko; Dang, Nam H.; Iwao, Noriaki; Ohnuma, Kei; Morimoto, Chikao

    2016-01-01

    CD82 (also known as KAI1) belongs to the tetraspanin superfamily of type III transmembrane proteins, and is involved in regulating cell adhesion, migration and proliferation. In contrast to these well-established roles of CD82 in tumor biology, its function in endothelial cell (EC) activity and tumor angiogenesis is yet to be determined. In this study, we show that suppression of CD82 negatively regulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrate that the anti-CD82 mAb 4F9 effectively inhibits phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which is the principal mediator of the VEGF-induced angiogenic signaling process in tumor angiogenesis, by regulating the organization of the lipid raft microdomain signaling platform in human EC. Our present work therefore suggests that CD82 on EC is a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy in VEGFR2-dependent tumor angiogenesis. -- Highlights: •Knockdown of CD82 decreases EC migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. •Anti-CD82 mAb 4F9 inhibits EC migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. •4F9 inhibits VEGFR2 phosphorylation via control of CD82 distribution in lipid rafts.

  14. Inhibition of VEGF-dependent angiogenesis by the anti-CD82 monoclonal antibody 4F9 through regulation of lipid raft microdomains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nomura, Sayaka; Iwata, Satoshi; Hatano, Ryo [Division of Clinical Immunology, Advanced Clinical Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 (Japan); Komiya, Eriko [Department of Therapy Development and Innovation for Immune Disorders and Cancers, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421 (Japan); Dang, Nam H. [Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road- Box 100278, Room MSB M410A, Gainesville, FL, 32610 (United States); Iwao, Noriaki [Department of Hematology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421 (Japan); Ohnuma, Kei, E-mail: kohnuma@juntendo.ac.jp [Department of Rheumatology and Allergy, IMSUT Hospital, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 (Japan); Morimoto, Chikao [Division of Clinical Immunology, Advanced Clinical Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 (Japan); Department of Rheumatology and Allergy, IMSUT Hospital, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639 (Japan)

    2016-05-20

    CD82 (also known as KAI1) belongs to the tetraspanin superfamily of type III transmembrane proteins, and is involved in regulating cell adhesion, migration and proliferation. In contrast to these well-established roles of CD82 in tumor biology, its function in endothelial cell (EC) activity and tumor angiogenesis is yet to be determined. In this study, we show that suppression of CD82 negatively regulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrate that the anti-CD82 mAb 4F9 effectively inhibits phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which is the principal mediator of the VEGF-induced angiogenic signaling process in tumor angiogenesis, by regulating the organization of the lipid raft microdomain signaling platform in human EC. Our present work therefore suggests that CD82 on EC is a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy in VEGFR2-dependent tumor angiogenesis. -- Highlights: •Knockdown of CD82 decreases EC migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. •Anti-CD82 mAb 4F9 inhibits EC migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. •4F9 inhibits VEGFR2 phosphorylation via control of CD82 distribution in lipid rafts.

  15. Adiponectin promotes VEGF-A-dependent angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma through PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and HIF-α pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hsiang-Ping; Lin, Chih-Yang; Shih, Jhao-Sheng; Fong, Yi-Chin; Wang, Shih-Wei; Li, Te-Mao; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2015-11-03

    Chondrosarcoma is a type of highly malignant tumor with a potent capacity to invade locally and cause distant metastasis. Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted predominantly by differentiated adipocytes. On the other hand, angiogenesis is a critical step in tumor growth and metastasis. However, the relationship of adiponectin with vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) expression and angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma is mostly unknown. In this study we first demonstrated that the expression of adiponectin was correlated with tumor stage of human chondrosarcoma tissues. In addition, we also found that adiponectin increased VEGF-A expression in human chondrosarcoma cells and subsequently induced migration and tube formation in human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Adiponectin promoted VEGF-A expression through adiponectin receptor (AdipoR), phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K), Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF)-1α signaling cascades. Knockdown of adiponectin decreased VEGF-A expression and also abolished chondrosarcoma conditional medium-mediated tube formation in EPCs in vitro as well as angiogenesis effects in the chick chorioallantoic membrane and Matrigel plug nude mice model in vivo. Therefore, adiponectin is crucial for tumor angiogenesis and growth, which may represent a novel target for anti-angiogenic therapy in human chondrosarcoma.

  16. Spectral imaging based in vivo model system for characterization of tumor microvessel response to vascular targeting agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wankhede, Mamta

    Functional vasculature is vital for tumor growth, proliferation, and metastasis. Many tumor-specific vascular targeting agents (VTAs) aim to destroy this essential tumor vasculature to induce indirect tumor cell death via oxygen and nutrition deprivation. The tumor angiogenesis-inhibiting anti-angiogenics (AIs) and the established tumor vessel targeting vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) are the two major players in the vascular targeting field. Combination of VTAs with conventional therapies or with each other, have been shown to have additive or supra-additive effects on tumor control and treatment. Pathophysiological changes post-VTA treatment in terms of structural and vessel function changes are important parameters to characterize the treatment efficacy. Despite the abundance of information regarding these parameters acquired using various techniques, there remains a need for a quantitative, real-time, and direct observation of these phenomenon in live animals. Through this research we aspired to develop a spectral imaging based mouse tumor system for real-time in vivo microvessel structure and functional measurements for VTA characterization. A model tumor system for window chamber studies was identified, and then combinatorial effects of VDA and AI were characterized in model tumor system. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)

  17. Sunitinib significantly suppresses the proliferation, migration, apoptosis resistance, tumor angiogenesis and growth of triple-negative breast cancers but increases breast cancer stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinchar, Edmund; Makey, Kristina L; Gibson, John; Chen, Fang; Cole, Shelby A; Megason, Gail C; Vijayakumar, Srinivassan; Miele, Lucio; Gu, Jian-Wei

    2014-01-01

    The majority of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are basal-like breast cancers. However there is no reported study on anti-tumor effects of sunitinib in xenografts of basal-like TNBC (MDA-MB-468) cells. In the present study, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7 cells were cultured using RPMI 1640 media with 10% FBS. Vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF) protein levels were detected using ELISA (R & D Systams). MDA-MB-468 cells were exposed to sunitinib for 18 hours for measuring proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), migration (BD Invasion Chamber), and apoptosis (ApopTag and ApoScreen Anuexin V Kit). The effect of sunitinib on Notch-1 expression was determined by Western blot in cultured MDA-MB-468 cells. 10(6) MDA-MB-468 cells were inoculated into the left fourth mammary gland fat pad in athymic nude-foxn1 mice. When the tumor volume reached 100 mm(3), sunitinib was given by gavage at 80 mg/kg/2 days for 4 weeks. Tumor angiogenesis was determined by CD31 immunohistochemistry. Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) isolated from the tumors were determined by flow cytometry analysis using CD44(+)/CD24(-) or low. ELISA indicated that VEGF was much more highly expressed in MDA-MB-468 cells than MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. Sunitinib significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis resistance in cultured basal like breast cancer cells. Sunitinib significantly increased the expression of Notch-1 protein in cultured MDA-MB-468 or MDA-MB-231 cells. The xenograft models showed that oral sunitinib significantly reduced the tumor volume of TNBCs in association with the inhibition of tumor angiogeneisis, but increased breast CSCs. These findings support the hypothesis that the possibility should be considered of sunitinib increasing breast CSCs though it inhibits TNBC tumor angiogenesis and growth/progression, and that effects of sunitinib on Notch expression and hypoxia may increase breast cancer stem cells. This work provides the groundwork for an

  18. Mathematical Modeling of Cellular Cross-Talk Between Endothelial and Tumor Cells Highlights Counterintuitive Effects of VEGF-Targeted Therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Harsh; Jackson, Trachette

    2018-05-01

    Tumor growth and progression are critically dependent on the establishment of a vascular support system. This is often accomplished via the expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors, including members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family of ligands. VEGF ligands are overexpressed in a wide variety of solid tumors and therefore have inspired optimism that inhibition of the different axes of the VEGF pathway-alone or in combination-would represent powerful anti-angiogenic therapies for most cancer types. When considering treatments that target VEGF and its receptors, it is difficult to tease out the differential anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects of all combinations experimentally because tumor cells and vascular endothelial cells are engaged in a dynamic cross-talk that impacts key aspects of tumorigenesis, independent of angiogenesis. Here we develop a mathematical model that connects intracellular signaling responsible for both endothelial and tumor cell proliferation and death to population-level cancer growth and angiogenesis. We use this model to investigate the effect of bidirectional communication between endothelial cells and tumor cells on treatments targeting VEGF and its receptors both in vitro and in vivo. Our results underscore the fact that in vitro therapeutic outcomes do not always translate to the in vivo situation. For example, our model predicts that certain therapeutic combinations result in antagonism in vivo that is not observed in vitro. Mathematical modeling in this direction can shed light on the mechanisms behind experimental observations that manipulating VEGF and its receptors is successful in some cases but disappointing in others.

  19. Tumor cell-targeted delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 by aptamer-functionalized lipopolymer for therapeutic genome editing of VEGFA in osteosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Chao; Li, Fangfei; Wang, Luyao; Zhang, Zong-Kang; Wang, Chao; He, Bing; Li, Jie; Chen, Zhihao; Shaikh, Atik Badshah; Liu, Jin; Wu, Xiaohao; Peng, Songlin; Dang, Lei; Guo, Baosheng; He, Xiaojuan; Au, D W T; Lu, Cheng; Zhu, Hailong; Zhang, Bao-Ting; Lu, Aiping; Zhang, Ge

    2017-12-01

    Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive pediatric cancer, characterized by frequent lung metastasis and pathologic bone destruction. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), highly expressed in OS, not only contributes to angiogenesis within the tumor microenvironment via paracrine stimulation of vascular endothelial cells, but also acts as an autocrine survival factor for tumor cell themselves, thus making it a promising therapeutic target for OS. CRISPR/Cas9 is a versatile genome editing technology and holds tremendous promise for cancer treatment. However, a major bottleneck to achieve the therapeutic potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 is the lack of in vivo tumor-targeted delivery systems. Here, we screened an OS cell-specific aptamer (LC09) and developed a LC09-functionalized PEG-PEI-Cholesterol (PPC) lipopolymer encapsulating CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids encoding VEGFA gRNA and Cas9. Our results demonstrated that LC09 facilitated selective distribution of CRISPR/Cas9 in both orthotopic OS and lung metastasis, leading to effective VEGFA genome editing in tumor, decreased VEGFA expression and secretion, inhibited orthotopic OS malignancy and lung metastasis, as well as reduced angiogenesis and bone lesion with no detectable toxicity. The delivery system simultaneously restrained autocrine and paracrine VEGFA signaling in tumor cells and could facilitate translating CRISPR-Cas9 into clinical cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. An interesting case of angiogenesis in cavernous hemangioma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dipankar Das

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cavernous hemangioma is the most common orbital tumor in adult. There is lot of literatures for clinicopathological features of this tumor. These tumors had been studied for the model of angiogenesis in many of the experimental setups. We present a case of 34-year-old male with this tumor in the left eye with computerized tomography evidence. Postsurgical laboratory findings gave interesting evidence of tumor angiogenesis with tumor endothelial cells and sprouting of the small vessels endothelial cells. Podosome rosette could be conceptualized from the characteristic patterns seen in the tumor.

  1. In vivo tumor targeting and imaging with engineered trivalent antibody fragments containing collagen-derived sequences.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angel M Cuesta

    Full Text Available There is an urgent need to develop new and effective agents for cancer targeting. In this work, a multivalent antibody is characterized in vivo in living animals. The antibody, termed "trimerbody", comprises a single-chain antibody (scFv fragment connected to the N-terminal trimerization subdomain of collagen XVIII NC1 by a flexible linker. As indicated by computer graphic modeling, the trimerbody has a tripod-shaped structure with three highly flexible scFv heads radially outward oriented. Trimerbodies are trimeric in solution and exhibited multivalent binding, which provides them with at least a 100-fold increase in functional affinity than the monovalent scFv. Our results also demonstrate the feasibility of producing functional bispecific trimerbodies, which concurrently bind two different ligands. A trimerbody specific for the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, a classic tumor-associated antigen, showed efficient tumor targeting after systemic administration in mice bearing CEA-positive tumors. Importantly, a trimerbody that recognizes an angiogenesis-associated laminin epitope, showed excellent tumor localization in several cancer types, including fibrosarcomas and carcinomas. These results illustrate the potential of this new antibody format for imaging and therapeutic applications, and suggest that some laminin epitopes might be universal targets for cancer targeting.

  2. EGFR and EGFRvIII Promote Angiogenesis and Cell Invasion in Glioblastoma: Combination Therapies for an Effective Treatment

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    Stefanie Keller

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR and the mutant EGFRvIII are major focal points in current concepts of targeted cancer therapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, the most malignant primary brain tumor. The receptors participate in the key processes of tumor cell invasion and tumor-related angiogenesis and their upregulation correlates with the poor prognosis of glioma patients. Glioma cell invasion and increased angiogenesis share mechanisms of the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM through upregulation of ECM-degrading proteases as well as the activation of aberrant signaling pathways. This review describes the role of EGFR and EGFRvIII in those mechanisms which might offer new combined therapeutic approaches targeting EGFR or EGFRvIII together with drug treatments against proteases of the ECM or downstream signaling to increase the inhibitory effects of mono-therapies.

  3. Galectin-3 disruption impaired tumoral angiogenesis by reducing VEGF secretion from TGFβ1-induced macrophages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machado, Camila Maria Longo; Andrade, Luciana Nogueira Sousa; Teixeira, Verônica Rodrigues; Costa, Fabrício Falconi; Melo, Camila Morais; Santos, Sofia Nascimento dos; Nonogaki, Suely; Liu, Fu-Tong; Bernardes, Emerson Soares; Camargo, Anamaria Aranha; Chammas, Roger

    2014-01-01

    In order to study the role of galectin-3 in tumor angiogenesis associated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and tumor parenchyma, the galectin-3 expression was reconstituted in Tm1 melanoma cell line that lacks this protein. Galectin-3-expressing cells (Tm1G3) and mock-vector transfected cells (Tm1N3) were injected into wild-type (WT) and galectin-3 knockout (KO) C57Bl/6 mice. Tumors originated from Tm1G3 were larger in tumor volume with enlarged functional vessels, decreased necrotic areas, and increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels. Galectin-3-nonexpressing-cells injected into WT and KO showed increased levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) and, in WT animals this feature was also accompanied by increased VEGFR2 expression and its phosphorylation. In KO animals, tumors derived from galectin-3-expressing cells were infiltrated by CD68 + -cells, whereas in tumors derived from galectin-3-nonexpressing-cells, CD68 + cells failed to infiltrate tumors and accumulated in the periphery of the tumor mass. In vitro studies showed that Tm1G3 secreted more VEGF than Tm1N3 cells. In the latter case, TGFβ1 induced VEGF production. Basal secretion of VEGF was higher in WT-bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) than in KO-BMDM. TGFβ1 induced secretion of VEGF only in WT-BMDM. Tm1G3-induced tumors had the Arginase I mRNA increased, which upregulated alternative macrophage (M2)/TAM induction. M2 stimuli, such as interleukin-4 (IL4) and TGFβ1, increased Arginase I protein levels and galectin-3 expression in WT- BMDM, but not in cells from KO mice. Hence, we report that galectin-3 disruption in tumor stroma and parenchyma decreases angiogenesis through interfering with the responses of macrophages to the interdependent VEGF and TGFβ1 signaling pathways

  4. CD4+ and Perivascular Foxp3+ T Cells in Glioma Correlate with Angiogenesis and Tumor Progression

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    Luyan Mu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundAngiogenesis and immune cell infiltration are key features of gliomas and their manipulation of the microenvironment, but their prognostic significance remains indeterminate. We evaluate the interconnection between tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL and tumor blood-vasculatures in the context of glioma progression.MethodsPaired tumor tissues of 44 patients from three tumor-recurrent groups: diffuse astrocytomas (DA recurred as DA, DA recurred as glioblastomas (GBM, and GBM recurred as GBM were evaluated by genetic analysis, immunohistochemistry for tumor blood vessel density, TIL subsets, and clinical outcomes. These cells were geographically divided into perivascular and intratumoral TILs. Associations were examined between these TILs, CD34+ tumor blood vessels, and clinical outcomes. To determine key changes in TIL subsets, microarray data of 15-paired tumors from patients who failed antiangiogenic therapy- bevacizumab, and 16-paired tumors from chemo-naïve recurrent GBM were also evaluated and compared.ResultsUpon recurrence in primary gliomas, similar kinetic changes were found between tumor blood vessels and each TIL subset in all groups, but only CD4+ including Foxp3+ TILs, positively correlated with the density of tumor blood vessels. CD4 was the predominant T cell population based on the expression of gene-transcripts in primary GBMs, and increased activated CD4+ T cells were revealed in Bevacizumab-resistant recurrent tumors (not in chemo-naïve recurrent tumors. Among these TILs, 2/3 of them were found in the perivascular niche; Foxp3+ T cells in these niches not only correlated with the tumor vessels but were also an independent predictor of shortened recurrence-free survival (RFS (HR = 4.199, 95% CI 1.522–11.584, p = 0.006.ConclusionThe minimal intratumoral T cell infiltration and low detection of CD8 transcripts expression in primary GBMs can potentially limit antitumor response. CD4+ and perivascular Foxp3

  5. Radiolabeled Probes Targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1-Active Tumor Microenvironments

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    Masashi Ueda

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Because tumor cells grow rapidly and randomly, hypoxic regions arise from the lack of oxygen supply in solid tumors. Hypoxic regions in tumors are known to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1 expressed in hypoxic regions regulates the expression of genes related to tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Thus, imaging of HIF-1-active regions in tumors is of great interest. HIF-1 activity is regulated by the expression and degradation of its α subunit (HIF-1α, which is degraded in the proteasome under normoxic conditions, but escapes degradation under hypoxic conditions, allowing it to activate transcription of HIF-1-target genes. Therefore, to image HIF-1-active regions, HIF-1-dependent reporter systems and injectable probes that are degraded in a manner similar to HIF-1α have been recently developed and used in preclinical studies. However, no probe currently used in clinical practice directly assesses HIF-1 activity. Whether the accumulation of 18F-FDG or 18F-FMISO can be utilized as an index of HIF-1 activity has been investigated in clinical studies. In this review, the current status of HIF-1 imaging in preclinical and clinical studies is discussed.

  6. Development of 68Ga-Glycopeptide as an Imaging Probe for Tumor Angiogenesis

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    Ning Tsao

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. This study was aimed to study tissue distribution and tumor imaging potential of 68Ga-glycopeptide (GP in tumor-bearing rodents by PET. Methods. GP was synthesized by conjugating glutamate peptide and chitosan. GP was labeled with 68Ga chloride for in vitro and in vivo studies. Computer outlined region of interest (counts per pixel of the tumor and muscle (at the symmetric site was used to determine tumor-to-muscle count density ratios. To ascertain the feasibility of 68Ga-GP in tumor imaging in large animals, PET/CT imaging of 68Ga-GP and 18F-FDG were conducted in New Zealand white rabbits bearing VX2 tumors. Standard uptake value of tumors were determined by PET up to 45 min. To determine blood clearance and half-life of 68Ga-GP, blood samples were collected from 10 seconds to 20 min. Results. Radiochemical purity of 68Ga-GP determined by instant thin-layer chromatography was >95%. Tumor uptake values (SUV for 68Ga-GP and 18F-FDG in New Zealand white rabbits bearing VX2 tumors were 3.25 versus 7.04. PET images in tumor-bearing rats and rabbits confirmed that 68Ga-GP could assess tumor uptake. From blood clearance curve, the half-life of 68Ga-GP was 1.84 hr. Conclusion Our data indicate that it is feasible to use 68Ga-GP to assess tumor angiogenesis.

  7. Exosomes serve as nanoparticles to suppress tumor growth and angiogenesis in gastric cancer by delivering hepatocyte growth factor siRNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haiyang; Wang, Yi; Bai, Ming; Wang, Junyi; Zhu, Kegan; Liu, Rui; Ge, Shaohua; Li, JiaLu; Ning, Tao; Deng, Ting; Fan, Qian; Li, Hongli; Sun, Wu; Ying, Guoguang; Ba, Yi

    2018-03-01

    Exosomes derived from cells have been found to mediate signal transduction between cells and to act as efficient carriers to deliver drugs and small RNA. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is known to promote the growth of both cancer cells and vascular cells, and the HGF-cMET pathway is a potential clinical target. Here, we characterized the inhibitory effect of HGF siRNA on tumor growth and angiogenesis in gastric cancer. In addition, we showed that HGF siRNA packed in exosomes can be transported into cancer cells, where it dramatically downregulates HGF expression. A cell co-culture model was used to show that exosomes loaded with HGF siRNA suppress proliferation and migration of both cancer cells and vascular cells. Moreover, exosomes were able to transfer HGF siRNA in vivo, decreasing the growth rates of tumors and blood vessels. The results of our study demonstrate that exosomes have potential for use in targeted cancer therapy by delivering siRNA. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  8. Postmenopausal obesity promotes tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer progression in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Jian-Wei; Young, Emily; Patterson, Sharla G; Makey, Kristina L; Wells, Jeremy; Huang, Min; Tucker, Kevan B; Miele, Lucio

    2011-05-15

    Obese postmenopausal women have a 50% higher risk of breast cancer than non-obese women. There is not an animal model that mimics postmenopausal obesity related to breast cancer progression. Using age-relevant C57BL/6 mice, this study determined whether postmenopausal obesity increases VEGF expression, tumor angiogenesis, and breast tumor growth. Ovariectomy (OVX) was performed in 12 sixty week-old female mice, then followed by a low-fat (5%, LF, n=6) or a high-fat (60%, HF, n=6) diet for 12 weeks. In the eighth week of the dietary program, 10(6) E0771 (mouse breast cancer) cells were injected in the left fourth mammary gland. Tumor size was monitored for 4 weeks. Body weights were monitored weekly. At the end of the experiment, blood samples, visceral fat and tumors were collected for measuring VEGF expression using ELISA and intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) using CD31 immunochemistry. Body weight was significantly increased in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group (55.3±1.7 vs. 41.5±1.5 g; p < 0.01). There was a two-fold increase in the ratio of visceral fat/BW in OVX/HF mice, compared to those in OVX/LF group (0.062±0.005 vs. 0.032±0.003; p < 0.01). Postmenopausal obesity significantly increased breast tumor weight over the control (4.62±0.63 vs. 1.98±0.27 g; p < 0.01) and IMD (173±3.7 vs. 139±4.3 IM#/mm^2; p < 0.01). Tumor VEGF levels were higher in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group (73.3±3.8 vs. 49.5±4.3 pg/mg protein; p < 0.01). Plasma VEGF levels (69±7.1 vs. 48±3.5 pg/ml) and visceral fat VEGF levels (424.4±39.5 vs. 208.5±22.4 pg/mg protein) were significantly increased in OVX/HF mice, compared to OVX/LF group, respectively (n=6; p < 0.01). Interestingly, adipose tissue primary culture showed that subcutaneous fat released more VEGF, compared to visceral fat (6.77±1.14 vs. 0.94±0.16 pg/mg tissue; n=6; p < 0.01). These findings support the hypothesis that postmenopausal obesity promotes tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer

  9. Angiogenesis in vestibular schwannomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Martin Nue; Werther, Kim; Nalla, Amarnadh

    2010-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are potent mediators of tumor angiogenesis. It has been demonstrated that vestibular schwannoma VEGF expression correlates with tumor growth pattern, whereas knowledge on the expression of MMPs is lacking. This study...

  10. In silico design and biological evaluation of a dual specificity kinase inhibitor targeting cell cycle progression and angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latham, Antony M; Kankanala, Jayakanth; Fearnley, Gareth W; Gage, Matthew C; Kearney, Mark T; Homer-Vanniasinkam, Shervanthi; Wheatcroft, Stephen B; Fishwick, Colin W G; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

    2014-01-01

    Protein kinases play a central role in tumor progression, regulating fundamental processes such as angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis. Such enzymes are an increasingly important class of drug target with small molecule kinase inhibitors being a major focus in drug development. However, balancing drug specificity and efficacy is problematic with off-target effects and toxicity issues. We have utilized a rational in silico-based approach to demonstrate the design and study of a novel compound that acts as a dual inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). This compound acts by simultaneously inhibiting pro-angiogenic signal transduction and cell cycle progression in primary endothelial cells. JK-31 displays potent in vitro activity against recombinant VEGFR2 and CDK1/cyclin B proteins comparable to previously characterized inhibitors. Dual inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A)-mediated signaling response and CDK1-mediated mitotic entry elicits anti-angiogenic activity both in an endothelial-fibroblast co-culture model and a murine ex vivo model of angiogenesis. We deduce that JK-31 reduces the growth of both human endothelial cells and human breast cancer cells in vitro. This novel synthetic molecule has broad implications for development of similar multi-kinase inhibitors with anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer properties. In silico design is an attractive and innovative method to aid such drug discovery.

  11. miR-21 Is Linked to Glioma Angiogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hermansen, Simon Kjær; Nielsen, Boye Schnack; Aaberg-Jessen, Charlotte

    2016-01-01

    MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is the most consistently over-expressed microRNA (miRNA) in malignant gliomas. We have previously reported that miR-21 is upregulated in glioma vessels and subsets of glioma cells. To better understand the role of miR-21 in glioma angiogenesis and to characterize miR-21......-localized with the hypoxia- and angiogenesis-associated markers HIF-1α (p=0.0020) and VEGF (p=0.0096), whereas the putative miR-21 target, PTEN, was expressed independently of miR-21. Expression of stem cell markers Oct4, Sox2 and CD133 was not associated with miR-21. In six glioblastoma cultures, miR-21 did not correlate...... with the six markers. These findings suggest that miR-21 is linked to glioma angiogenesis, that miR-21 is unlikely to regulate PTEN, and that miR-21-positive tumor cells do not possess stem cell characteristics....

  12. Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 regulates angiogenesis in a transforming growth factor β-dependent manner in human osteosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Xuan; Shan, Jinlu; Dai, Nan; Zhong, Zhaoyang; Qing, Yi; Yang, Yuxing; Zhang, Shiheng; Li, Chongyi; Sui, Jiangdong; Ren, Tao; Li, Mengxia; Wang, Dong

    2015-10-01

    Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis and has been reported to be inversely correlated with overall survival of osteosarcoma patients. It has been shown that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), a dually functional protein possessing both base excision repair and redox activities, is involved in tumor angiogenesis, although these mechanisms are not fully understood. Our previous study showed that the expression of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) was significantly reduced in APE1-deficient osteosarcoma cells. Transforming growth factor β promotes cancer metastasis through various mechanisms including immunosuppression, angiogenesis, and invasion. In the current study, we initially revealed that APE1, TGFβ, and microvessel density (MVD) have pairwise correlation in osteosarcoma tissue samples, whereas TGFβ, tumor size, and MVD were inversely related to the prognosis of the cohort. We found that knocking down APE1 in osteosarcoma cells resulted in TGFβ downregulation. In addition, APE1-siRNA led to suppression of angiogenesis in vitro based on HUVECs in Transwell and Matrigel tube formation assays. Reduced secretory protein level of TGFβ of culture medium also resulted in decreased phosphorylation of Smad3 of HUVECs. In a mouse xenograft model, siRNA-mediated silencing of APE1 downregulated TGFβ expression, tumor size, and MVD. Collectively, the current evidence indicates that APE1 regulates angiogenesis in osteosarcoma by controlling the TGFβ pathway, suggesting a novel target for anti-angiogenesis therapy in human osteosarcoma. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  13. Anginex-conjugated liposomes for targeting of angiogenic endothelial cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brandwijk, Ricardo J. M. G. E.; Mulder, Willem J. M.; Nicolay, Klaas; Mayo, Kevin H.; Thijssen, Victor L. J. L.; Griffioen, Arjan W.

    2007-01-01

    Identification of a tumor angiogenesis specific ligand would allow targeting of tumor vasculature. Lipidic vehicles can be used to deliver therapeutic agents for treatment of disease or contrast agents for molecular imaging. A targeting ligand would allow specific delivery of such formulations to

  14. A novel engineered VEGF blocker with an excellent pharmacokinetic profile and robust anti-tumor activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Lily; Yu, Haijia; Huang, Xin; Tan, Hongzhi; Li, Song; Luo, Yan; Zhang, Li; Jiang, Sumei; Jia, Huifeng; Xiong, Yao; Zhang, Ruliang; Huang, Yi; Chu, Charles C; Tian, Wenzhi

    2015-01-01

    Relatively poor penetration and retention in tumor tissue has been documented for large molecule drugs including therapeutic antibodies and recombinant immunoglobulin constant region (Fc)-fusion proteins due to their large size, positive charge, and strong target binding affinity. Therefore, when designing a large molecular drug candidate, smaller size, neutral charge, and optimal affinity should be considered. We engineered a recombinant protein by molecular engineering the second domain of VEGFR1 and a few flanking residues fused with the Fc fragment of human IgG1, which we named HB-002.1. This recombinant protein was extensively characterized both in vitro and in vivo for its target-binding and target-blocking activities, pharmacokinetic profile, angiogenesis inhibition activity, and anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy. HB-002.1 has a molecular weight of ~80 kDa, isoelectric point of ~6.7, and an optimal target binding affinity of <1 nM. The pharmacokinetic profile was excellent with a half-life of 5 days, maximal concentration of 20.27 μg/ml, and area under the curve of 81.46 μg · days/ml. When tested in a transgenic zebrafish embryonic angiogenesis model, dramatic inhibition in angiogenesis was exhibited by a markedly reduced number of subintestinal vessels. When tested for anti-tumor efficacy, HB-002.1 was confirmed in two xenograft tumor models (A549 and Colo-205) to have a robust tumor killing activity, showing a percentage of inhibition over 90% at the dose of 20 mg/kg. Most promisingly, HB-002.1 showed a superior therapeutic efficacy compared to bevacizumab in the A549 xenograft model (tumor inhibition: 84.7% for HB-002.1 versus 67.6% for bevacizumab, P < 0.0001). HB-002.1 is a strong angiogenesis inhibitor that has the potential to be a novel promising drug for angiogenesis-related diseases such as tumor neoplasms and age-related macular degeneration

  15. MicroRNA-9 Couples Brain Neurogenesis and Angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Madelaine

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available In the developing brain, neurons expressing VEGF-A and blood vessels grow in close apposition, but many of the molecular pathways regulating neuronal VEGF-A and neurovascular system development remain to be deciphered. Here, we show that miR-9 links neurogenesis and angiogenesis through the formation of neurons expressing VEGF-A. We found that miR-9 directly targets the transcription factors TLX and ONECUTs to regulate VEGF-A expression. miR-9 inhibition leads to increased TLX and ONECUT expression, resulting in VEGF-A overexpression. This untimely increase of neuronal VEGF-A signal leads to the thickening of blood vessels at the expense of the normal formation of the neurovascular network in the brain and retina. Thus, this conserved transcriptional cascade is critical for proper brain development in vertebrates. Because of this dual role on neural stem cell proliferation and angiogenesis, miR-9 and its downstream targets are promising factors for cellular regenerative therapy following stroke and for brain tumor treatment.

  16. Biologic significance of receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells (RCAS1) as a pivotal regulator of tumor growth through angiogenesis in human uterine cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonoda, Kenzo; Miyamoto, Shingo; Yamazaki, Ayano; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Nakashima, Manabu; Mekada, Eisuke; Wake, Norio

    2007-11-01

    The expression of receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells (RCAS1) is related significantly to the overall survival of patients with various cancers. RCAS1 reportedly induces apoptotic cell death in peripheral lymphocytes, which may contribute to the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance. RCAS1 expression also has been related to tumor invasiveness and size in uterine cervical cancer. To clarify whether RCAS1 exacerbates tumor progression, the authors investigated the association between RCAS1 expression and tumor growth potential. The authors constructed small interfering ribonucleic acid (RNA) (siRNA) to target RCAS1. After transfection of siRNA and the RCAS1-encoding gene, growth of tumor cells was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The correlation between RCAS1 expression and angiogenesis was investigated in the transfected cells and in inoculated tumors from nude mice. In addition, the same association was investigated immunohistochemically with tissue samples from patients with uterine cervical cancer. Knockdown of RCAS1 expression by siRNA significantly suppressed the in vivo growth of SiSo and HOUA tumor cells (P cell growth was not affected significantly. Enhanced RCAS1 expression significantly promoted in vivo growth, but not in vitro growth, of tumors derived from COS-7 cells (P = .0039). Introduction of the RCAS1-encoding gene increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In uterine cervical cancer, RCAS1 expression was associated significantly with VEGF expression (P = .0407) and with microvessel density (P = .0108). RCAS1 may be a pivotal regulator of tumor growth through angiogenesis. Continued exploration of the biologic function of RCAS1 may allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies for uterine cancer.

  17. Targeting EGFR with photodynamic therapy in combination with Erbitux enhances in vivo bladder tumor response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soo Khee

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT is a promising cancer treatment modality that involves the interaction of the photosensitizer, molecular oxygen and light of specific wavelength to destroy tumor cells. Treatment induced hypoxia is one of the main side effects of PDT and efforts are underway to optimize PDT protocols for improved efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor effects of PDT plus Erbitux, an angiogenesis inhibitor that targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, on human bladder cancer model. Tumor-bearing nude mice were assigned to four groups that included control, PDT, Erbitux and PDT plus Erbitux and tumor volume was charted over 90-day period. Results Our results demonstrate that combination of Erbitux with PDT strongly inhibits tumor growth in the bladder tumor xenograft model when compared to the other groups. Downregulation of EGFR was detected using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and western blotting. Increased apoptosis was associated with tumor inhibition in the combination therapy group. In addition, we identified the dephosphorylation of ErbB4 at tyrosine 1284 site to play a major role in tumor inhibition. Also, at the RNA level downregulation of EGFR target genes cyclin D1 and c-myc was observed in tumors treated with PDT plus Erbitux. Conclusion The combination therapy of PDT and Erbitux effectively inhibits tumor growth and is a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of bladder tumors.

  18. Relationship of ultrasonic shear wave velocity with oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression in primary liver cancer lesions as well as angiogenesis factor contents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Yin1

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To discuss the relationship of ultrasonic shear wave velocity (SWV with oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression in primary liver cancer lesions as well as angiogenesis factor contents. Methods: 100 patients with primary liver cancer who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital between March 2014 and September 2016 were collected as observation group, and 50 healthy subjects who received physical examination in our hospital during the same period were collected as normal control group. The ultrasonic SWV levels of two groups of subjects were measured before the operation, and the observation groups were further divided into high SWV group and low SWV group, 50 cases in each group. Intraoperative tumor tissue samples were kept and fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay was used to determine serum contents of angiogenesis factors in observation group before operation. Results: Hepatic ultrasonic SWV level in observation group was significantly higher than that in normal control group; proto-oncogene CK, Ki67, Gly-3, Survivin and Pokemon mRNA expression in tumor tissue of high SWV group were higher than those of low SWV group while tumor suppressor genes Tg737, p16, p27, PTEN and runx3 mRNA expression were lower than those of low SWV group; serum angiogenesis factors VEGF, MMP-9 and IGF-1R contents were higher than those in low SWV group. Conclusion: The hepatic ultrasonic SWV level increases in patients with primary liver cancer, and the SWV level is directly correlated with oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression as well as angiogenesis factor contents.

  19. Sympathetic nerves: How do they affect angiogenesis, particularly during wound healing of soft tissues?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Liangli; Tang, Jianbing; Liu, Hongwei; Cheng, Biao

    2016-01-01

    Angiogenesis is essential for wound healing, and angiogenesis impairment can result in chronic ulcers. Studies have shown that the sympathetic nervous system has an important role in angiogenesis. In recent years, researchers have focused on the roles of sympathetic nerves in tumor angiogenesis. In fact, sympathetic nerves can affect angiogenesis in the wound healing of soft tissues, and may have a similar mechanism of action as that seen in tumorigenesis. Sympathetic nerves act primarily through interactions between the neurotransmitters released from nerve endings and receptors present in target organs. Among this, activation or inhibition of adrenergic receptors (mainly β-adrenergic receptors) influence formation of new blood vessels considerably. As sympathetic nerves locate near pericytes in microvessel, go along the capillaries and there are adrenergic receptors present in endothelial cells and pericytes, sympathetic nerves may participate in angiogenesis by influencing the endothelial cells and pericytes of new capillaries. Studying the roles of sympathetic nerves on the angiogenesis of wound healing can contribute to understanding the mechanisms of tissue repair, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis, thereby providing new therapeutic perspectives.

  20. Angiogenesis in cancer of unknown primary: clinicopathological study of CD34, VEGF and TSP-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karavasilis, Vasilis; Malamou-Mitsi, Vasiliki; Briasoulis, Evangelos; Tsanou, Elena; Kitsou, Evangelia; Kalofonos, Haralambos; Fountzilas, George; Fotsis, Theodore; Pavlidis, Nicholas

    2005-01-01

    Cancer of unknown primary remains a mallignancy of elusive biology and grim prognosis that lacks effective therapeutic options. We investigated angiogenesis in cancer of unknown primary to expand our knowledge on the biology of these tumors and identify potential therapeutic targets. Paraffin embedded archival material from 81 patients diagnosed with CUP was used. Tumor histology was adenocarcinoma (77%), undifferentiated carcinoma (18%) and squamous cell carcinoma (5%). The tissue expression of CD34, VEGF and TSP-1 was assessed immunohistochemically by use of specific monoclonal antibodies and was analyzed against clinicopathological data. VEGF expression was detected in all cases and was strong in 83%. Stromal expression of TSP-1 was seen in 80% of cases and was strong in 20%. The expression of both proteins was not associated with any clinical or pathological parameters. Tumor MVD was higher in tumors classified as unfavorable compared to more favorable and was positively associated with VEGF and negatively with TSP-1. Angiogenesis is very active and expression of VEGF is almost universal in cancers of unknown primary. These findings support the clinical investigation of VEGF targeted therapy in this clinical setting

  1. Functional computed tomography imaging of tumor-induced angiogenesis. Preliminary results of new tracer kinetic modeling using a computer discretization approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaneoya, Katsuhiko; Ueda, Takuya; Suito, Hiroshi

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to establish functional computed tomography (CT) imaging as a method for assessing tumor-induced angiogenesis. Functional CT imaging was mathematically analyzed for 14 renal cell carcinomas by means of two-compartment modeling using a computer-discretization approach. The model incorporated diffusible kinetics of contrast medium including leakage from the capillary to the extravascular compartment and back-flux to the capillary compartment. The correlations between functional CT parameters [relative blood volume (rbv), permeability 1 (Pm1), and permeability 2 (Pm2)] and histopathological markers of angiogenesis [microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)] were statistically analyzed. The modeling was successfully performed, showing similarity between the mathematically simulated curve and the measured time-density curve. There were significant linear correlations between MVD grade and Pm1 (r=0.841, P=0.001) and between VEGF grade and Pm2 (r=0.804, P=0.005) by Pearson's correlation coefficient. This method may be a useful tool for the assessment of tumor-induced angiogenesis. (author)

  2. Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF/PDGF Receptors (PDGFR Axis as Target for Antitumor and Antiangiogenic Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anca Maria Cimpean

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis in normal and pathological conditions is a multi-step process governed by positive and negative endogenous regulators. Many growth factors are involved in different steps of angiogenesis, like vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF, fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2 or platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF. From these, VEGF and FGF-2 were extensively investigated and it was shown that they significantly contribute to the induction and progression of angiogenesis. A lot of evidence has been accumulated in last 10 years that supports the contribution of PDGF/PDGFR axis in developing angiogenesis in both normal and tumoral conditions. The crucial role of PDGF-B and PDGFR-β in angiogenesis has been demonstrated by gene targeting experiments, and their expression correlates with increased vascularity and maturation of the vascular wall. PDGF and their receptors were identified in a large variety of human tumor cells. In experimental models it was shown that inhibition of PDGF reduces interstitial fluid pressure in tumors and enhances the effect of chemotherapy. PDGFR have been involved in the cardiovascular development and their loss leads to a disruption in yolk sac blood vessels development. PDGFRβ expression by pericytes is necessary for their recruitment and integration in the wall of tumor vessels. Endothelial cells of tumor-associated blood vessels can express PDGFR. Based on these data, it was suggested the potential benefit of targeting PDGFR in the treatment of solid tumors. The molecular mechanisms of PDGF/PDGFR-mediated angiogenesis are not fully understood, but it was shown that tyrosine kinase inhibitors reduce tumor growth and angiogenesis in experimental xenograft models, and recent data demonstrated their efficacy in chemoresistant tumors. The in vivo effects of PDGFR inhibitors are more complex, based on the cross-talk with other angiogenic factors. In this review, we summarize data regarding the mechanisms and

  3. Cyclooxygenase-2 Pathway Correlates with VEGF Expression in Head and Neck Cancer. Implications for Tumor Angiogenesis and Metastasis

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    Oreste Gallo

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available We evaluated the role of COX-2 pathway in 35 head and neck cancers (HNCs by analyzing COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 production in relation to tumor angiogenesis and lymph node metastasis. COX-2 activity was also correlated to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF mRNA and protein expression. COX-2 mRNA and protein expression was higher in tumor samples than in normal mucosa. PGE2 levels were higher in the tumor front zone in comparison with tumor core and normal mucosa (P<0001. Specimens from patients with lymph node metastasis exhibited higher COX-2 protein expression (P=.0074, PGEZ levels (P=.0011 and microvessel density (P<.0001 than specimens from patients without metastasis. A significant correlation between COX-2 and tumor vascularization (rs=0.450, P=.007 as well as between COX-2 and microvessel density with VEGF expression in tumor tissues was found (rs=0.450, P=.007; rs=0.620, P=.0001, respectively. The induction of COX-2 mRNA and PGE2 synthesis by EGF and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS in A-431 and SCC-9 cell lines, resulted in an increase in VEGF mRNA and protein production. Indomethacin and celecoxib reversed the EGF- and LPS-dependent COX-2, VEGF, and PGE2 increases. This study suggests a central role of COX-2 pathway in HNC angiogenesis by modulating VEGF production and indicates that COX-2 inhibitors may be useful in HNC treatment.

  4. Angiogenesis and Its Therapeutic Opportunities

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    So Young Yoo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis plays critical roles in human physiology that range from reproduction and fetal growth to wound healing and tissue repair. The sophisticated multistep process is tightly regulated in a spatial and temporal manner by “on-off switch signals” between angiogenic factors, extracellular matrix components, and endothelial cells. Uncontrolled angiogenesis may lead to several angiogenic disorders, including vascular insufficiency (myocardial or critical limb ischemia and vascular overgrowth (hemangiomas, vascularized tumors, and retinopathies. Thus, numerous therapeutic opportunities can be envisaged through the successful understanding and subsequent manipulation of angiogenesis. Here, we review the clinical implications of angiogenesis and discuss pro- and antiangiogenic agents that offer potential therapy for cancer and other angiogenic diseases.

  5. In silico design and biological evaluation of a dual specificity kinase inhibitor targeting cell cycle progression and angiogenesis.

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    Antony M Latham

    Full Text Available Protein kinases play a central role in tumor progression, regulating fundamental processes such as angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis. Such enzymes are an increasingly important class of drug target with small molecule kinase inhibitors being a major focus in drug development. However, balancing drug specificity and efficacy is problematic with off-target effects and toxicity issues.We have utilized a rational in silico-based approach to demonstrate the design and study of a novel compound that acts as a dual inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1. This compound acts by simultaneously inhibiting pro-angiogenic signal transduction and cell cycle progression in primary endothelial cells. JK-31 displays potent in vitro activity against recombinant VEGFR2 and CDK1/cyclin B proteins comparable to previously characterized inhibitors. Dual inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A-mediated signaling response and CDK1-mediated mitotic entry elicits anti-angiogenic activity both in an endothelial-fibroblast co-culture model and a murine ex vivo model of angiogenesis.We deduce that JK-31 reduces the growth of both human endothelial cells and human breast cancer cells in vitro. This novel synthetic molecule has broad implications for development of similar multi-kinase inhibitors with anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer properties. In silico design is an attractive and innovative method to aid such drug discovery.

  6. Anti-angiogenesis therapy based on the bone marrow-derived stromal cells genetically engineered to express sFlt-1 in mouse tumor model

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    Chen X-C

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs are important for development, tissue cell replenishment, and wound healing in physiological and pathological conditions. BMSCs were found to preferably reach sites undergoing the process of cell proliferation, such as wound and tumor, suggesting that BMSCs may be used as a vehicle for gene therapy of tumor. Methods Mouse BMSCs were loaded with recombinant adenoviruses which express soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 (sFlt-1. The anti-angiogenesis of sFlt-1 in BMSCs was determined using endothelial cells proliferation inhibition assay and alginate encapsulation assay. The anti-tumor effects of BMSCs expressing sFlt-1 through tail-vein infusion were evaluated in two mouse tumor metastases models. Results BMSCs genetically modified with Adv-GFP-sFlt-1 could effectively express and secret sFlt-1. BMSCs loaded with sFlt-1 gene could preferentially home to tumor loci and decrease lung metastases and prolong lifespan in mouse tumor model through inducing anti-angiogenesis and apoptosis in tumors. Conclusion We demonstrated that BMSCs might be employed as a promising vehicle for tumor gene therapy which can effectively not only improve the concentration of anticancer therapeutics in tumors, but also modify the tumor microenvironment.

  7. Tumor cell-macrophage interactions increase angiogenesis through secretion of EMMPRIN

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    Bat-Chen eAmit-Cohen

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Tumor macrophages are generally considered to be alternatively/M2 activated to induce secretion of pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF and MMPs. EMMPRIN (CD147, basigin is overexpressed in many tumor types, and has been shown to induce fibroblasts and endothelial cell expression of MMPs and VEGF. We first show that tumor cell interactions with macrophages resulted in increased expression of EMMPRIN and induction of MMP-9 and VEGF. Human A498 renal carcinoma or MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell lines were co-cultured with the U937 monocytic-like cell line in the presence of TNFalpha (1 ng/ml. Membranal EMMPRIN expression was increased in the co-cultures (by 3-4 folds, p<0.01, as was the secretion of MMP-9 and VEGF (by 2-5 folds for both MMP-9 and VEGF, p<0.01, relative to the single cultures with TNFalpha. Investigating the regulatory mechanisms, we show that EMMPRIN was post-translationally regulated by miR-146a, as no change was observed in the tumoral expression of EMMPRIN mRNA during co-culture, expression of miR-146a was increased and its neutralization by its antagomir inhibited EMMPRIN expression. The secretion of EMMPRIN was also enhanced (by 2-3 folds, p<0.05, only in the A498 co-culture via shedding off of the membranal protein by a serine protease that is yet to be identified, as demonstrated by the use of wide range protease inhibitors. Finally, soluble EMMPRIN enhanced monocytic secretion of MMP-9 and VEGF, as inhibition of its expression levels by neutralizing anti-EMMPRIN or siRNA in the tumor cells lead to subsequent decreased induction of these two pro-angiogenic proteins. These results reveal a mechanism whereby tumor cell-macrophage interactions promote angiogenesis via an EMMPRIN-mediated pathway.

  8. Amphiregulin enhances VEGF-A production in human chondrosarcoma cells and promotes angiogenesis by inhibiting miR-206 via FAK/c-Src/PKCδ pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chao-Qun; Huang, Yu-Wen; Wang, Shih-Wei; Huang, Yuan-Li; Tsai, Chun-Hao; Zhao, Yong-Ming; Huang, Bi-Fei; Xu, Guo-Hong; Fong, Yi-Chin; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2017-01-28

    Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary malignancy of bone after myeloma and osteosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma development may be linked to angiogenesis, which is principally elicited by vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). The expression of VEGF-A has been recognized as a prognostic marker in angiogenesis. Amphiregulin (AR), an epidermal growth factor receptor ligand, promotes tumor proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis. However, the role of AR in VEGF-A expression and angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma remains largely unknown. This current study shows that AR promoted VEGF-A production and induced angiogenesis of human endothelial progenitor cells. Moreover, AR-enhanced VEGF-A expression and angiogenesis involved the FAK, c-Src and PKCδ signaling pathways, while miR-206 expression was negatively mediated by AR via the FAK, c-Src and PKCδ pathways. Our results illustrate the clinical significance between AR, VEGF-A and miR-206, as well as tumor stage, in human chondrosarcoma. AR may represent a novel therapeutic target in the metastasis and angiogenesis of chondrosarcoma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Evaluation of Tumor Angiogenesis Using Dynamic Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Comparison of Plasma Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Hemodynamic, and Pharmacokinetic Parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, O.; Nishimura, R.; Miyayama, H.; Yasunaga, T.; Ozaki, Y.; Tuji, A.; Yamashita, Y.

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: To assess whether tumor angiogenesis of breast cancers can be predicted on the basis of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and Methods: Seventy-one patients with 71 breast cancers underwent Gd-DTPA enhanced dynamic MRI. Two regions of interest measurements were obtained in the periphery and in the center of the breast cancers. Hemodynamic parameters obtained by dynamic MRI included peak time, contrast enhancement ratio (CE ratio), and washout ratio. The triexponential concentration curve of Gd-DTPA was fitted to a theoretical model based on compartmental analysis. The transfer constant (or permeability surface product per unit volume of compartment 'k') was obtained using this method. Tumor angiogenesis was assessed by plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (P-VEGF). Results: The P-VEGF was positive in 28 of 71 tumors (39%). The CE ratio, washout ratio, and k in the periphery in P-VEGF positive breast cancers (mean 178%, 18%, and 1.5x10 -2 (s-1)) were significantly greater (P -2 (s-1)). The peak time in the periphery in P-VEGF positive breast cancers was more marked than for P-VEGF negative breast cancers, but this difference was not significant. Conclusion: The hemodynamic and pharmacokinetic analysis of MRI provides valuable information about angiogenesis of breast cancers

  10. Evidence that tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) inhibits angiogenesis by inducing vascular endothelial cell apoptosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Pei-Lin; Easton, Alexander S.

    2010-01-01

    Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and its related ligands TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and Fas ligand (FasL) play roles in the regulation of vascular responses, but their effect on the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) is unclear. Therefore, we have examined the effects of these ligands on angiogenesis modeled with primary cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). To examine angiogenesis in the context of the central nervous system, we have also modeled cerebral angiogenesis with the human brain endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3. Parameters studied were bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and cell number (MTT) assay (to assess endothelial proliferation), scratch assay (migration) and networks on Matrigel (tube formation). In our hands, neither TRAIL nor FasL (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml) had an effect on parameters of angiogenesis in the HUVEC model. In hCMEC/D3 cells by contrast, TRAIL inhibited all parameters (10-100 ng/ml, 24 h). This was due to apoptosis, since its action was blocked by the pan-caspase inhibitor zVADfmk (5 x 10 -5 mol/l) and TRAIL increased caspase-3 activity 1 h after application. However FasL (100 ng/ml) increased BrdU uptake without other effects. We conclude that TRAIL has different effects on in vitro angiogenesis depending on which model is used, but that FasL is generally ineffective when applied in vitro. The data suggest that TRAIL primarily influences angiogenesis by the induction of vascular endothelial apoptosis, leading to vessel regression.

  11. PNU-145156E, a novel angiogenesis inhibitor, in patients with solid tumors : A phase I and pharmacokinetic study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groen, HJM; de Vries, EGE; Wynendaele, W; van der Graaf, WTA; Lechuga, EFMJ; Poggesi, [No Value; Dirix, LY; van Oosterom, AT

    2001-01-01

    Our aim was to establish, in patients with solid tumors, the dose-limiting toxicity, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and pharmacology of PNU-145156E, a new sulfonated distamycin A derivative that blocked circulating angiogenesis-promoting growth factors in animal studies and exhibited an antitumor

  12. Brain tumor-targeted drug delivery strategies

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    Xiaoli Wei

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Despite the application of aggressive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in clinics, brain tumors are still a difficult health challenge due to their fast development and poor prognosis. Brain tumor-targeted drug delivery systems, which increase drug accumulation in the tumor region and reduce toxicity in normal brain and peripheral tissue, are a promising new approach to brain tumor treatments. Since brain tumors exhibit many distinctive characteristics relative to tumors growing in peripheral tissues, potential targets based on continuously changing vascular characteristics and the microenvironment can be utilized to facilitate effective brain tumor-targeted drug delivery. In this review, we briefly describe the physiological characteristics of brain tumors, including blood–brain/brain tumor barriers, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor stem cells. We also review targeted delivery strategies and introduce a systematic targeted drug delivery strategy to overcome the challenges.

  13. Infiltrating Mast Cells Correlate with Angiogenesis in Bone Metastases from Gastric Cancer Patients

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    Michele Ammendola

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available While gastric cancer is a well established angiogenesis driven tumor, no data has been published regarding angiogenesis stimulated by mast cells (MCs positive for tryptase in bone metastases from gastric cancer patients (BMGCP. It is well established that MCs play a role in immune responses and more recently it was demonstrated that MCs have been involved in tumor angiogenesis. We analyzed infiltrating MCs and neovascularization in BMGCP diagnosed by histology. A series of 15 stage T3-4N2-3M1 (by AJCC for Gastric Cancer Staging 7th Edition BMGCP from bone biopsies were selected. Tumour tissue samples were evaluated by mean of immunohistochemistry and image analysis methods in terms of MCs density positive to tryptase (MCDPT, MCs area positive to tryptase (MCAPT, microvascular density (MVD and endothelial area (EA. A significant correlation between MCDPT, MCAPT, MVD and EA groups to each other was found by Pearson and t-test analysis (r ranged from 0.68 to 0.82; p-value ranged from 0.00 to 0.02. Our very preliminary data suggest that infiltrating MCs positive for tryptase may play a role in BMGCP angiogenesis, and could be further evaluated as a novel target of anti-angiogenic therapy.

  14. Association of preoperative radiation effect with tumor angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shintani, Satoru; Kiyota, Akihisa; Mihara, Mariko; Nakahara, Yuuji; Terakado, Nagaaki; Ueyama, Yoshiya; Matsumura, Tomohiro

    2000-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between tumor angiogenesis and the radiation-induced response, evaluated based on pathological changes, in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with preoperative radiation therapy. Forty-one cases of squamous cell carcinoma treated with preoperative radiation therapy were investigated. Tumor angiogenesis was assessed by scoring the intratumor microvessel density (IMVD). Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was also evaluated before and after preoperative radiotherapy. There was no correlation between IMVD in the specimens before therapy and the pathological response to radiation therapy. However, radiation therapy decreased IMVD in the specimens after therapy. A significant association was observed between VEGF expression and resistance to radiation therapy: only 4 of the 21 patients whose tumors exhibited a high level (2+ or 3+) of VEGF staining experienced a major (3+ or 4+) pathological response to radiation therapy. Furthermore, an increasing level of VEGF expression after radiation therapy was observed in non-effective (0 to 2+) response cases. These results suggest that VEGF expression and the induction of this protein are related to radiosensitivity and could be used to predict the effects of preoperative radiation therapy on oral squamous cell carcinoma. (author)

  15. Function of miR-146a-5p in Tumor Cells As a Regulatory Switch between Cell Death and Angiogenesis: Macrophage Therapy Revisited

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    Elina Simanovich

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumors survive and progress by evading killing mechanisms of the immune system, and by generating a tumor microenvironment (TME that reprograms macrophages in situ to produce factors that support tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. We have previously shown that by blocking the translation of the enzyme inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, miR-146a-5p inhibits nitric oxide (NO production in a mouse renal carcinoma cell line (RENCA, thereby endowing RENCA cells with resistance to macrophage-induced cell death. Here, we expand these findings to the mouse colon carcinoma CT26 cell line and demonstrate that neutralizing miR-146a-5p’s activity by transfecting both RENCA and CT26 cells with its antagomir restored iNOS expression and NO production and enhanced susceptibility to macrophage-induced cell death (by 48 and 25%, respectively, p < 0.001. Moreover, miR-146a-5p suppression simultaneously inhibited the expression of the pro-angiogenic protein EMMPRIN (threefolds, p < 0.001, leading to reduced MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion (twofolds and threefolds, respectively, p < 0.05, and reduced angiogenesis, as estimated by in vitro tube formation and scratch assays. When we injected tumors with pro-inflammatory-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages together with i.v. injection of the miR-146a-5p antagomir, we found inhibited tumor growth (sixfolds, p < 0.001 and angiogenesis (twofolds, p < 0.01, and increased apoptosis (twofolds, p < 0.01. This combination therapy increased nitrites and reduced TGFβ concentrations in tumor lysates, alleviated immune suppression, and allowed enhanced infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Thus, miR-146a-5p functions as a control switch between angiogenesis and cell death, and its neutralization can manipulate the crosstalk between tumor cells and macrophages and profoundly change the TME. This strategy can be therapeutically utilized in combination with the macrophage

  16. Targeting the tumor microenvironment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kenny, P.A.; Lee, G.Y.; Bissell, M.J.

    2006-11-07

    Despite some notable successes cancer remains, for the most part, a seemingly intractable problem. There is, however, a growing appreciation that targeting the tumor epithelium in isolation is not sufficient as there is an intricate mutually sustaining synergy between the tumor epithelial cells and their surrounding stroma. As the details of this dialogue emerge, new therapeutic targets have been proposed. The FDA has already approved drugs targeting microenvironmental components such as VEGF and aromatase and many more agents are in the pipeline. In this article, we describe some of the 'druggable' targets and processes within the tumor microenvironment and review the approaches being taken to disrupt these interactions.

  17. Molecular profiling of angiogenesis in hypericin mediated photodynamic therapy

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    Ali Seyed M

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT involves the administration of a tumor-localizing photosensitizing drug, which is activated by light of specific wavelength in the presence of molecular oxygen thus generating reactive oxygen species that is toxic to the tumor cells. PDT selectively destroys photosensitized tissue leading to various cellular and molecular responses. The present study was designed to examine the angiogenic responses at short (0.5 h and long (6 h drug light interval (DLI hypericin-PDT (HY-PDT treatment at 24 h and 30 days post treatment in a human bladder carcinoma xenograft model. As short DLI targets tumor vasculature and longer DLI induces greater cellular damage, we hypothesized a differential effect of these treatments on the expression of angiogenic factors. Results Immunohistochemistry (IHC results showed minimal CD31 stained endothelium at 24 h post short DLI PDT indicating extensive vascular damage. Angiogenic proteins such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, tumor necrosis growth factor-α (TNF-α, interferon-α (IFN-α and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF were expressed to a greater extent in cellular targeting long DLI PDT compared to vascular mediated short DLI PDT. Gene expression profiling for angiogenesis pathway demonstrated downregulation of adhesion molecules – cadherin 5, collagen alpha 1 and 3 at 24 h post treatment. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF and Ephrin-A3 (EFNA3 were upregulated in all treatment groups suggesting a possible activation of c-Met and Ephrin-Eph signaling pathways. Conclusion In conclusion, long DLI HY-PDT induces upregulation of angiogenic proteins. Differential expression of genes involved in the angiogenesis pathway was observed in the various groups treated with HY-PDT.

  18. Prognostic implication of apoptosis and angiogenesis in cervical uteri cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaghloul, Mohamed S.; El Naggar, Mervat; El Deeb, Amany; Khaled, Hussein; Mokhtar, Nadia

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: A retrospective study was performed to investigate the relationship between spontaneous apoptosis and angiogenesis uterine cervix squamous cell carcinoma patients. The prognostic value of each (and both) of these biologic parameters was also tested. Methods and Materials: The pathologic materials of 40 cervical uteri squamous cell carcinoma patients were examined and immunohistochemically stained to determine the tumor angiogenesis (tumor microvascular score), using factor VIII-related antigen, and their tumor apoptotic index (AI), using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method. Three patients were Stage I, 18 were Stage II, 15 were Stage III, and 4 were Stage IV (FIGO classification). All patients were treated with radical radiotherapy and all had follow-up for more than 2 years. Results: The mean AI was 15.1 ± 12.8, with a median of 8.3. The mean tumor microvascular score was 3 9.7 ± 14.4, with a median of 3 8. The patients' age and tumor grade did not seem to significantly affect the prognosis. On the other hand, AI and angiogenesis (tumor microvascular score) were of high prognostic significance. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate for the patients having AI above the median was 78% (confidence interval [CI] 69-87%), compared to 32% (CI 22-42%) for those having AI below the median. The DFS was 18% (CI 9-27%) for patients having an angiogenesis score above the median, while it was 86% (CI 78-94%) for those patients having a score below the median. Conclusion: Determination of both tumor microvascular score and AI can identify patients with the best prognosis of 100% DFS (with low angiogenesis score and high AI). Women with a high score and low AI had the worst prognosis (DFS = 3%, CI 1-5%). Moreover, high AI can compensate partially for the aggressive behavior of tumors showing a high rate of angiogenesis.

  19. Nitric oxide mediates angiogenesis induced in vivo by platelet-activating factor and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montrucchio, G.; Lupia, E.; de Martino, A.; Battaglia, E.; Arese, M.; Tizzani, A.; Bussolino, F.; Camussi, G.

    1997-01-01

    We evaluated the role of an endogenous production of nitric oxide (NO) in the in vitro migration of endothelial cells and in the in vivo angiogenic response elicited by platelet-activating factor (PAF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The NO synthase inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), but not its enantiomer D-NAME, prevented chemotaxis of endothelial cells induced in vitro by PAF and by TNF. The motogenic activity of TNF was also inhibited by WEB 2170, a specific PAF-receptor antagonist. In contrast, chemotaxis induced by bFGF was not prevented by L-NAME or by WEB 2170. Angiogenesis was studied in vivo in a murine model in which Matrigel was used as a vehicle for the delivery of mediators. In this model, the angiogenesis induced by PAF and TNF was inhibited by WEB 2170 and L-NAME but not by D-NAME. In contrast, angiogenesis induced by bFGF was not affected by L-NAME or by WEB 2170. TNF, but not bFGF, induced PAF synthesis within Matrigel. These results suggest that NO mediates the angiogenesis induced by PAF as well as that induced by TNF, which is dependent on the production of PAF. In contrast, the angiogenic effect of bFGF appears to be both PAF and NO independent. Images Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:9250168

  20. Synthesis and Bioevaluation of Iodine-131 Directly Labeled Cyclic RGD-PEGylated Gold Nanorods for Tumor-Targeted Imaging

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    Yingying Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Radiolabeled gold nanoparticles play an important role in biomedical application. The aim of this study was to prepare iodine-131 (131I-labeled gold nanorods (GNRs conjugated with cyclic RGD and evaluate its biological characteristics for targeted imaging of integrin αvβ3-expressing tumors. Methods. HS-PEG(5000-COOH molecules were applied to replace CTAB covering the surface of bare GNRs for better biocompatibility, and c(RGDfK peptides were conjugated onto the carboxyl terminal of GNR-PEG-COOH via EDC/NHS coupling reactions. The nanoconjugate was characterized, and 131I was directly tagged on the surface of GNRs via AuI bonds for SPECT/CT imaging. We preliminarily studied the characteristics of the probe and its feasibility for tumor-targeting SPECT/CT imaging. Results. The [131I]GNR-PEG-cRGD probe was prepared in a simple and rapid manner and was stable in both PBS and fetal bovine serum. It targeted selectively and could be taken up by tumor cells mainly via integrin αvβ3-receptor-mediated endocytosis. In vivo imaging, biodistribution, and autoradiography results showed evident tumor uptake in integrin αvβ3-expressing tumors. Conclusions. These promising results showed that this smart nanoprobe can be used for angiogenesis-targeted SPECT/CT imaging. Furthermore, the nanoprobe possesses a remarkable capacity for highly efficient photothermal conversion in the near-infrared region, suggesting its potential as a multifunctional theranostic agent.

  1. Role of Catecholamine in Tumor Angiogenesis Linked to Capacitance Relaxation Phenomenon

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    Guangyue SHI

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The present paper deals with the CgA level during metastasis linked with Capacitance relaxation phenomenon in cancer cell. CgA co-stored and correlated by exocytosis with catecholamines is a precursor to peptides that exert feedback regulatory control on catecholamine secretion. It is to be noted that CgA was the most sensitive marker for detecting patients with tumor angiogenesis. The progressive rise in CgA increases with the tumor size and this fact has been correlated with the Capacitance relaxation phenomenon (T. K. Basak, US patent No. 5691178, 1997 in different stages. The experimental results of Capacitance relaxation phenomenon were given as inputs to a model for correlation with the CgA level. This model is a control system model, the output of which is the CgA level. It is to be noted that the model is simulated in MATLAB. The expression of tumorogenisis in prostate and liver is also linked to Capacitance relaxation phenomenon in respect of its correlation with the CgA level.

  2. Cooperation of Indian Hedgehog and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Tumor Angiogenesis and Growth in Human Hepatocellular Carcinomas, an Immunohistochemical Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yang; Liu, Yang; Wang, Guangxi; Wang, Yuxiang; Guo, Limei

    2018-04-07

    The Hedgehog pathway was recently shown to be involved in vascular development and neovascularization in human embryogenesis and disease. However, the role of Hedgehog pathway in modulating tumor angiogenesis is still unexplored. In the current study, we investigated the expression of Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with immunohistochemical staining and compared the immunoreaction data with various clinicopathologic characteristics. Immunoreactivity of Ihh and VEGF proteins was observed in 61.5% (56/91) and 64.5% (59/91) cases of HCC tumor tissues, respectively, which was considerably higher than the adjacent nonmalignant tissues. Ihh protein was observed predominantly in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells with a staining pattern of which was sparse and dot-like, or circular around the cell membrane. VEGF protein was expressed heterogenously in the cytoplasm in tumor cells and was negative in peritumoral areas in all cases. CD34 showed diffuse staining in the tumor parenchyma in most HCC specimens. The association of expression of Ihh and VEGF with tumor size was statistically significant (PIhh and VEGF proteins in HCC (r=0.6, PIhh and CD34 staining (r=0.261, P=0.012). Our findings suggest that Ihh is involved in the development of HCC. These findings are also consistent with the concept that cooperation of Ihh and VEGF modulate HCC tumor angiogenesis and growth.

  3. Pericyte-targeting drug delivery and tissue engineering

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    Kang E

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Eunah Kang,1 Jong Wook Shin2 1School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, 2Division of Allergic and Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, South Korea Abstract: Pericytes are contractile mural cells that wrap around the endothelial cells of capillaries and venules. Depending on the triggers by cellular signals, pericytes have specific functionality in tumor microenvironments, properties of potent stem cells, and plasticity in cellular pathology. These features of pericytes can be activated for the promotion or reduction of angiogenesis. Frontier studies have exploited pericyte-targeting drug delivery, using pericyte-specific peptides, small molecules, and DNA in tumor therapy. Moreover, the communication between pericytes and endothelial cells has been applied to the induction of vessel neoformation in tissue engineering. Pericytes may prove to be a novel target for tumor therapy and tissue engineering. The present paper specifically reviews pericyte-specific drug delivery and tissue engineering, allowing insight into the emerging research targeting pericytes. Keywords: pericytes, pericyte-targeting drug delivery, tissue engineering, platelet-derived growth factor, angiogenesis, vascular remodeling

  4. Novel VEGF decoy receptor fusion protein conbercept targeting multiple VEGF isoforms provide remarkable anti-angiogenesis effect in vivo.

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    Qin Wang

    Full Text Available VEGF family factors are known to be the principal stimulators of abnormal angiogenesis, which play a fundamental role in tumor and various ocular diseases. Inhibition of VEGF is widely applied in antiangiogenic therapy. Conbercept is a novel decoy receptor protein constructed by fusing VEGF receptor 1 and VEGF receptor 2 extracellular domains with the Fc region of human immunoglobulin. In this study, we systematically evaluated the binding affinity of conbercept with VEGF isoforms and PlGF by using anti-VEGF antibody (Avastin as reference. BIACORE and ELISA assay results indicated that conbercept could bind different VEGF-A isoforms with higher affinity than reference. Furthermore, conbercept could also bind VEGF-B and PlGF, whereas Avastin showed no binding. Oxygen-induced retinopathy model showed that conbercept could inhibit the formation of neovasularizations. In tumor-bearing nude mice, conbercept could also suppress tumor growth very effectively in vivo. Overall, our study have demonstrated that conbercept could bind with high affinity to multiple VEGF isoforms and consequently provide remarkable anti-angiogenic effect, suggesting the possibility to treat angiogenesis-related diseases such as cancer and wet AMD etc.

  5. Overexpression of inhibitor of DNA-binding (ID)-1 protein related to angiogenesis in tumor advancement of ovarian cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maw, Min Khine; Fujimoto, Jiro; Tamaya, Teruhiko

    2009-01-01

    The inhibitor of DNA-binding (ID) has been involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. This prompted us to study ID functions in tumor advancement of ovarian cancers. Sixty patients underwent surgery for ovarian cancers. In ovarian cancers, the levels of ID-1, ID-2 and ID-3 mRNAs were determined by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The histoscore with the localization of ID-1 was determined by immunohistochemistry. Patient prognosis was analyzed with a 36-month survival rate. Microvessel counts were determined by immunohistochemistry for CD34 and factor VIII-related antigen. ID-1 histoscores and mRNA levels both significantly (p < 0.001) increased in ovarian cancers according to clinical stage, regardless of histopathological type. Furthermore, 30 patients with high ID-1 expression had a lower survival rate (53%) compared to patients with low ID-1 expression (80%). ID-1 histoscores and mRNA levels significantly (p < 0.0001) correlated with microvessel counts in ovarian cancers. ID-1 increased in ovarian cancer cells during tumor progression. Moreover, ID-1 expression levels correlated with microvessel counts. Therefore, ID-1 might work on tumor advancement via angiogenesis and is considered to be a candidate for a prognostic indicator in ovarian cancers

  6. Silencing cathepsin S gene expression inhibits growth, invasion and angiogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Qi; Wang, Xuedi; Zhang, Hanguang; Li, Chuanwei; Fan, Junhua; Xu, Jing

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cat S is highly expressed in HCC cells with high metastatic potential. ► Knockdown of Cat S inhibits growth and invasion of HCC cells. ► Knockdown of Cat S inhibits HCC-associated angiogenesis. ► Cat S might be a potential target for HCC therapy. -- Abstract: Cathepsin S (Cat S) plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis by its ability to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM). Our previous study suggested there could be a potential association between Cat S and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. The present study was designed to determine the role of Cat S in HCC cell growth, invasion and angiogenesis, using RNA interference technology. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences for the Cat S gene were synthesized and transfected into human HCC cell line MHCC97-H. The Cat S gene targeted siRNA-mediated knockdown of Cat S expression, leading to potent suppression of MHCC97-H cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis. These data suggest that Cat S might be a potential target for HCC therapy.

  7. Tumor-targeting peptides from combinatorial libraries*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ruiwu; Li, Xiaocen; Xiao, Wenwu; Lam, Kit S.

    2018-01-01

    Cancer is one of the major and leading causes of death worldwide. Two of the greatest challenges infighting cancer are early detection and effective treatments with no or minimum side effects. Widespread use of targeted therapies and molecular imaging in clinics requires high affinity, tumor-specific agents as effective targeting vehicles to deliver therapeutics and imaging probes to the primary or metastatic tumor sites. Combinatorial libraries such as phage-display and one-bead one-compound (OBOC) peptide libraries are powerful approaches in discovering tumor-targeting peptides. This review gives an overview of different combinatorial library technologies that have been used for the discovery of tumor-targeting peptides. Examples of tumor-targeting peptides identified from each combinatorial library method will be discussed. Published tumor-targeting peptide ligands and their applications will also be summarized by the combinatorial library methods and their corresponding binding receptors. PMID:27210583

  8. Celecoxib decreases growth and angiogenesis and promotes apoptosis in a tumor cell line resistant to chemotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Rosas

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: During the last few years it has been shown in several laboratories that Celecoxib (Cx, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAID normally used for pain and arthritis, mediates antitumor and antiangiogenic effects. However, the effects of this drug on a tumor cell line resistant to chemotherapeutical drugs used in cancer have not been described. Herein we evaluate the angiogenic and antitumor effects of Cx in the development of a drug-resistant mammary adenocarcinoma tumor (TA3-MTXR. RESULTS: Cx reduces angiogenesis in the chick embryonic chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM, inhibits the growth and microvascular density of the murine TA3-MTXR tumor, reduces microvascular density of tumor metastases, promotes apoptosis and reduces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF production and cell proliferation in the tumor. CONCLUSION: The antiangiogenic and antitumor Cx effects correlate with its activity on other tumor cell lines, suggesting that Prostaglandins (PGs and VEGF production are involved. These results open the possibility of using Celecoxib combined with other experimental therapies, ideally aiming to get synergic effects.

  9. miR-204 inhibits angiogenesis and promotes sensitivity to cetuximab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells by blocking JAK2-STAT3 signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Qingwei; Zhao, Yingying; Wang, Peihua

    2018-03-01

    This study aims to investigate the roles of miR-204 in tumor angiogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we found that miR-204 level was reduced in HNSCC tissues relative to that in normal adjacent tissues. Overexpression of miR-204 promoted tumor angiogenesis in HNSCC cells. Mechanistically, JAK2 was identified as a direct target of miR-204, and miR-204 overexpression blocked JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Moreover, overexpression of JAK2 attenuated the inhibition of miR-204 on tumor angiogenesis of HNSCC. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-204 enhanced sensitivity of cetuximab in HNSCC cells, this effect was attenuated by JAK2 overexpression too. Importantly, JAK2 expression was negatively correlated with miR-204 level in HNSCC tissues. Therefore, miR-204 acts as a tumor suppressor by blocking JAK2/STAT3 pathway in HNSCC cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Ovarian cancer stem-like cells differentiate into endothelial cells and participate in tumor angiogenesis through autocrine CCL5 signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Shu; Xiang, Tong; Huang, Shuo; Zhou, Jie; Wang, Zhongyu; Xie, Rongkai; Long, Haixia; Zhu, Bo

    2016-06-28

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are well known for their self-regeneration and tumorigenesis potential. In addition, the multi-differentiation potential of CSCs has become a popular issue and continues to attract increased research attention. Recent studies demonstrated that CSCs are able to differentiate into functional endothelial cells and participate in tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we found that ovarian cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) activate the NF-κB and STAT3 signal pathways through autocrine CCL5 signaling and mediate their own differentiation into endothelial cells (ECs). Our data demonstrate that CSLCs differentiate into ECs morphologically and functionally. Anti-CCL5 antibodies and CCL5-shRNA lead to markedly inhibit EC differentiation and the tube formation of CSLCs, both in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant human-CCL5 significantly promotes ovarian CSLCs that differentiate into ECs and form microtube network. The CCL5-mediated EC differentiation of CSLCs depends on binding to receptors, such as CCR1, CCR3, and CCR5. The results demonstrated that CCL5-CCR1/CCR3/CCR5 activates the NF-κB and STAT3 signal pathways, subsequently mediating the differentiation of CSLCs into ECs. Therefore, this study was conducted based on the theory that CSCs improve tumor angiogenesis and provides a novel strategy for anti-angiogenesis in ovarian cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Regulation of survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of tumor cells through modulation of inflammatory pathways by nutraceuticals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Subash C.; Kim, Ji Hye; Prasad, Sahdeo

    2010-01-01

    Almost 25 centuries ago, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, proclaimed “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Exploring the association between diet and health continues today. For example, we now know that as many as 35% of all cancers can be prevented by dietary changes. Carcinogenesis is a multistep process involving the transformation, survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of the tumor and may take up to 30 years. The pathways associated with this process have been linked to chronic inflammation, a major mediator of tumor progression. The human body consists of about 13 trillion cells, almost all of which are turned over within 100 days, indicating that 70,000 cells undergo apoptosis every minute. Thus, apoptosis/cell death is a normal physiological process, and it is rare that a lack of apoptosis kills the patient. Almost 90% of all deaths due to cancer are linked to metastasis of the tumor. How our diet can prevent cancer is the focus of this review. Specifically, we will discuss how nutraceuticals, such as allicin, apigenin, berberine, butein, caffeic acid, capsaicin, catechin gallate, celastrol, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, fisetin, flavopiridol, gambogic acid, genistein, plumbagin, quercetin, resveratrol, sanguinarine, silibinin, sulforaphane, taxol, γ-tocotrienol, and zerumbone, derived from spices, legumes, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, can modulate inflammatory pathways and thus affect the survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of the tumor. Various cell signaling pathways that are modulated by these agents will also be discussed. PMID:20737283

  12. A Novel Tumor Antigen and Foxp3 Dual Targeting Tumor Cell Vaccine Enhances the Immunotherapy in a Murine Model of Renal Cell Carcinoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    MDSCs facilitate tumor progression by impairing T-cell and natural killer (NK)–cell activation (9) and by modulating angiogenesis. Preclinical data...tasquinimod. Left, tumor growth curves by serial calipermeasurements. Right, tumor weights at the endpoint. B, mice were inoculated s.c. with B16...25 mg/kg) was given as daily i.v. injections on days 3 to 6. Left, tumor growth curves by serial caliper measurements. Right, end-of-treatment tumor

  13. Hypoxia promotes tumor growth in linking angiogenesis to immune escape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salem eCHOUAIB

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Despite the impressive progress over the past decade, in the field of tumor immunology, such as the identification of tumor antigens and antigenic peptides as potential targets, there are still many obstacles in eliciting an effective immune response to eradicate cancer. It has become increasingly clear that tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in the control of immune protection and contains many overlapping mechanisms to evade antigen specific immunotherapy. Obviously, tumors have evolved to utilize hypoxic stress to their own advantage by activating key biochemical and cellular pathways that are important in progression, survival and metastasis. Among the hypoxia-induced genes, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF play a determinant role in promoting tumor cell growth and survival. In this regard, hypoxia is emerging as an attractive target for cancer therapy. How the microenvironmental hypoxia poses both obstacles and opportunities for new therapeutic immune interventions will be discussed.

  14. Tetrandrine Suppresses Cancer Angiogenesis and Metastasis in 4T1 Tumor Bearing Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian-Li Gao

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Metastasis remains the most deadly aspect of cancer and still evades direct treatment. Thus, there is a great need to develop new treatment regimens to suppress tumor cells that have escaped surgical removal or that may have already disseminated. We have found that tetrandrine (TET exhibits anticolon cancer activity. Here, we investigate the inhibition effect of TET to breast cancer metastasis, angiogenesis and its molecular basis underlying TET’s anticancer activity. We compare TET with chemotherapy drug doxorubicin in 4T1 tumor bearing BALB/c mice model and find that TET exhibits an anticancer metastatic and antiangiogenic activities better than those of doxorubicin. The lung metastatic sites were decreased by TET, which is confirmed by bioluminescence imaging in vivo. On the other hand, laser doppler perfusion imaging (LDI was used for measuring the blood flow of tumor in 4T1-tumor bearing mice. As a result, the local blood perfusion of tumor was markedly decreased by TET after 3 weeks. Mechanistically, TET treatment leads to a decrease in p-ERK level and an increase in NF-κB levels in HUVECs. TET also regulated metastatic and angiogenic related proteins, including vascular endothelial growth factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, integrin β5, endothelial cell specific molecule-1, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in vivo.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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

  16. Tumor targeting with radiolabeled alpha(v)beta(3) integrin binding peptides in a nude mouse model.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, M.L.H.; Oyen, W.J.G.; Dijkgraaf, I.; Massuger, L.F.A.G.; Frielink, C.; Edwards, D.S.; Rajopadhye, M.; Boonstra, H.; Corstens, F.H.M.; Boerman, O.C.

    2002-01-01

    The alpha(v)beta(3) integrin is expressed on proliferating endothelial cells such as those present in growing tumors, as well as on tumor cells of various origin. Tumor-induced angiogenesis can be blocked in vivo by antagonizing the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin with small peptides containing the

  17. Radiolabeling of VEGF165 with 99mTc to evaluate VEGFR expression in tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galli, Filippo; Artico, Marco; Taurone, Samanta; Manni, Isabella; Bianchi, Enrica; Piaggio, Giulia; Weintraub, Bruce D; Szkudlinski, Mariusz W; Agostinelli, Enzo; Dierckx, Rudi A J O; Signore, Alberto

    2017-06-01

    Angiogenesis is the main process responsible for tumor growth and metastatization. The principal effector of such mechanism is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secreted by cancer cells and other components of tumor microenvironment. Radiolabeled VEGF analogues may provide a useful tool to noninvasively image tumor lesions and evaluate the efficacy of anti-angiogenic drugs that block the VEGFR pathway. Aim of the present study was to radiolabel the human VEGF165 analogue with 99mTechnetium (99mTc) and to evaluate the expression of VEGFR in both cancer and endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment. 99mTc-VEGF showed in vitro binding to HUVEC cells and in vivo to xenograft tumors in mice (ARO, K1 and HT29). By comparing in vivo data with immunohistochemical analysis of excised tumors we found an inverse correlation between 99mTc-VEGF165 uptake and VEGF histologically detected, but a positive correlation with VEGF receptor expression (VEGFR1). Results of our studies indicate that endogenous VEGF production by cancer cells and other cells of tumor microenvironment should be taken in consideration when performing scintigraphy with radiolabeled VEGF, because of possible false negative results due to saturation of VEGFRs.

  18. Tie2-expressing monocytes (TEMs): novel targets and vehicles of anticancer therapy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Palma, Michele; Naldini, Luigi

    2009-08-01

    There is a growing interest in understanding the complex interactions between bone marrow-derived myeloid-lineage cells and angiogenesis in tumors. Such interest has been revived recently by the observation that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells convey proangiogenic programs that can counteract the activity of antiangiogenic drugs in mouse tumor models. Among myeloid cells, Tie2-expressing monocytes (TEMs) appear to have nonredundant function in promoting tumor angiogenesis and growth in mouse models. The identification and functional characterization of TEMs in mice and humans may provide novel molecular targets for anticancer therapy. Moreover, TEMs may be exploited to deliver antitumor drugs specifically to the tumor microenvironment.

  19. Platelet-derived growth factor-DD targeting arrests pathological angiogenesis by modulating glycogen synthase kinase-3beta phosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Anil; Hou, Xu; Lee, Chunsik; Li, Yang; Maminishkis, Arvydas; Tang, Zhongshu; Zhang, Fan; Langer, Harald F; Arjunan, Pachiappan; Dong, Lijin; Wu, Zhijian; Zhu, Linda Y; Wang, Lianchun; Min, Wang; Colosi, Peter; Chavakis, Triantafyllos; Li, Xuri

    2010-05-14

    Platelet-derived growth factor-DD (PDGF-DD) is a recently discovered member of the PDGF family. The role of PDGF-DD in pathological angiogenesis and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, using different animal models, we showed that PDGF-DD expression was up-regulated during pathological angiogenesis, and inhibition of PDGF-DD suppressed both choroidal and retinal neovascularization. We also demonstrated a novel mechanism mediating the function of PDGF-DD. PDGF-DD induced glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3beta) Ser(9) phosphorylation and Tyr(216) dephosphorylation in vitro and in vivo, leading to increased cell survival. Consistently, GSK3beta activity was required for the antiangiogenic effect of PDGF-DD targeting. Moreover, PDGF-DD regulated the expression of GSK3beta and many other genes important for angiogenesis and apoptosis. Thus, we identified PDGF-DD as an important target gene for antiangiogenic therapy due to its pleiotropic effects on vascular and non-vascular cells. PDGF-DD inhibition may offer new therapeutic options to treat neovascular diseases.

  20. Sindbis Virus-Pseudotyped Lentiviral Vectors Carrying VEGFR2-Specific Nanobody for Potential Transductional Targeting of Tumor Vasculature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahani, Roshank; Roohvand, Farzin; Cohan, Reza Ahangari; Etemadzadeh, Mohammad Hossein; Mohajel, Nasir; Behdani, Mahdi; Shahosseini, Zahra; Madani, Navid; Azadmanesh, Kayhan

    2016-11-01

    Introduction of selectivity/specificity into viral-based gene delivery systems, such as lentiviral vectors (LVs), is crucial in their systemic administration for cancer gene therapy. The pivotal role of tumor-associated endothelial cells (TAECs) in tumor angiogenesis and overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2 or KDR) in TAECs makes them a potent target in cancer treatment. Herein, we report the development of VEGFR2-targeted LVs pseudotyped with chimeric sindbis virus E2 glycoprotein (cSVE2s). For this purpose, either sequence of a VEGFR2-specific nanobody or its natural ligand (VEGF 121 ) was inserted into the binding site of sindbis virus E2 glycoprotein. In silico modeling data suggested that the inserted targeting motifs were exposed in the context of cSVE2s. Western blot analysis of LVs indicated the incorporation of cSVE2s into viral particles. Capture ELISA demonstrated the specificity/functionality of the incorporated cSVE2s. Transduction of 293/KDR (expressing VEGFR2) or 293T cells (negative control) by constructed LVs followed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometric analyses indicated selective transduction of 293/KDR cells (30 %) by both targeting motifs compared to 293T control cells (1-2 %). These results implied similar targeting properties of VEGFR2-specific nanobody compared to the VEGF 121 and indicated the potential for transductional targeting of tumor vasculature by the nanobody displaying LVs.

  1. Prostate tumor-induced angiogenesis is blocked by exosomes derived from menstrual stem cells through the inhibition of reactive oxygen species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alcayaga-Miranda, Francisca; González, Paz L.; Lopez-Verrilli, Alejandra; Varas-Godoy, Manuel; Aguila-Díaz, Carolina; Contreras, Luis; Khoury, Maroun

    2016-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) secrete exosomes that are capable of modifying the tumor environment through different mechanisms including changes in the cancer-cell secretome. This activity depends on their cargo content that is largely defined by their cellular origin. Endometrial cells are fine regulators of the angiogenic process during the menstrual cycle that includes an angiostatic condition that is associated with the end of the cycle. Hence, we studied the angiogenic activity of menstrual stem cells (MenSCs)-secreted exosomes on prostate PC3 tumor cells. Our results showed that exosomes induce a reduction in VEGF secretion and NF-κB activity. Lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in exosomes-treated cells was detected by the DCF method, suggesting that the inhibition of the intracellular ROS impacts both NF-κB and VEGF pathways. We confirmed using tubule formation and plug transplantation assays that MenSCs-exosomes suppress the secretion of pro-angiogenic factors by the PC3 cells in a ROS-dependent manner. The inhibition of the tumor angiogenesis and, consequently, the tumor growth was also confirmed using a xenograft mouse model. Additionally, the anti-tumoral effect was associated with a reduction of tumor hemoglobin content, vascular density and inhibition of VEGF and HIF-1α expression. Importantly, we demonstrate that the exosomes anti-angiogenic effect is specific to the menstrual cell source, as bone marrow MSCs-derived exosomes showed an opposite effect on the VEGF and bFGF expression in tumor cells. Altogether, our results indicate that MenSCs-derived exosomes acts as blockers of the tumor-induced angiogenesis and therefore could be suitable for anti-cancer therapies. PMID:27286448

  2. Initiative action of tumor-associated macrophage during tumor metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saroj Singh

    2017-06-01

    In this review article, we present an overview of mechanisms responsible for TAMs recruitment and highlight the roles of TAMs in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, immunosuppression, and chemotherapeutic resistance. We describe the interplay between Th17 cells and other immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and we assess both the potential antitumorigenic and pro-tumorigenic activities of Th17 cells and their associated cytokines. Understanding the nature of Th17 cell responses in the tumor microenvironment will be important for the design of more efficacious cancer immunotherapies. Finally, we discuss TAM-targeting therapy as a promising novel strategy for an indirect cancer therapy.

  3. ANGIOGENESIS INHIBITORS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimiliano Berretta

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Angiogenesis inhibitors have become an important therapeutic approach in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC patients. The achievement of Sorafenib in prolonging overall survival of patients with HCC makes therapeutic inhibition of angiogenesis a fundamental element of the treatment of HCC. Considering the heterogeneous aspects of HCC and to enhance therapeutic efficacy, overcome drug resistance and reduce toxicity, the combination of antiangiogenic drugs with antiblastic chemotherapy (AC, radiotherapy or other targeted drugs have been evaluated. The issue is further complicated by the combination of antiangiogenesis with other AC or biologic drugs. To date, there is no planned approach to determine which patients are more responsive to a given type of antiangiogenic treatment. Conclusion: Large investments in the clinical research are essential to improve treatment response and minimize toxicities for patients with HCC. Future investigations will need to focus on utilizing patterns of genetic information to classify HCC into groups that display similar prognosis and treatment sensitivity, and combining targeted therapies with AC producing enhanced anti-tumor effect. In this review the current panel of available antiangiogenic therapies for the treatment of HCC have been analyzed. In addition current clinical trials are also reported herein.

  4. Transforming growth factor β-regulated microRNA-29a promotes angiogenesis through targeting the phosphatase and tensin homolog in endothelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jun; Wang, Youliang; Wang, Yu; Ma, Ying; Lan, Yu; Yang, Xiao

    2013-04-12

    The TGF-β pathway plays an important role in physiological and pathological angiogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of 18- to 25-nucleotide, small, noncoding RNAs that function by regulating gene expression. A number of miRNAs have been found to be regulated by the TGF-β pathway. However, the role of endothelial miRNAs in the TGF-β-mediated control of angiogenesis is still largely unknown. Here we investigated the regulation of endothelial microRNA-29a (miR-29a) by TGF-β signaling and the potential role of miR-29a in angiogenesis. MiR-29a was directly up-regulated by TGF-β/Smad4 signaling in human and mice endothelial cells. In a chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, miR-29a overexpression promoted the formation of new blood vessels, and miR-29a suppression completely blocked TGF-β1-stimulated angiogenesis. Consistently, miR-29a overexpression increased tube formation and migration in endothelial cultures. Mechanistically, miR-29a directly targeted the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in endothelial cells, leading to activation of the AKT pathway. PTEN knockdown recapitulated the role of miR-29a in endothelial migration, whereas AKT inhibition completely attenuated the stimulating role of miR-29a in angiogenesis. Taken together, these results reveal a crucial role of a TGF-β-regulated miRNA in promoting angiogenesis by targeting PTEN to stimulate AKT activity.

  5. Therapeutic Targeting of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibits Tumor Growth and Intraperitoneal Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinar Kanlikilicer

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite substantial improvements in the treatment strategies, ovarian cancer is still the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Identification of drug treatable therapeutic targets and their safe and effective targeting is critical to improve patient survival in ovarian cancer. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK has been proposed to be an important therapeutic target for metastatic and advanced-stage human ovarian cancer. We found that AXL-RTK expression is associated with significantly shorter patient survival based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas patient database. To target AXL-RTK, we developed a chemically modified serum nuclease-stable AXL aptamer (AXL-APTAMER, and we evaluated its in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity using in vitro assays as well as two intraperitoneal animal models. AXL-aptamer treatment inhibited the phosphorylation and the activity of AXL, impaired the migration and invasion ability of ovarian cancer cells, and led to the inhibition of tumor growth and number of intraperitoneal metastatic nodules, which was associated with the inhibition of AXL activity and angiogenesis in tumors. When combined with paclitaxel, in vivo systemic (intravenous [i.v.] administration of AXL-aptamer treatment markedly enhanced the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel in mice. Taken together, our data indicate that AXL-aptamers successfully target in vivo AXL-RTK and inhibit its AXL activity and tumor growth and progression, representing a promising strategy for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

  6. M402, a novel heparan sulfate mimetic, targets multiple pathways implicated in tumor progression and metastasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    He Zhou

    Full Text Available Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs play a key role in shaping the tumor microenvironment by presenting growth factors, cytokines, and other soluble factors that are critical for host cell recruitment and activation, as well as promoting tumor progression, metastasis, and survival. M402 is a rationally engineered, non-cytotoxic heparan sulfate (HS mimetic, designed to inhibit multiple factors implicated in tumor-host cell interactions, including VEGF, FGF2, SDF-1α, P-selectin, and heparanase. A single s.c. dose of M402 effectively inhibited seeding of B16F10 murine melanoma cells to the lung in an experimental metastasis model. Fluorescent-labeled M402 demonstrated selective accumulation in the primary tumor. Immunohistological analyses of the primary tumor revealed a decrease in microvessel density in M402 treated animals, suggesting anti-angiogenesis to be one of the mechanisms involved in-vivo. M402 treatment also normalized circulating levels of myeloid derived suppressor cells in tumor bearing mice. Chronic administration of M402, alone or in combination with cisplatin or docetaxel, inhibited spontaneous metastasis and prolonged survival in an orthotopic 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma model. These data demonstrate that modulating HSPG biology represents a novel approach to target multiple factors involved in tumor progression and metastasis.

  7. Targeted therapy in the treatment of malignant gliomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rimas V Lukas

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Rimas V Lukas1, Adrienne Boire2, M Kelly Nicholas1,2 1Department of Neurology; 2Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Malignant gliomas are invasive tumors with the potential to progress through current available therapies. These tumors are characterized by a number of abnormalities in molecular signaling that play roles in tumorigenesis, spread, and survival. These pathways are being actively investigated in both the pre-clinical and clinical settings as potential targets in the treatment of malignant gliomas. We will review many of the therapies that target the cancer cell, including the epidermal growth factor receptor, mammalian target of rapamycin, histone deacetylase, and farnesyl transferase. In addition, we will discuss strategies that target the extracellular matrix in which these cells reside as well as angiogenesis, a process emerging as central to tumor development and growth. Finally, we will briefly touch on the role of neural stem cells as both potential targets as well as delivery vectors for other therapies. Interdependence between these varied pathways, both in maintaining health and in causing disease, is clear. Thus, attempts to easily classify some targeted therapies are problematic.Keywords: glioma, EGFR, mTOR, HDAC, Ras, angiogenesis

  8. Overexpression of Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase Enhances Tumor Hypoxia: An Insight into the Relationship of Hypoxia and Angiogenesis In Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vassiliki Kostourou

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available The oxygenation status of tumors derived from wild-type C6 glioma cells and clone D27 cells overexpressing dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH was assessed in vivo using a variety of direct and indirect assays of hypoxia. Clone D27 tumors exhibit a more aggressive and better-vascularized phenotype compared to wild-type C6 gliomas. Immunohistochemical analyses using the 2-nitroimidazole hypoxia marker pimonidazole, fiber optic OxyLite measurements of tumor pO2, and localized 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements of tumor bioenergetic status and pH clearly demonstrated that the D27 tumors were more hypoxic compared to C6 wild type. In the tumor extracts, only glucose concentrations were significantly lower in the D27 tumors. Elevated Glut-1 expression, a reliable functional marker for hypoxia-inducible factor-1-mediated metabolic adaptation, was observed in the D27 tumors. Together, the data show that overexpression of DDAH results in C6 gliomas that are more hypoxic compared to wild-type tumors, and point strongly to an inverse relationship of tumor oxygenation and angiogenesis in vivo-a concept now being supported by the enhanced understanding of oxygen sensing at the molecular level.

  9. Angiogenesis and Therapeutic Approaches to NF1 Tumors

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Muir, David F

    2007-01-01

    .... Invivo and in vitro models were used to firmly conclude that Nf1 haploinsufficiency in endothelial cells results inexaggerated proliferation and angiogenesis in response to key pro-angiogenic factors...

  10. Synergistic targeting of alphavbeta3 integrin and galectin-1 with heteromultivalent paramagnetic liposomes for combined MR imaging and treatment of angiogenesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kluza, E.; Schaft, van der D.W.J.; Hautvast, P.A.I.; Mulder, W.J.M.; Mayo, K.H.; Griffioen, A.W.; Strijkers, G.J.; Nicolay, K.

    2010-01-01

    Effective and specific targeting of nanoparticles is of paramount importance in the fields of targeted therapeutics and diagnostics. In the current study, we investigated the targeting efficacy of nanoparticles that were functionalized with two angiogenesis-specific targeting ligands, an avß3

  11. Periodicity in tumor vasculature targeting kinetics of ligand-functionalized nanoparticles studied by dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and intravital microscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hak, Sjoerd; Cebulla, Jana; Huuse, Else Marie

    2014-01-01

    In the past two decades advances in the development of targeted nanoparticles have facilitated their application as molecular imaging agents and targeted drug delivery vehicles. Nanoparticle-enhanced molecular imaging of the angiogenic tumor vasculature has been of particular interest. Not only...... because angiogenesis plays an important role in various pathologies, but also since endothelial cell surface receptors are directly accessible for relatively large circulating nanoparticles. Typically, nanoparticle targeting towards these receptors is studied by analyzing the contrast distribution...... kinetics. These kinetics will not only depend on nanoparticle characteristics, but also on receptor binding and recycling. In this study, we monitored the in vivo targeting kinetics of αvβ3-integrin specific nanoparticles with intravital microscopy and dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging...

  12. Capacity of wild-type and chemokine-armed parvovirus H-1PV for inhibiting neo-angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavie, Muriel; Struyf, Sofie; Stroh-Dege, Alexandra; Rommelaere, Jean; Van Damme, Jo; Dinsart, Christiane

    2013-12-01

    Anti-angiogenic therapy has been recognized as a powerful potential strategy for impeding the growth of various tumors. However no major therapeutic effects have been observed to date, mainly because of the emergence of several resistance mechanisms. Among novel strategies to target tumor vasculature, some oncolytic viruses open up new prospects. In this context, we addressed the question whether the rodent parvovirus H-1PV can target endothelial cells. We show that cultures of human normal (HUVEC) and immortalized (KS-IMM) endothelial cells sustain an abortive viral cycle upon infection with H-1PV and are sensitive to H-1PV cytotoxicity. H-1PV significantly inhibits infected KS-IMM tumor growth. This effect may be traced back by the virus ability to both kill proliferating endothelial cells and inhibit VEGF production Recombinant H-1PV vectors can also transduce tumor cells with chemokines endowed with anti-angiogenesis properties, and warrant further validation for the treatment of highly vascularized tumors. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Irradiation-induced angiogenesis is associated with an MMP-9-miR-494-syndecan-1 regulatory loop in medulloblastoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asuthkar, S; Velpula, K K; Nalla, A K; Gogineni, V R; Gondi, C S; Rao, J S

    2014-04-10

    Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) represents one of the most prominent proteins associated with tumorigenesis and is a modulator of the tumor microenvironment during angiogenesis. Recently, syndecan-1 (SDC1), a transmembrane heparan sulfate-bearing proteoglycan, was also speculated to have a critical role in contributing to angiogenesis when associated with MMP-9. However, the mechanism behind their synergistic regulation is not fully understood. In the current study, we report for the first time that ionizing radiation (IR)-induced MMP-9 enhances SDC1 shedding, corroborating to tube-inducing ability of medulloblastoma (MB) cells. Furthermore, we observed that the tumor angiogenesis is associated with higher MMP-9-SDC1 interactions on both the cell surface and extracellular medium. Our results also revealed the existence of a novel regulatory mechanism where MMP-9 drives the suppression of miR-494, resulting in enhanced SDC1 shedding and angiogenesis. From the in situ hybridization analysis, we found that MMP-9-specific shRNA (shMMP-9) treatment of mouse intracranial tumors resulted in elevated expression of miR-494. This negative correlation between MMP-9 and miR-494 levels was observed to be dependent on the methylation status of a miR-494 promoter-associated CpG island region (-186 to -20), which was confirmed by bisulfite-sequencing and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) analysis. Further, validation of MMP-9 and SDC1 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) targets with luciferase reporter assay provided a more favorable result for miR-494-mediated regulation of SDC1 but not of MMP-9, suggesting that the 3'-UTR of SDC1 mRNA is a direct target of miR-494. Overall, our results indicate that angiogenesis induced by radiotherapy is associated with an MMP-9-miR-494-SDC1 regulatory loop and that MMP-9-SDC1 activity creates a negative feedback loop by regulating the expression of miR-494.

  14. Targeted drugs in radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favaudon, V.; Hennequin, C.; Hennequin, C.

    2004-01-01

    New drugs aiming at the development of targeted therapies have been assayed in combination with ionizing radiation over the past few years. The rationale of this concept comes from the fact that the cytotoxic potential of targeted drugs is limited, thus requiring concomitant association with a cytotoxic agent for the eradication of tumor cells. Conversely a low level of cumulative toxicity is expected from targeted drugs. Most targeted drugs act through inhibition of post-translational modifications of proteins, such as dimerization of growth factor receptors, prenylation reactions, or phosphorylation of tyrosine or serine-threonine residues. Many systems involving the proteasome, neo-angiogenesis promoters, TGF-β, cyclooxygenase or the transcription factor NF-κB, are currently under investigation in hopes they will allow a control of cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, tumor angiogenesis and inflammation. A few drugs have demonstrated an antitumor potential in particular phenotypes. In most instances, however, radiation-drug interactions proved to be strictly additive in terms of cell growth inhibition or induced cell death. Strong potentiation of the response to radiotherapy is expected to require interaction with DNA repair mechanisms. (authors)

  15. Capacity of wild-type and chemokine-armed parvovirus H-1PV for inhibiting neo-angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lavie, Muriel [Tumor Virology Division, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany); Struyf, Sofie [Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, K.U. Leuven, Leuven (Belgium); Stroh-Dege, Alexandra; Rommelaere, Jean [Tumor Virology Division, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany); Van Damme, Jo [Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, K.U. Leuven, Leuven (Belgium); Dinsart, Christiane, E-mail: c.dinsart@dkfz.de [Tumor Virology Division, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Germany)

    2013-12-15

    Anti-angiogenic therapy has been recognized as a powerful potential strategy for impeding the growth of various tumors. However no major therapeutic effects have been observed to date, mainly because of the emergence of several resistance mechanisms. Among novel strategies to target tumor vasculature, some oncolytic viruses open up new prospects. In this context, we addressed the question whether the rodent parvovirus H-1PV can target endothelial cells. We show that cultures of human normal (HUVEC) and immortalized (KS-IMM) endothelial cells sustain an abortive viral cycle upon infection with H-1PV and are sensitive to H-1PV cytotoxicity. H-1PV significantly inhibits infected KS-IMM tumor growth. This effect may be traced back by the virus ability to both kill proliferating endothelial cells and inhibit VEGF production Recombinant H-1PV vectors can also transduce tumor cells with chemokines endowed with anti-angiogenesis properties, and warrant further validation for the treatment of highly vascularized tumors. - Highlights: • The oncolytic parvovirus H-1PV can target endothelial cells. • Abortive viral cycle upon infection of endothelial cells with H-1PV. • Inhibition of VEGF expression and KS-IMM tumor growth by H-1PV.

  16. Capacity of wild-type and chemokine-armed parvovirus H-1PV for inhibiting neo-angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavie, Muriel; Struyf, Sofie; Stroh-Dege, Alexandra; Rommelaere, Jean; Van Damme, Jo; Dinsart, Christiane

    2013-01-01

    Anti-angiogenic therapy has been recognized as a powerful potential strategy for impeding the growth of various tumors. However no major therapeutic effects have been observed to date, mainly because of the emergence of several resistance mechanisms. Among novel strategies to target tumor vasculature, some oncolytic viruses open up new prospects. In this context, we addressed the question whether the rodent parvovirus H-1PV can target endothelial cells. We show that cultures of human normal (HUVEC) and immortalized (KS-IMM) endothelial cells sustain an abortive viral cycle upon infection with H-1PV and are sensitive to H-1PV cytotoxicity. H-1PV significantly inhibits infected KS-IMM tumor growth. This effect may be traced back by the virus ability to both kill proliferating endothelial cells and inhibit VEGF production Recombinant H-1PV vectors can also transduce tumor cells with chemokines endowed with anti-angiogenesis properties, and warrant further validation for the treatment of highly vascularized tumors. - Highlights: • The oncolytic parvovirus H-1PV can target endothelial cells. • Abortive viral cycle upon infection of endothelial cells with H-1PV. • Inhibition of VEGF expression and KS-IMM tumor growth by H-1PV

  17. Deleted in Malignant Brain Tumors 1 is Present in the Vascular Extracellular Matrix and Promotes Angiogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Müller-Enbergs, Helmut; Hu, Jiong; Popp, Rüdiger

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 (DMBT1) belongs to the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich superfamily of proteins and is implicated in innate immunity, cell polarity, and differentiation. Here we studied the role of DMBT1 in endothelial cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: DMBT1 was secreted ...... and promote adhesion, migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis as well as vascular repair. Mechanistically, DMBT1 interacts with galectin-3 and modulates the Notch signaling pathway as well as the differential expression of ephrin-B2 and EphB4....

  18. Nobiletin Inhibits CD36-Dependent Tumor Angiogenesis, Migration, Invasion, and Sphere Formation Through the Cd36/Stat3/Nf-Κb Signaling Axis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nipin Sp

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Targeted cancer therapy with natural compounds is more effective than nontargeted therapy. Nobiletin is a flavonoid derived from citrus peel that has anticancer activity. Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36 is a member of the class B scavenger receptor family that is involved in importing fatty acids into cells. CD36 plays a role in tumor angiogenesis by binding to its ligand, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1, and then interacting with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1. CD36 is implicated in tumor metastasis through its roles in fatty acid metabolism. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying nobiletin’s anticancer activity by characterizing its interactions with CD36 as the target molecule. We hypothesize that the anti-angiogenic activity of nobiletin involving its regulation of CD36 via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3 rather than through TSP-1. Gene analysis identified a Gamma interferon activation site (GAS element in the CD36 gene promoter that acts as a STAT3 binding site, an interaction that was confirmed by ChIP assay. STAT3 interacts with nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB, suggesting that nobiletin also acts through the CD36/ (STAT3/NF-κB signaling axis. Nobiletin inhibited CD36-dependent breast cancer cell migration and invasion as well as CD36-mediated tumor sphere formation. Taken together, these results suggest that nobiletin inhibits cancer stem cells in multiple ways.

  19. Overexpression of angiopoietin 2 promotes the formation of oral squamous cell carcinoma by increasing epithelial-mesenchymal transition-induced angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, C; Li, Q; Cai, Y; He, Y; Lan, X; Wang, W; Liu, J; Wang, S; Zhu, G; Fan, J; Zhou, Y; Sun, R

    2016-09-01

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common cancer of the head and neck and is associated with a high rate of lymph node metastasis. The initial step in the metastasis and transition of tumors is epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-induced angiogenesis, which can be mediated by angiopoietin 2 (ANG2), a key regulatory factor in angiogenesis. In the present study, immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase (qRT-PCR) were used to measure the expression of ANG2 in OSCC tissues. Plasmids encoding ANG2 mRNA were used for increased ANG2 expression in the OSCC cell line TCA8113. The short interfering RNA (siRNA)-targeting ANG2 mRNA sequences were used to inhibit ANG2 expression in TCA8113 cells. Subsequently, transwell assays were performed to examine the effects of ANG2 on TCA8113 cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, in vivo assays were performed to assess the effect of ANG2 on tumor growth. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays and immunohistochemistry were used to examine cell apoptosis and angiogenesis in tumor tissues, respectively. Finally, western blot analysis was performed to evaluate tumor formation-related proteins in OSCC tissues. We found that protein expression of ANG2 was remarkably upregulated in OSCC tissues. Overexpression of ANG2 increased the migration and invasion of TCA8113 cells by regulating EMT. Further investigations showed that overexpression of ANG2 increased tumor growth in nude mice, and angiogenesis of OSCC tissues increased in the presence of ANG2 overexpression. Overexpression of ANG2 also reduced cell apoptosis in tumor tissue cells. Finally, we found that overexpression of ANG2 resulted in changes in the expression of tumor formation-related proteins including vimentin, E-cadherin, Bim, PUMA, Bcl-2, Bax, Cyclin D1, PCNA and CD31. Our findings show that ANG2 has an important role in the migration and invasion of OSCC. More importantly, further

  20. Lung cancer and angiogenesis imaging using synchrotron radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xiaoxia; Zhao Jun; Xu, Lisa X; Sun Jianqi; Gu Xiang; Liu Ping; Xiao Tiqiao

    2010-01-01

    Early detection of lung cancer is the key to a cure, but a difficult task using conventional x-ray imaging. In the present study, synchrotron radiation in-line phase-contrast imaging was used to study lung cancer. Lewis lung cancer and 4T1 breast tumor metastasis in the lung were imaged, and the differences were clearly shown in comparison to normal lung tissue. The effect of the object-detector distance and the energy level on the phase-contrast difference was investigated and found to be in good agreement with the theory of in-line phase-contrast imaging. Moreover, 3D image reconstruction of lung tumor angiogenesis was obtained for the first time using a contrast agent, demonstrating the feasibility of micro-angiography with synchrotron radiation for imaging tumor angiogenesis deep inside the body.

  1. Progresses in optimization strategy for radiolabeled molecular probes targeting integrin αvβ3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Haojun; Wu Hua

    2012-01-01

    Tumor angiogenesis is critical in the growth, invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. The integrins, which express on many types of tumor cells and activated vascular endothelial cells, play an important role in regulation of the tumor angiogenesis. RGD peptide, which contains Arg-Gly-Asp sequence, binds specifically to integrin α v β 3 . Therefore, the radiolabeled RGD peptides may have broad application prospects in radionuclide imaging and therapy. Major research interests include the selection of radionuclides, modification and improvement of RGD structures. In this article, we give a review on research progresses in optimization strategy for radiolabeled molecular probes targeting integrin α v β 3 . (authors)

  2. 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....

  3. Inhibition of prostate cancer osteoblastic progression with VEGF121/rGel, a single agent targeting osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and tumor neovasculature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamedali, Khalid A.; Li, Zhi Gang; Starbuck, Michael W.; Wan, Xinhai; Yang, Jun; Kim, Sehoon; Zhang, Wendy; Rosenblum, Michael G.; Navone, Nora M.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose A hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) progression is the development of osteoblastic bone metastases, which respond poorly to available therapies. We previously reported that VEGF121/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here we tested the hypothesis that targeting non-tumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic PCa. Experimental Design Cells from MDA PCa 118b, a PCa xenograft obtained from a bone metastasis in a patient with castrate-resistant PCa, were injected into the femurs of mice. Osteoblastic progression was monitored following systemic administration of VEGF121/rGel. Results VEGF121/rGel was cytotoxic in vitro to osteoblast precursor cells. This cytotoxicity was specific as VEGF121/rGel internalization into osteoblasts was VEGF121 receptor driven. Furthermore, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited PCa-induced bone formation in a mouse calvaria culture assay. In vivo, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited the osteoblastic progression of PCa cells in the femurs of nude mice. Microcomputed tomography analysis revealed that VEGF121/rGel restored the bone volume fraction of tumor-bearing femurs to values similar to those of the contralateral (non–tumor bearing) femurs. VEGF121/rGel significantly reduced the number of tumor-associated osteoclasts but did not change the numbers of peritumoral osteoblasts. Importantly, VEGF121/rGel-treated mice had significantly less tumor burden than control mice. Our results thus indicate that VEGF121/rGel inhibits osteoblastic tumor progression by targeting angiogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone formation. Conclusions Targeting VEGFR-1 – or VEGFR-2–expressing cells is effective in controlling the osteoblastic progression of PCa in bone. These findings provide the basis for an effective multitargeted approach for metastatic PCa. PMID:21343372

  4. WISP-3 inhibition of miR-452 promotes VEGF-A expression in chondrosarcoma cells and induces endothelial progenitor cells angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chih-Yang; Tzeng, Huey-En; Li, Te-Mao; Chen, Hsien-Te; Lee, Yi; Yang, Yi-Chen; Wang, Shih-Wei; Yang, Wei-Hung; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2017-06-13

    Chondrosarcoma is the second most prevalent general primary tumor of bone following osteosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma development may be linked to angiogenesis, which is principally elicited by vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). VEGF-A level has been recognized as a prognostic marker in angiogenesis. WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein-3 (WISP)-3/CCN6 belongs to the CCN family and is involved in regulating several cellular functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Nevertheless, the effect of WISP-3 on VEGF-A production and angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma remains largely unknown. This current study shows that WISP-3 promoted VEGF-A production and induced angiogenesis of human endothelial progenitor cells. Moreover, WISP-3-enhanced VEGF-A expression and angiogenesis involved the c-Src and p38 signaling pathways, while miR-452 expression was negatively affected by WISP-3 via the c-Src and p38 pathways. Our results illustrate the clinical significance of WISP-3, VEGF-A and miR-452 in human chondrosarcoma patients. WISP-3 may illustrate a novel therapeutic target in the metastasis and angiogenesis of chondrosarcoma.

  5. COX-2, VEGF and tumour angiogenesis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Toomey, D P

    2009-06-01

    Epidemiological evidence suggests a protective effective of regular NSAID use against developing cancer. Cyclooxygenase-2, a target of NSAIDs, is upregulated in many cancers and has been associated with increased VEGF production and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the formation of new vessels from existing vasculature and as an essential process for tumour development represents an important therapeutic target. Following an extensive review of the literature this article details the current knowledge on the role of COX-2 in tumorigenesis focusing on its relationship to angiogenesis and VEGF production by tumour cells. While COX-2 is clearly detrimental to prognosis and NSAIDs have a beneficial effect, the possibility of COX-2 independent effects being partly or wholly responsible for this benefit cannot be excluded.

  6. In situ validation of VEGFR-2 and α v ß 3 integrin as targets for breast lesion characterization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ehling, J.; Misiewicz, M.; von Stillfried, S.; Möckel, D.; Bzyl, J.; Pochon, S.; Lederle, W.; Knuechel, R.; Lammers, Twan Gerardus Gertudis Maria; Palmowski, M.; Kiessling, F.

    2016-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) and αvß3 integrin are the most frequently addressed targets in molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis. In preclinical studies, molecular imaging of angiogenesis has shown potential to detect and differentiate benign and malignant lesions of

  7. Galectin-3 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Tumors Arising from Malignant Endothelia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim D. Johnson

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Angiosarcoma (ASA in humans, hemangiosarcoma (HSA in dogs are deadly neoplastic diseases characterized by an aggressive growth of malignant cells with endothelial phenotype, widespread metastasis, poor response to chemotherapy. Galectin-3 (Gal-3, a p-galactoside-binding lectin implicated in tumor progression, metastasis, endothelial cell biology, angiogenesis, regulation of apoptosis, neoplastic cell response to cytotoxic drugs, has not been studied before in tumors arising from malignant endothelia. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Gal-3 could be widely expressed in human ASA, canine HSA, could play an important role in malignant endothelial cell biology. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that 100% of the human ASA (10 of 10, canine HSA (17 of 17 samples analyzed expressed Gal-3. Two carbohydrate-based Gal-3 inhibitors, modified citrus pectin (MCP, lactulosyl-l-leucine (LL, caused a dose-dependent reduction of SVR murine ASA cell clonogenic survival through the inhibition of Gal-3 antiapoptotic function. Furthermore, both MCP, LL sensitized SVR cells to the cytotoxic drug doxorubicin to a degree sufficient to reduce the in vitro IC50 of doxorubicin by 10.7-fold, 3.64old, respectively. These results highlight the important role of Gal-3 in the biology of ASA, identify Gal-3 as a potential therapeutic target in tumors arising from malignant endothelial cells.

  8. Angiogenesis in Pituitary Adenomas: Human Studies and New Mutant Mouse Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Cristina

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The role of angiogenesis in pituitary tumor development has been questioned, as pituitary tumors have been usually found to be less vascularized than the normal pituitary tissue. Nevertheless, a significantly higher degree of vasculature has been shown in invasive or macropituitary prolactinomas when compared to noninvasive and microprolactinomas. Many growth factors and their receptors are involved in pituitary tumor development. For example, VEGF, FGF-2, FGFR1, and PTTG, which give a particular vascular phenotype, are modified in human and experimental pituitary adenomas of different histotypes. In particular, vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF, the central mediator of angiogenesis in endocrine glands, was encountered in experimental and human pituitary tumors at different levels of expression and, in particular, was higher in dopamine agonist resistant prolactinomas. Furthermore, several anti-VEGF techniques lowered tumor burden in human and experimental pituitary adenomas. Therefore, even though the role of angiogenesis in pituitary adenomas is contentious, VEGF, making permeable pituitary endothelia, might contribute to adequate temporal vascular supply and mechanisms other than endothelial cell proliferation. The study of angiogenic factor expression in aggressive prolactinomas with resistance to dopamine agonists will yield important data in the search of therapeutical alternatives.

  9. Angiogenesis in pituitary adenomas: human studies and new mutant mouse models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cristina, Carolina; Luque, Guillermina María; Demarchi, Gianina; Lopez Vicchi, Felicitas; Zubeldia-Brenner, Lautaro; Perez Millan, Maria Ines; Perrone, Sofia; Ornstein, Ana Maria; Lacau-Mengido, Isabel M; Berner, Silvia Inés; Becu-Villalobos, Damasia

    2014-01-01

    The role of angiogenesis in pituitary tumor development has been questioned, as pituitary tumors have been usually found to be less vascularized than the normal pituitary tissue. Nevertheless, a significantly higher degree of vasculature has been shown in invasive or macropituitary prolactinomas when compared to noninvasive and microprolactinomas. Many growth factors and their receptors are involved in pituitary tumor development. For example, VEGF, FGF-2, FGFR1, and PTTG, which give a particular vascular phenotype, are modified in human and experimental pituitary adenomas of different histotypes. In particular, vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF, the central mediator of angiogenesis in endocrine glands, was encountered in experimental and human pituitary tumors at different levels of expression and, in particular, was higher in dopamine agonist resistant prolactinomas. Furthermore, several anti-VEGF techniques lowered tumor burden in human and experimental pituitary adenomas. Therefore, even though the role of angiogenesis in pituitary adenomas is contentious, VEGF, making permeable pituitary endothelia, might contribute to adequate temporal vascular supply and mechanisms other than endothelial cell proliferation. The study of angiogenic factor expression in aggressive prolactinomas with resistance to dopamine agonists will yield important data in the search of therapeutical alternatives.

  10. Dimethyl phenyl piperazine iodide (DMPP) induces glioma regression by inhibiting angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Yan-qing; Li, Yan; Wang, Xiao-yu; He, Xiao-dong; Jun, Li; Chuai, Manli; Lee, Kenneth Ka Ho; Wang, Ju; Wang, Li-jing; Yang, Xuesong

    2014-01-01

    1,1-Dimethyl-4-phenyl piperazine iodide (DMPP) is a synthetic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist that could reduce airway inflammation. In this study, we demonstrated that DMPP could dramatically inhibit glioma size maintained on the chick embryonic chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). We first performed MTT and BrdU incorporation experiments on U87 glioma cells in vitro to understand the mechanism involved. We established that DMPP did not significantly affect U87 cell proliferation and survival. We speculated that DMPP directly caused the tumor to regress by affecting the vasculature in and around the implanted tumor on our chick CAM model. Hence, we conducted detailed analysis of DMPP's inhibitory effects on angiogenesis. Three vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in vivo models were used in the study which included (1) early chick blood islands formation, (2) chick yolk-sac membrane (YSW) and (3) CAM models. The results revealed that DMPP directly suppressed all developmental stages involved in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis – possibly by acting through Ang-1 and HIF-2α signaling. In sum, our results show that DMPP could induce glioma regression grown on CAM by inhibiting vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. - Highlights: ●We demonstrated that DMPP inhibited the growth of glioma cells on chick CAM. ●DMPP did not significantly affect the proliferation and survival of U87 cells. ●We revealed that DMPP suppressed vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in chick embryo. ●Angiogenesis in chick CAM was inhibited by DMPP via most probably Ang-1 and HIF-2α. ●DMPP could be potentially developed as an anti-tumor drug in the future

  11. Microarray Gene Expression Analysis of Murine Tumor Heterogeneity Defined by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nick G. Costouros

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available Current methods of studying angiogenesis are limited in their ability to serially evaluate in vivo function throughout a target tissue. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI and pharmacokinetic modeling provide a useful method for evaluating tissue vasculature based on contrast accumulation and washout. While it is often assumed that areas of high contrast enhancement and washout comprise areas of increased angiogenesis and tumor activity, the actual molecular pathways that are active in such areas are poorly understood. Using DCE-MRI in a murine subcutaneous tumor model, we were able to perform pharmacokinetic functional analysis of a tumor, coregistration of MRI images with histological cross-sections, immunohistochemistry, laser capture microdissection, and genetic profiling of tumor heterogeneity based on pharmacokinetic parameters. Using imaging as a template for biologic investigation, we have not found evidence of increased expression of proangiogenic modulators at the transcriptional level in either distinct pharmacokinetic region. Furthermore, these regions show no difference on histology and CD31 immunohistochemistry. However, the expression of ribosomal proteins was greatly increased in high enhancement and washout regions, implying increased protein translation and consequent increased cellular activity. Together, these findings point to the potential importance of posttranscriptional regulation in angiogenesis and the need for the development of angiogenesis-specific contrast agents to evaluate in vivo angiogenesis at a molecular level.

  12. Generation and characterization of an anti-delta like ligand-4 Nanobody to induce non-productive angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baharlou, Rasoul; Tajik, Nader; Habibi-Anbouhi, Mahdi; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Zarnani, Amir-Hassan; Shahhosseini, Fatemeh; Behdani, Mahdi

    2018-03-01

    Antibody-based targeting of angiogenesis is a key approach for cancer treatment. Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) plays a pivotal role in tumor neovascular development and angiogenesis during tumor progression. It forecasts the prognosis of human malignancies and blocking its signaling can help to inhibit neovascularization and tumor metastasis. Nanobodies are the smallest antigen-binding domains of heavy chain antibodies in camelidae. The aim of this study was to develop a Nanobody against DLL4 and apply binding and functional approaches to target it. In this work, a Nanobody library against human recombinant DLL4 was developed. After panning, the periplasmic-extract (PE) of individual colonies were screened through ELISA. The interactions between Nanobody and DLL4 were assessed using immunohistochemistry and FACS. The functional assessment was carried out via tube formation assay. We selected a Nanobody (3Nb3) with a high binding signal to DLL4, associated with a binding affinity of 3.6 nM. It was demonstrated that 3Nb3 binds to native DLL4 on the surface of MKN cells and gastric carcinoma tissue, and also inhibits the maturation of capillary-like structures in HUVECs. The results were indicative of the potential of Nanobody for DLL4 identification and can broaden the scope for development of cancer diagnosis and treatment techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibition of prostate cancer osteoblastic progression with VEGF121/rGel, a single agent targeting osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and tumor neovasculature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamedali, Khalid A; Li, Zhi Gang; Starbuck, Michael W; Wan, Xinhai; Yang, Jun; Kim, Sehoon; Zhang, Wendy; Rosenblum, Michael G; Navone, Nora M

    2011-04-15

    A hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) progression is the development of osteoblastic bone metastases, which respond poorly to available therapies. We previously reported that VEGF(121)/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here we tested the hypothesis that targeting nontumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic PCa. Cells from MDA PCa 118b, a PCa xenograft obtained from a bone metastasis in a patient with castrate-resistant PCa, were injected into the femurs of mice. Osteoblastic progression was monitored following systemic administration of VEGF(121)/rGel. VEGF(121)/rGel was cytotoxic in vitro to osteoblast precursor cells. This cytotoxicity was specific as VEGF(121)/rGel internalization into osteoblasts was VEGF(121) receptor driven. Furthermore, VEGF(121)/rGel significantly inhibited PCa-induced bone formation in a mouse calvaria culture assay. In vivo, VEGF(121)/rGel significantly inhibited the osteoblastic progression of PCa cells in the femurs of nude mice. Microcomputed tomographic analysis revealed that VEGF(121)/rGel restored the bone volume fraction of tumor-bearing femurs to values similar to those of the contralateral (non-tumor-bearing) femurs. VEGF(121)/rGel significantly reduced the number of tumor-associated osteoclasts but did not change the numbers of peritumoral osteoblasts. Importantly, VEGF(121)/rGel-treated mice had significantly less tumor burden than control mice. Our results thus indicate that VEGF(121)/rGel inhibits osteoblastic tumor progression by targeting angiogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone formation. Targeting VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1- or VEGFR-2-expressing cells is effective in controlling the osteoblastic progression of PCa in bone. These findings provide the basis for an effective multitargeted approach for metastatic PCa. ©2011 AACR.

  14. Angiogenesis, Cancer, and Vascular Aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junji Moriya

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Several lines of evidence have revealed that the angiogenic response to ischemic injury declines with age, which might account for the increased morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD among the elderly. While impairment of angiogenesis with aging leads to delayed wound healing or exacerbation of atherosclerotic ischemic diseases, it also inhibits the progression of cancer. Age-related changes of angiogenesis have been considered to at least partly result from vascular aging or endothelial cell senescence. There is considerable evidence supporting the hypothesis that vascular cell senescence contributes to the pathogenesis of age-related CVD, suggesting that vascular aging could be an important therapeutic target. Since therapeutic angiogenesis is now regarded as a promising concept for patients with ischemic CVD, it has become even more important to understand the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying impairment of angiogenesis in older patients. To improve the usefulness of therapeutic angiogenesis, approaches are needed that can compensate for impaired angiogenic capacity in the elderly while not promoting the development or progression of malignancy. In this review, we briefly outline the mechanisms of angiogenesis and vascular aging, followed by a description of how vascular aging leads to impairment of angiogenesis. We also examine potential therapeutic approaches that could enhance angiogenesis and/or vascular function in the elderly, as well as discussing the possibility of anti-senescence therapy or reversal of endothelial cell senescence.

  15. The Pleiotropic Role of L1CAM in Tumor Vasculature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Angiolini

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis, the formation of new vessels, is a key step in the development, invasion, and dissemination of solid tumors and, therefore, represents a viable target in the context of antitumor therapy. Indeed, antiangiogenic approaches have given promising results in preclinical models and entered the clinical practice. However, in patients, the results obtained so far with antiangiogenic drugs have not completely fulfilled expectations, especially because their effect has been transient with tumors developing resistance and evasion mechanisms. A better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie tumor vascularization and the functional regulation of cancer vessels is a prerequisite for the development of novel and alternative antiangiogenic treatments. The L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM, a cell surface glycoprotein previously implicated in the development and plasticity of the nervous system, is aberrantly expressed in the vasculature of various cancer types. L1CAM plays multiple pro-angiogenic roles in the endothelial cells of tumor-associated vessels, thus emerging as a potential therapeutic target. In addition, L1CAM prevents the maturation of cancer vasculature and its inhibition promotes vessel normalization, a process that is thought to improve the therapeutic response of tumors to cytotoxic drugs. We here provide an overview on tumor angiogenesis and antiangiogenic therapies and summarize the current knowledge on the biological role of L1CAM in cancer vasculature. Finally, we highlight the clinical implications of targeting L1CAM as a novel antiangiogenic and vessel-normalizing approach.

  16. CD47-CAR-T Cells Effectively Kill Target Cancer Cells and Block Pancreatic Tumor Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golubovskaya, Vita; Berahovich, Robert; Zhou, Hua; Xu, Shirley; Harto, Hizkia; Li, Le; Chao, Cheng-Chi; Mao, Mike Ming; Wu, Lijun

    2017-10-21

    CD47 is a glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily that is often overexpressed in different types of hematological and solid cancer tumors and plays important role in blocking phagocytosis, increased tumor survival, metastasis and angiogenesis. In the present report, we designed CAR (chimeric antigen receptor)-T cells that bind CD47 antigen. We used ScFv (single chain variable fragment) from mouse CD47 antibody to generate CD47-CAR-T cells for targeting different cancer cell lines. CD47-CAR-T cells effectively killed ovarian, pancreatic and other cancer cells and produced high level of cytokines that correlated with expression of CD47 antigen. In addition, CD47-CAR-T cells significantly blocked BxPC3 pancreatic xenograft tumor growth after intratumoral injection into NSG mice. Moreover, we humanized mouse CD47 ScFv and showed that it effectively bound CD47 antigen. The humanized CD47-CAR-T cells also specifically killed ovarian, pancreatic, and cervical cancer cell lines and produced IL-2 that correlated with expression of CD47. Thus, CD47-CAR-T cells can be used as a novel cellular therapeutic agent for treating different types of cancer.

  17. Rapamycin enhances the anti-angiogenesis and anti-proliferation ability of YM155 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kong-Liang; Wang, Yu-Fan; Qin, Jia-Ruo; Wang, Feng; Yang, Yong-Tao; Zheng, Li-Wu; Li, Ming-Hua; Kong, Jie; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Hong-Yu

    2017-06-01

    YM155, a small molecule inhibitor of survivin, has been studied in many tumors. It has been shown that YM155 inhibited oral squamous cell carcinoma through promoting apoptosis and autophagy and inhibiting proliferation. It was found that YM155 also inhibited the oral squamous cell carcinoma-mediated angiogenesis through the inactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Rapamycin, a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, played an important role in the proliferation and angiogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. In our study, cell proliferation assay, transwell assay, tube formation assay, and western blot assay were used to investigate the synergistic effect of rapamycin on YM155 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Either in vitro or in vivo, rapamycin and YM155 exerted a synergistic effect on the inhibition of survivin and vascular endothelial growth factor through mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Overall, our results revealed that low-dose rapamycin strongly promoted the sensitivity of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to YM155.

  18. Aminopeptidase A is a functional target in angiogenic blood vessels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchiò, Serena; Lahdenranta, Johanna; Schlingemann, Reinier O; Valdembri, Donatella; Wesseling, Pieter; Arap, Marco A; Hajitou, Amin; Ozawa, Michael G; Trepel, Martin; Giordano, Ricardo J; Nanus, David M; Dijkman, Henri B P M; Oosterwijk, Egbert; Sidman, Richard L; Cooper, Max D; Bussolino, Federico; Pasqualini, Renata; Arap, Wadih

    2004-02-01

    We show that a membrane-associated protease, aminopeptidase A (APA), is upregulated and enzymatically active in blood vessels of human tumors. To gain mechanistic insight, we evaluated angiogenesis in APA null mice. We found that, although these mice develop normally, they fail to mount the expected angiogenic response to hypoxia or growth factors. We then isolated peptide inhibitors of APA from a peptide library and show that they specifically bind to and inhibit APA, suppress migration and proliferation of endothelial cells, inhibit angiogenesis, and home to tumor blood vessels. Finally, we successfully treated tumor-bearing mice with APA binding peptides or anti-APA blocking monoclonal antibodies. These data show that APA is a regulator of blood vessel formation, and can serve as a functional vascular target.

  19. CCL5 promotes vascular endothelial growth factor expression and induces angiogenesis by down-regulating miR-199a in human chondrosarcoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guan-Ting; Huang, Yuan-Li; Tzeng, Huey-En; Tsai, Chun-Hao; Wang, Shih-Wei; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2015-02-28

    Chondrosarcoma is a primary malignant bone cancer, with a potent capacity to invade locally and cause distant metastasis. Angiogenesis is a critical step in tumor growth and metastasis. Chemokine CCL5 (previously called RANTES) has been shown to facilitate tumor progression and metastasis. However, the relationship of CCL5 with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma is mostly unknown. In this study, CCL5 increased VEGF expression and also promoted chondrosarcoma medium-mediated angiogenesis in vitro as well as angiogenesis effects in the chick chorioallantoic membrane and Matrigel plug nude mice model in vivo. MicroRNA analysis was performed in CCL5-treated chondrosarcoma cells versus control cells to investigate the mechanism of CCL5-mediated promotion of chondrosarcoma angiogenesis. Among the miRNAs regulated by CCL5, miR-199a was the most downregulated miRNA after CCL5 treatment. In addition, co-transfection with miR-199a mimic reversed the CCL5-mediated VEGF expression and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of CCL5 increased tumor-associated angiogenesis and tumor growth by downregulating miR-199a in the xenograft tumor angiogenesis model. Taken together, these results demonstrated that CCL5 promotes VEGF-dependent angiogenesis in human chondrosarcoma cells by downregulating miR-199a. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The frequency of tumor-infiltrating Tie-2-expressing monocytes in renal cell carcinoma: its relationship to angiogenesis and progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Jindong; Zhang, Guangbo; Sun, Bo; Yuan, Hexing; Huang, Yuhua; Zhang, Jianglei; Wei, Xuedong; Zhang, Xuefeng; Hou, Jianquan

    2013-10-01

    To examine the frequency of tumor-infiltrating Tie-2-expressing monocytes (TEMs) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its association with microvessel density (MVD) and other clinical-pathologic features. This study enrolled 65 consecutive patients with RCC treated with radical nephrectomy. The frequency of tumor-infiltrating TEMs, which was defined as CD14(+) Tie-2(+) cells, was assessed using flow cytometry. MVD was measured by immunohistochemistry using anti-CD34 antibody. The association between clinicopathologic parameters, MVD, and the frequency of tumor-infiltrating TEMs in RCC was assessed. High frequency of tumor-infiltrating TEMs was significantly associated with advanced stage (P = .018), positive lymph nodes (P = .013), high grade (P = .019), and metastases (P = .006). Correlation analysis revealed that the frequency of TEMs was positively correlated with MVD. Our findings revealed a significant association between prognostic tumor features, MVD, and the frequency of tumor-infiltrating TEMs in RCC and indicated that TEMs may play an important role in angiogenesis and progression of RCC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Butein Inhibits Angiogenesis of Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells via the Translation Dependent Signaling Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Hu Chung

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Compelling evidence indicates that bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs can contribute to postnatal neovascularization and tumor angiogenesis. EPCs have been shown to play a “catalytic” role in metastatic progression by mediating the angiogenic switch. Understanding the pharmacological functions and molecular targets of natural products is critical for drug development. Butein, a natural chalcone derivative, has been reported to exert potent anticancer activity. However, the antiangiogenic activity of butein has not been addressed. In this study, we found that butein inhibited serum- and vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF- induced cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human EPCs in a concentration dependent manner without cytotoxic effect. Furthermore, butein markedly abrogated VEGF-induced vessels sprouting from aortic rings and suppressed microvessel formation in the Matrigel implant assay in vivo. In addition, butein concentration-dependently repressed the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, and the major downstream effectors, p70S6K, 4E-BP1, and eIF4E in EPCs. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that butein exhibits the antiangiogenic effect both in vitro and in vivo by targeting the translational machinery. Butein is a promising angiogenesis inhibitor with the potential for treatment of cancer and other angiogenesis-related diseases.

  2. [The development of novel tumor targeting delivery strategy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Hui-le; Jiang, Xin-guo

    2016-02-01

    Tumor is one of the most serious threats for human being. Although many anti-tumor drugs are approved for clinical use, the treatment outcome is still modest because of the poor tumor targeting efficiency and low accumulation in tumor. Therefore, it is important to deliver anti-tumor drug into tumor efficiently, elevate drug concentration in tumor tissues and reduce the drug distribution in normal tissues. And it has been one of the most attractive directions of pharmaceutical academy and industry. Many kinds of strategies, especially various nanoparticulated drug delivery systems, have been developed to address the critical points of complex tumor microenvironment, which are partially or mostly satisfied for tumor treatment. In this paper, we carefully reviewed the novel targeting delivery strategies developed in recent years. The most powerful method is passive targeting delivery based on the enhanced permeability and retention(EPR) effect, and most commercial nanomedicines are based on the EPR effect. However, the high permeability and retention require different particle sizes, thus several kinds of size-changeable nanoparticles are developed, such as size reducible particles and assemble particles, to satisfy the controversial requirement for particle size and enhance both tumor retention and penetration. Surface charge reversible nanoparticles also shows a high efficiency because the anionic charge in blood circulation and normal organs decrease the unintended internalization. The charge can change into positive in tumor microenvironment, facilitating drug uptake by tumor cells. Additionally, tumor microenvironment responsive drug release is important to decrease drug side effect, and many strategies are developed, such as p H sensitive release and enzyme sensitive release. Except the responsive nanoparticles, shaping tumor microenvironment could attenuate the barriers in drug delivery, for example, decreasing tumor collagen intensity and normalizing tumor

  3. Dimethyl phenyl piperazine iodide (DMPP) induces glioma regression by inhibiting angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Yan-qing; Li, Yan; Wang, Xiao-yu [Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Division of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); He, Xiao-dong [Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Jun, Li [Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, National Engineering Research Centre of Genetic Medicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); Chuai, Manli [Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH (United Kingdom); Lee, Kenneth Ka Ho [Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin (Hong Kong); Wang, Ju [Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, National Engineering Research Centre of Genetic Medicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); Wang, Li-jing, E-mail: wanglijing62@163.com [Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Yang, Xuesong, E-mail: yang_xuesong@126.com [Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Division of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China)

    2014-01-15

    1,1-Dimethyl-4-phenyl piperazine iodide (DMPP) is a synthetic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist that could reduce airway inflammation. In this study, we demonstrated that DMPP could dramatically inhibit glioma size maintained on the chick embryonic chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). We first performed MTT and BrdU incorporation experiments on U87 glioma cells in vitro to understand the mechanism involved. We established that DMPP did not significantly affect U87 cell proliferation and survival. We speculated that DMPP directly caused the tumor to regress by affecting the vasculature in and around the implanted tumor on our chick CAM model. Hence, we conducted detailed analysis of DMPP's inhibitory effects on angiogenesis. Three vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in vivo models were used in the study which included (1) early chick blood islands formation, (2) chick yolk-sac membrane (YSW) and (3) CAM models. The results revealed that DMPP directly suppressed all developmental stages involved in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis – possibly by acting through Ang-1 and HIF-2α signaling. In sum, our results show that DMPP could induce glioma regression grown on CAM by inhibiting vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. - Highlights: ●We demonstrated that DMPP inhibited the growth of glioma cells on chick CAM. ●DMPP did not significantly affect the proliferation and survival of U87 cells. ●We revealed that DMPP suppressed vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in chick embryo. ●Angiogenesis in chick CAM was inhibited by DMPP via most probably Ang-1 and HIF-2α. ●DMPP could be potentially developed as an anti-tumor drug in the future.

  4. Tumor Vessel Development and Expansion in Ewing's Sarcoma: A Review of the Vasculogenesis Process and Clinical Trials with Vascular-Targeting Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Keri S.; Kleinerman, Eugenie S.

    2011-01-01

    Ewing's sarcoma accounts for a disproportionately high portion of the overall pediatric mortality rate compared to its rare incidence in the pediatric population. Little progress has been made since the introduction of traditional chemotherapies, and understanding the biology of the tumor is critical for developing new therapies. Ewing's sarcomas rely on a functional vascular supply, which is formed by a combination of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Recent insights into the molecular regulation of bone marrow (BM) cell participation in vascular development have identified VEGF, SDF-1α, and DLL4 as critical players in the vasculogenesis process. Clinical trials using vascular targeting agents, specifically targeting VEGF or DLL4, are underway. PMID:21785569

  5. Functional inhibition of UQCRB suppresses angiogenesis in zebrafish

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Yoon Sun; Jung, Hye Jin [Chemical Genomics National Research Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Seok, Seung Hyeok [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Experimental Animals, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799 (Korea, Republic of); Payumo, Alexander Y.; Chen, James K. [Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Kwon, Ho Jeong, E-mail: kwonhj@yonsei.ac.kr [Chemical Genomics National Research Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-04-19

    Highlights: ► This is the first functional characterization of UQCRB in vivo model. ► Angiogenesis is inhibited with UQCRB loss of function in zebrafish. ► UQCRB is introduced as a prognostic marker for mitochondria- and angiogenesis-related diseases. -- Abstract: As a subunit of mitochondrial complex III, UQCRB plays an important role in complex III stability, electron transport, and cellular oxygen sensing. Herein, we report UQCRB function regarding angiogenesis in vivo with the zebrafish (Danio rerio). UQCRB knockdown inhibited angiogenesis in zebrafish leading to the suppression of VEGF expression. Moreover, the UQCRB-targeting small molecule terpestacin also inhibited angiogenesis and VEGF levels in zebrafish, supporting the role of UQCRB in angiogenesis. Collectively, UQCRB loss of function by either genetic and pharmacological means inhibited angiogenesis, indicating that UQCRB plays a key role in this process and can be a prognostic marker of angiogenesis- and mitochondria-related diseases.

  6. Functional inhibition of UQCRB suppresses angiogenesis in zebrafish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Yoon Sun; Jung, Hye Jin; Seok, Seung Hyeok; Payumo, Alexander Y.; Chen, James K.; Kwon, Ho Jeong

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► This is the first functional characterization of UQCRB in vivo model. ► Angiogenesis is inhibited with UQCRB loss of function in zebrafish. ► UQCRB is introduced as a prognostic marker for mitochondria- and angiogenesis-related diseases. -- Abstract: As a subunit of mitochondrial complex III, UQCRB plays an important role in complex III stability, electron transport, and cellular oxygen sensing. Herein, we report UQCRB function regarding angiogenesis in vivo with the zebrafish (Danio rerio). UQCRB knockdown inhibited angiogenesis in zebrafish leading to the suppression of VEGF expression. Moreover, the UQCRB-targeting small molecule terpestacin also inhibited angiogenesis and VEGF levels in zebrafish, supporting the role of UQCRB in angiogenesis. Collectively, UQCRB loss of function by either genetic and pharmacological means inhibited angiogenesis, indicating that UQCRB plays a key role in this process and can be a prognostic marker of angiogenesis- and mitochondria-related diseases

  7. A hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-3α splicing variant, HIF-3α4 impairs angiogenesis in hypervascular malignant meningiomas with epigenetically silenced HIF-3α4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ando, Hitoshi [Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Department of Neurosurgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima (Japan); Natsume, Atsushi, E-mail: anatsume@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp [Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Iwami, Kenichiro; Ohka, Fumiharu [Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan); Kuchimaru, Takahiro; Kizaka-Kondoh, Shinae [Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yokohama (Japan); Ito, Kengo [National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi (Japan); Saito, Kiyoshi [Department of Neurosurgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima (Japan); Sugita, Sachi; Hoshino, Tsuneyoshi [MICRON Inc.Medical Facilities Support Department, Aichi (Japan); Wakabayashi, Toshihiko [Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya (Japan)

    2013-03-29

    Highlights: ► HIF-3α4 is silenced by DNA methylation in meningiomas. ► Induction of HIF-3α4 impaired angiogenesis in meningiomas. ► Induction of HIF-3α4 impaired proliferation and oxygen-dependent metabolism. -- Abstract: Hypoxia inducible factor is a dominant regulator of adaptive cellular responses to hypoxia and controls the expression of a large number of genes regulating angiogenesis as well as metabolism, cell survival, apoptosis, and other cellular functions in an oxygen level-dependent manner. When a neoplasm is able to induce angiogenesis, tumor progression occurs more rapidly because of the nutrients provided by the neovasculature. Meningioma is one of the most hypervascular brain tumors, making anti-angiogenic therapy an attractive novel therapy for these tumors. HIF-3α has been conventionally regarded as a dominant-negative regulator of HIF-1α, and although alternative HIF-3α splicing variants are extensively reported, their specific functions have not yet been determined. In this study, we found that the transcription of HIF-3α4 was silenced by the promoter DNA methylation in meningiomas, and inducible HIF-3α4 impaired angiogenesis, proliferation, and metabolism/oxidation in hypervascular meningiomas. Thus, HIF-3α4 could be a potential molecular target in meningiomas.

  8. A hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-3α splicing variant, HIF-3α4 impairs angiogenesis in hypervascular malignant meningiomas with epigenetically silenced HIF-3α4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ando, Hitoshi; Natsume, Atsushi; Iwami, Kenichiro; Ohka, Fumiharu; Kuchimaru, Takahiro; Kizaka-Kondoh, Shinae; Ito, Kengo; Saito, Kiyoshi; Sugita, Sachi; Hoshino, Tsuneyoshi; Wakabayashi, Toshihiko

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► HIF-3α4 is silenced by DNA methylation in meningiomas. ► Induction of HIF-3α4 impaired angiogenesis in meningiomas. ► Induction of HIF-3α4 impaired proliferation and oxygen-dependent metabolism. -- Abstract: Hypoxia inducible factor is a dominant regulator of adaptive cellular responses to hypoxia and controls the expression of a large number of genes regulating angiogenesis as well as metabolism, cell survival, apoptosis, and other cellular functions in an oxygen level-dependent manner. When a neoplasm is able to induce angiogenesis, tumor progression occurs more rapidly because of the nutrients provided by the neovasculature. Meningioma is one of the most hypervascular brain tumors, making anti-angiogenic therapy an attractive novel therapy for these tumors. HIF-3α has been conventionally regarded as a dominant-negative regulator of HIF-1α, and although alternative HIF-3α splicing variants are extensively reported, their specific functions have not yet been determined. In this study, we found that the transcription of HIF-3α4 was silenced by the promoter DNA methylation in meningiomas, and inducible HIF-3α4 impaired angiogenesis, proliferation, and metabolism/oxidation in hypervascular meningiomas. Thus, HIF-3α4 could be a potential molecular target in meningiomas

  9. Signal transduction by VEGF receptors in regulation of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibuya, Masabumi; Claesson-Welsh, Lena

    2006-01-01

    The VEGF/VPF (vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor) ligands and receptors are crucial regulators of vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and vascular permeability in vertebrates. VEGF-A, the prototype VEGF ligand, binds and activates two tyrosine kinase receptors: VEGFR1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR2 (KDR/Flk-1). VEGFR1, which occurs in transmembrane and soluble forms, negatively regulates vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during early embryogenesis, but it also acts as a positive regulator of angiogenesis and inflammatory responses, playing a role in several human diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. The soluble VEGFR1 is overexpressed in placenta in preeclampsia patients. VEGFR2 has critical functions in physiological and pathological angiogenesis through distinct signal transduction pathways regulating proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. VEGFR3, a receptor for the lymphatic growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D, but not for VEGF-A, regulates vascular and lymphatic endothelial cell function during embryogenesis. Loss-of-function variants of VEGFR3 have been identified in lymphedema. Formation of tumor lymphatics may be stimulated by tumor-produced VEGF-C, allowing increased spread of tumor metastases through the lymphatics. Mapping the signaling system of these important receptors may provide the knowledge necessary to suppress specific signaling pathways in major human diseases

  10. Synthesis of Fluorine-18 Labeled Glucose-Lys-Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe as a Potential Tumor Imaging Agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyo Chul; Kim, Ji Sun; Sung, Hyun Ju; Jung, Jae Ho; An, Gwang Il; Chi, Dae Yoon; Lee, Byung Chul; Moon, Byung Seok; Choi, Tae Hyun; Chuna, Kwon Soo

    2005-01-01

    The α v β 3 integrin is an important receptor affecting tumor growth, metastatic potential on proliferating endothelial cells as well as on tumor cells of various origin, tumor-induced angiogenesis could be blocked by antagonizing the α v β 3 integrin with RGD. Therefore, α v β 3 integrin is a target for angiogenesis imaging that might be useful in assessing tumor-induced angiogenesis and identifying tumor metastasis. To design potent radiotracer for imaging angiogenesis containing a cRGD moiety should include low hepatic uptake in vivo. Tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD), naturally existed in extracellular matrix proteins, is known to be the primary binding site of the α v β 3 integrin. The imaging of α v β 3 receptor expression will give the information of the metastatic ability of the tumor which is not available by [ 18 F]FDG. Our interest in developing new radiopharmaceuticals for in vivo visualization of angiogenesis has led us to synthesize derivatives of cRGD (cyclic arginineglycine-aspartic acid) that contains glucose moiety. Because sugar-protein interaction is a key step in metastasis and angiogenesis, it has also been proposed to play an intriguing role in imaging of tumor. We designed and synthesized two fluorine-18 labeled RGD glycopeptides . N-fluorobenzyl-diaminobutane-N'-glucose-Lys-Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe ([ 18 F]fluorobenzyl-glucose-KRGDf, and Nfluorobenzoyl- diaminobutane-N'-glucose-Lys-Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe ([ 18 F]fluorobenzoyl-glucose-KRGDf, from same precursor as a diagnostic tumor imaging agent for positron emission tomography (PET). Fluorine-18 labeled cRGD glycopeptides were prepared using two different simple labeling methods: one is reductive alkylation of an amine with [ 18 F]fluorobenzaldehyde and the other is amide condensation with [ 18 F]fluorobenzoic acid

  11. Bone marrow-derived CD13+ cells sustain tumor progression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2014-01-01

    Non-malignant cells found within neoplastic lesions express alanyl (membrane) aminopeptidase (ANPEP, best known as CD13), and CD13-null mice exhibit limited tumor growth and angiogenesis. We have recently demonstrated that a subset of bone marrow-derived CD11b+CD13+ myeloid cells accumulate within neoplastic lesions in several murine models of transplantable cancer to promote angiogenesis. If these findings were confirmed in clinical settings, CD11b+CD13+ myeloid cells could become a non-malignant target for the development of novel anticancer regimens. PMID:25339996

  12. GRANULOCYTE INFILTRATION AND EXPRESSION OF THE PRO-ANGIOGENIC BV8 PROTEIN IN EXPERIMENTAL EL4 AND LEWIS LUNG CARCINOMA TUMORS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Kan; Kwak, Hyeongil; Tosato, Giovanna

    2013-01-18

    Although Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-targeted therapies have shown efficacy in the treatment of certain advanced cancers, benefits to patients have been modest, which is attributed to tumor resistance to VEGF neutralization. Recent efforts to identify new targets to inhibit tumor angiogenesis have identified Bv8 (prokineticin 2), a myeloid cell-derived protein that promotes endothelial cell growth and tumor angiogenesis, but many mechanistic aspects of the pro-tumorigenic function of Bv8 are unclear. Here we demonstrate that CD11b+, Ly6C+, Ly6G+ granulocytes are the predominant cell source of Bv8 expression in bone marrow, spleen and in tumor tissues. Using granulocyte-deficient Growth factor independence-1 (Gfi1)-null mutant mice and normal littermates, we found that EL4 lymphoma tumors grow significantly larger in the granulocyte and Bv8-deficient mutant mice in comparison to the normal mice that display abundant tumor-associated granulocytes and Bv8 expression. Conversely, Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-1) tumors grew to a significantly greater size in the normal mice in comparison to the Gfi1-null mice, but normal granulocyte tumor infiltration was modest. Quantitative analysis of tissue vascularization showed that EL4 and LLC-1 tumors from normal and Gfi1-mutant mice are similarly vascularized. These results confirm the critical contribution of the tumor microenvironment in determining the rate of tumor progression independently of tumor angiogenesis, and reveal some of the complexities of granulocyte and Bv8 functions in modulating tumor growth.

  13. The Harvard angiogenesis story.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Joan W

    2014-01-01

    I shall discuss the work of researchers at Harvard Medical School who came together in the early 1990s. Scattered across various Harvard-affiliated hospitals and research centers, these individuals were unified by their interest in ocular neovascularization. Together and separately, they investigated models of ocular neovascularization, exploring tumor angiogenesis in eye development and disease. Copyright © 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Targeting tumor-associated macrophages by anti-tumor Chinese materia medica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pu, Wei-Ling; Sun, Li-Kang; Gao, Xiu-Mei; Rüegg, Curzio; Cuendet, Muriel; Hottiger, Micheal O; Zhou, Kun; Miao, Lin; Zhang, Yun-Sha; Gebauer, Margaret

    2017-10-01

    Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a key role in all stages of tumorigenesis and tumor progression. TAMs secrete different kinds of cytokines, chemokines, and enzymes to affect the progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy depending on their state of reprogramming. Therapeutic benefit in targeting TAMs suggests that macrophages are attractive targets for cancer treatment. Chinese materia medica (CMM) is an important approach for treating cancer in China and in the Asian region. According to the theory of Chinese medicine (CM) and its practice, some prescriptions of CM regulate the body's internal environment possibly including the remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we briefly summarize the pivotal effects of TAMs in shaping the TME and promoting tumorigenesis, invasion, metastasis and immunosuppression. Furthermore, we illustrate the effects and mechanisms of CMM targeting TAMs in antitumor therapy. Finally, we reveal the CMM's dual-regulatory and multi-targeting functions on regulating TAMs, and hopefully, provide the theoretical basis for CMM clinical practice related to cancer therapy.

  15. VEGF-dependent mechanism of anti-angiogenic action of diamond nanoparticles in Glioblastoma Multiforme tumor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grodzik, M.; Sawosz, E.; Wierzbicki, M.

    2012-01-01

    Malignant gliomas are highly lethal cancers dependent on angiogenesis. The concept of treating tumors by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis was first articulated almost 30 years ago. Inhibition of tumor angiogenesis suppresses both tumor growth and metastasis. We determined the inhibition effect of di...

  16. EGFRvIII promotes glioma angiogenesis and growth through the NF-κB, interleukin-8 pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonavia, R; Inda, M M; Vandenberg, S; Cheng, S-Y; Nagane, M; Hadwiger, P; Tan, P; Sah, D W Y; Cavenee, W K; Furnari, F B

    2012-09-06

    Sustaining a high growth rate requires tumors to exploit resources in their microenvironment. One example of this is the extensive angiogenesis that is a typical feature of high-grade gliomas. Here, we show that expression of the constitutively active mutant epidermal growth factor receptor, ΔEGFR (EGFRvIII, EGFR*, de2-7EGFR) is associated with significantly higher expression levels of the pro-angiogenic factor interleukin (IL)-8 in human glioma specimens and glioma stem cells. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of ΔEGFR in different glioma cell lines caused up to 60-fold increases in the secretion of IL-8. Xenografts of these cells exhibit increased neovascularization, which is not elicited by cells overexpressing wild-type (wt)EGFR or ΔEGFR with an additional kinase domain mutation. Analysis of the regulation of IL-8 by site-directed mutagenesis of its promoter showed that ΔEGFR regulates its expression through the transcription factors nuclear factor (NF)-κB, activator protein 1 (AP-1) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP). Glioma cells overexpressing ΔEGFR showed constitutive activation and DNA binding of NF-κB, overexpression of c-Jun and activation of its upstream kinase c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and overexpression of C/EBPβ. Selective pharmacological or genetic targeting of the NF-κB or AP-1 pathways efficiently blocked promoter activity and secretion of IL-8. Moreover, RNA interference-mediated knock-down of either IL-8 or the NF-κB subunit p65, in ΔEGFR-expressing cells attenuated their ability to form tumors and to induce angiogenesis when injected subcutaneously into nude mice. On the contrary, the overexpression of IL-8 in glioma cells lacking ΔEGFR potently enhanced their tumorigenicity and produced highly vascularized tumors, suggesting the importance of this cytokine and its transcription regulators in promoting glioma angiogenesis and tumor growth.

  17. Combining 2D angiogenesis and 3D osteosarcoma microtissues to improve vascularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaddad, Hassan; Kuchler-Bopp, Sabine; Fuhrmann, Guy; Gegout, Hervé; Ubeaud-Sequier, Geneviève; Schwinté, Pascale; Bornert, Fabien; Benkirane-Jessel, Nadia; Idoux-Gillet, Ysia

    2017-11-15

    Angiogenesis is now well known for being involved in tumor progression, aggressiveness, emergence of metastases, and also resistance to cancer therapies. In this study, to better mimic tumor angiogenesis encountered in vivo, we used 3D culture of osteosarcoma cells (MG-63) that we deposited on 2D endothelial cells (HUVEC) grown in monolayer. We report that endothelial cells combined with tumor cells were able to form a well-organized network, and that tubule-like structures corresponding to new vessels infiltrate tumor spheroids. These vessels presented a lumen and expressed specific markers as CD31 and collagen IV. The combination of 2D endothelial cells and 3D microtissues of tumor cells also increased expression of angiogenic factors as VEGF, CXCR4 and ICAM1. The cell environment is the key point to develop tumor vascularization in vitro and to be closer to tumor encountered in vivo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Emerging role of apelin as a therapeutic target in cancer: a patent review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rayalam, Srujana; Della-Fera, Mary A; Kasser, Thomas; Warren, William; Baile, Clifton A

    2011-09-01

    Since tumors cannot grow or spread without forming new blood vessels, inhibiting angiogenesis is an excellent approach for the treatment of cancer. Further, inhibitors of angiogenesis have mild side effects since they act on endothelial cells, which eliminate the possibility of developing resistance or tolerance in tumor cells, unlike that seen with chemotherapy drugs. The anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody bevacizumab acts by preventing new blood vessel formation in solid tumors and is approved by FDA to treat colorectal, lung, breast, glioblastoma and kidney cancers. The registration of this drug and its ongoing success in the clinic has validated the targeting of angiogenesis as an important approach to the treatment of solid tumors. Apelin is a novel angiogenic factor and recent studies indicate that apelin promotes angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo and the angiogenic potential of apelin is similar to that of VEGF. Also, apelin expression is upregulated and has been shown to be associated with clinical outcome in certain human cancers. Thus, inhibition of apelin activity might lead to a new class of anti-angiogenesis drugs which should be more efficacious than those currently on the market due to their ability to be both anti-angiogenic as well as anti-lymphangiogenic. There are very few patents on the angiogenic effects of apelin and this review article focuses on these patented claims related to inhibiting apelin signaling and sheds more light on how blocking apelin signaling might open doors to a new class of angiogenic inhibitors.

  19. Predictive model of thrombospondin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in breast tumor tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohrs, Jennifer A; Sulistio, Christopher D; Finley, Stacey D

    2016-01-01

    Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood capillaries from pre-existing vessels, is a hallmark of cancer. Thus far, strategies for reducing tumor angiogenesis have focused on inhibiting pro-angiogenic factors, while less is known about the therapeutic effects of mimicking the actions of angiogenesis inhibitors. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is an important endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis that has been investigated as an anti-angiogenic agent. TSP1 impedes the growth of new blood vessels in many ways, including crosstalk with pro-angiogenic factors. Due to the complexity of TSP1 signaling, a predictive systems biology model would provide quantitative understanding of the angiogenic balance in tumor tissue. Therefore, we have developed a molecular-detailed, mechanistic model of TSP1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a promoter of angiogenesis, in breast tumor tissue. The model predicts the distribution of the angiogenic factors in tumor tissue, revealing that TSP1 is primarily in an inactive, cleaved form due to the action of proteases, rather than bound to its cellular receptors or to VEGF. The model also predicts the effects of enhancing TSP1's interactions with its receptors and with VEGF. To provide additional predictions that can guide the development of new anti-angiogenic drugs, we simulate administration of exogenous TSP1 mimetics that bind specific targets. The model predicts that the CD47-binding TSP1 mimetic dramatically decreases the ratio of receptor-bound VEGF to receptor-bound TSP1, in favor of anti-angiogenesis. Thus, we have established a model that provides a quantitative framework to study the response to TSP1 mimetics.

  20. Elevated expression of CD93 promotes angiogenesis and tumor growth in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bao, Lili [Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province (China); Tang, Mingming [Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226361, Jiangsu (China); Zhang, Qicheng; You, Bo; Shan, Ying; Shi, Si; Li, Li [Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province (China); Hu, Songqun, E-mail: hsq@ntu.edu.cn [Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province (China); You, Yiwen, E-mail: youyiwen_nantong@163.com [Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province (China)

    2016-08-05

    CD93, also known as the complement component C1q receptor (C1qRp), has been reported to promote the progression of some cancer types. However, the expression and physiological significance of CD93 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain largely elusive. In this study, we first examined the expression of CD93 in NPC and experimentally manipulated its expression. We observed that vascular CD93 expression is elevated in NPC and is correlated with T classification, N classification, distant metastasis, clinical stage and poor prognosis (all P < 0.05). In addition, overexpression of CD93 promoted angiogenesis in vitro. What’s more, we found that CD93 was highly expressed in NPC tissues and cells, and the regulation of CD93 on cell proliferation was determined by cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay and cell cycle analyses. Our findings provide unique insight into the pathogenesis of NPC and underscore the need to explore novel therapeutic targets such as CD93 to improve NPC treatment. -- Highlights: •This is the first research about the relationship between CD93 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. •We explored the prognostic significance of vascular CD93 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. •We researched on angiogenesis and cell proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and how CD93 affected them.

  1.  The role of metalloproteinases in modification of extracellular matrix in invasive tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Fink

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs are a family of endopeptydases which recquire a zinc ion at their active site, for proteolityc activity. There are six members of the MMP family: matrilysins, collagenases, stromelysins, gelatinases, membrane MMPs and other MMPs. Activity of MMPs is regulated at the level of gene transcription, mRNA stability, zymogene proteolitic activation, inhibition of an active enzyme and MMP degradation. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs are main intracellular inhibitors of MMPs. Host cells can be stimulated by tumor cells to produce MMPs by secreted interleukins, interferons, growth factors and an extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN. MMPs are produced by tumor cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, polimorphonuclear neutrophiles (PMNs and endothelial cells (ECs. MMPs affect many stages of tumor development, facilitating its growth through promoting tumor cells proliferation, invasion and migration, new blood vessels formation and blocking tumor cells apoptosis. MMPs can promote tumor development in several ways. ECM degradation results in release of peptide growth factors. Growth factors linked with cell surface or binding proteins can also be liberated by MMPs. MMPs can indirectly regulate integrin signalling or cleave E-cadherins, facilitating cell migration. MMPs support metastasis inducing an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT. MMP also support transendothelial migration. MMPs support angiogenesis by releasing pro-angiogenic factors and degrading ECM to support ECs migration. Cell surface growth factor receptors are also cleaved by MMPs, which results in inhibition of tumor development, so is release of anti-angiogenic factors from ECM. 

  2. Celiac Disease-Specific TG2-Targeted Autoantibodies Inhibit Angiogenesis Ex Vivo and In Vivo in Mice by Interfering with Endothelial Cell Dynamics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suvi Kalliokoski

    Full Text Available A characteristic feature of celiac disease is the presence of circulating autoantibodies targeted against transglutaminase 2 (TG2, reputed to have a function in angiogenesis. In this study we investigated whether TG2-specific autoantibodies derived from celiac patients inhibit angiogenesis in both ex vivo and in vivo models and sought to clarify the mechanism behind this phenomenon. We used the ex vivo murine aorta-ring and the in vivo mouse matrigel-plug assays to address aforementioned issues. We found angiogenesis to be impaired as a result of celiac disease antibody supplementation in both systems. Our results also showed the dynamics of endothelial cells was affected in the presence of celiac antibodies. In the in vivo angiogenesis assays, the vessels formed were able to transport blood despite impairment of functionality after treatment with celiac autoantibodies, as revealed by positron emission tomography. We conclude that celiac autoantibodies inhibit angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo and impair vascular functionality. Our data suggest that the anti-angiogenic mechanism of the celiac disease-specific autoantibodies involves extracellular TG2 and inhibited endothelial cell mobility.

  3. Celiac Disease–Specific TG2-Targeted Autoantibodies Inhibit Angiogenesis Ex Vivo and In Vivo in Mice by Interfering with Endothelial Cell Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalliokoski, Suvi; Sulic, Ana-Marija; Korponay-Szabó, Ilma R.; Szondy, Zsuzsa; Frias, Rafael; Perez, Mileidys Alea; Martucciello, Stefania; Roivainen, Anne; Pelliniemi, Lauri J.; Esposito, Carla; Griffin, Martin; Sblattero, Daniele; Mäki, Markku; Kaukinen, Katri; Lindfors, Katri; Caja, Sergio

    2013-01-01

    A characteristic feature of celiac disease is the presence of circulating autoantibodies targeted against transglutaminase 2 (TG2), reputed to have a function in angiogenesis. In this study we investigated whether TG2-specific autoantibodies derived from celiac patients inhibit angiogenesis in both ex vivo and in vivo models and sought to clarify the mechanism behind this phenomenon. We used the ex vivo murine aorta-ring and the in vivo mouse matrigel-plug assays to address aforementioned issues. We found angiogenesis to be impaired as a result of celiac disease antibody supplementation in both systems. Our results also showed the dynamics of endothelial cells was affected in the presence of celiac antibodies. In the in vivo angiogenesis assays, the vessels formed were able to transport blood despite impairment of functionality after treatment with celiac autoantibodies, as revealed by positron emission tomography. We conclude that celiac autoantibodies inhibit angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo and impair vascular functionality. Our data suggest that the anti-angiogenic mechanism of the celiac disease-specific autoantibodies involves extracellular TG2 and inhibited endothelial cell mobility. PMID:23824706

  4. Neo-angiogenesis metabolic biomarker of tumor-genesis tracking by infrared joystick contact imaging in personalized homecare system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szu, Harold; Hoekstra, Philip; Landa, Joseph; Vydelingum, Nadarajen A.

    2014-05-01

    We describe an strong>affordable, harmless, and administrative (AHA) metabolic biomarker (MBM)strong> for homecare cancer screening. It may save hundreds of thousands of women's and thousands of men's lives every year from breast cancer and melanoma. The goal is to increase the specificity ofstrong> infrared (IR)strong> imagery to reduce the strong>false alarm rate (FAR). strong>The patient's hands are immersed in icy cold water, about 11oC, for 30 seconds. We then compare two IR images, taken before and after the cold stimulus, and the difference reveals an enhanced signal and noise ratio (SNR) at tumorigenesis sites since the contraction of capillaries under cold challenge is natural to healthy capillaries, except those newly built capillaries during angiogenesis (Folkman, Nature 1995). Concomitant with the genome and the phenome (molecular signaling by phosphor-mediate protein causing inflammation by strong>platelet activating factor (PAF)strong> that transform cells from benign to malignant is the amplification of strong>nitric oxide (NO)strong> syntheses, a short-lived reactive oxygen species (ROS) that dilates regional blood vessels; superseding normal autonomic nervous system regulation. A rapidly growing tumor site might implicate accumulation of strong>ROSstrong>, for which strong>NOstrong> can rapidly stretch the capillary bed system usually having thinning muscular lining known as strong>Neo-Angiogenesis (NA)strong> that could behave like strong>Leaky In-situ Faucet Effect (LIFE)strong> in response to cold challenge. To emphasize the state of art knowledge of strong>NAstrong>, we mentioned in passing the first generation of an anticapillary growth drug, strong>Avastinstrong> by Genetech; it is an antibody protein that is injected for metastasis, while the second generation drug; strong>Sorafenibstrong> by Bayers (2001) and strong>Sutentstrong> by Pfizer (2000) both target molecular signaling loci to block receptor associated tyrosine kinase induced

  5. Androgen dependent mechanisms of pro-angiogenic networks in placental and tumor development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzler, Veronika M; de Brot, Simone; Robinson, Robert S; Jeyapalan, Jennie N; Rakha, Emad; Walton, Thomas; Gardner, David S; Lund, Emma F; Whitchurch, Jonathan; Haigh, Daisy; Lochray, Jack M; Robinson, Brian D; Allegrucci, Cinzia; Fray, Rupert G; Persson, Jenny L; Ødum, Niels; Miftakhova, Regina R; Rizvanov, Albert A; Hughes, Ieuan A; Tadokoro-Cuccaro, Rieko; Heery, David M; Rutland, Catrin S; Mongan, Nigel P

    2017-08-01

    The placenta and tumors share important characteristics, including a requirement to establish effective angiogenesis. In the case of the placenta, optimal angiogenesis is required to sustain the blood flow required to maintain a successful pregnancy, whereas in tumors establishing new blood supplies is considered a key step in supporting metastases. Therefore the development of novel angiogenesis inhibitors has been an area of active research in oncology. A subset of the molecular processes regulating angiogenesis are well understood in the context of both early placentation and tumorigenesis. In this review we focus on the well-established role of androgen regulation of angiogenesis in cancer and relate these mechanisms to placental angiogenesis. The physiological actions of androgens are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR), a ligand dependent transcription factor. Androgens and the AR are essential for normal male embryonic development, puberty and lifelong health. Defects in androgen signalling are associated with a diverse range of clinical disorders in men and women including disorders of sex development (DSD), polycystic ovary syndrome in women and many cancers. We summarize the diverse molecular mechanisms of androgen regulation of angiogenesis and infer the potential significance of these pathways to normal and pathogenic placental function. Finally, we offer potential research applications of androgen-targeting molecules developed to treat cancer as investigative tools to help further delineate the role of androgen signalling in placental function and maternal and offspring health in animal models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Tumor targeting using liposomal antineoplastic drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jörg Huwyler

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Jörg Huwyler1, Jürgen Drewe2, Stephan Krähenbühl21University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Institute of Pharma Technology, Muttenz, Switzerland; 2Department of Research and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandAbstract: During the last years, liposomes (microparticulate phospholipid vesicles have beenused with growing success as pharmaceutical carriers for antineoplastic drugs. Fields of application include lipid-based formulations to enhance the solubility of poorly soluble antitumordrugs, the use of pegylated liposomes for passive targeting of solid tumors as well as vector-conjugated liposomal carriers for active targeting of tumor tissue. Such formulation and drug targeting strategies enhance the effectiveness of anticancer chemotherapy and reduce at the same time the risk of toxic side-effects. The present article reviews the principles of different liposomal technologies and discusses current trends in this field of research.Keywords: tumor targeting, antineoplastic drugs, liposomes, pegylation, steric stabilization, immunoliposomes

  7. Synergy between an antiangiogenic integrin αv antagonist and an antibody–cytokine fusion protein eradicates spontaneous tumor metastases

    OpenAIRE

    Lode, Holger N.; Moehler, Thomas; Xiang, Rong; Jonczyk, Alfred; Gillies, Stephen D.; Cheresh, David A.; Reisfeld, Ralph A.

    1999-01-01

    The suppression and eradication of primary tumors and distant metastases is a major goal of alternative treatment strategies for cancer, such as inhibition of angiogenesis and targeted immunotherapy. We report here a synergy between two novel monotherapies directed against vascular and tumor compartments, respectively, a tumor vasculature-specific antiangiogenic integrin αv antagonist and tumor-specific antibody–interleukin 2 (IL-2) fusion proteins. Simultaneous an...

  8. The tumor vasculature is a target for genetic radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    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

  9. Correlation between spiral CT features of pericolic infiltration and tumor angiogenesis in colorectal carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Ruiping; Li Jianding

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the correlation of spiral CT (SCT) features with pathology, microvessel density (MVD), expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-2( MMP-2) in colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Forty patients with colorectal carcinoma confirmed by operation were examined by SCT. The resected tumor specimens were immunohistochemically stained for the expression of VEGF, MMP-2 and the calculation of MVD. Results: The accuracy of SCT in depicting the pericolic and wall infiltration was 92.5%. The metastasis rates of colorectal cancer with pericolic infiltration and wall infiltration were 75.0% and 33.3%, respectively, the differences were statistically significant between the two groups (P<0.05). The differences of CT enhancement value, MVD, expressions of VEGF and MMP-2 between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The enhancement degree of CT had a positive correlation with MVD (P<0.05). Conclusion: SCT is accurate for depicting pericolic and wall infiltration, pericolic infiltration in colorectal carcinoma indicates the tendency of metastasis. The enhancement degree of CT might be used to quantitatively evaluate the tumor angiogenesis, expressions of VEGF and MMP-2 and MVD are closely correlated with the infiltration of colorectal cancer. (authors)

  10. Radiotherapy in combination with vascular-targeted therapies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciric, Eva; Sersa, Gregor

    2010-01-01

    Given the critical role of tumor vasculature in tumor development, considerable efforts have been spent on developing therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor vascular network. A variety of agents have been developed, with two general approaches being pursued. Antiangiogenic agents (AAs) aim to interfere with the process of angiogenesis, preventing new tumor blood vessel formation. Vascular-disrupting agents (VDAs) target existing tumor vessels causing tumor ischemia and necrosis. Despite their great therapeutic potential, it has become clear that their greatest clinical utility may lie in combination with conventional anticancer therapies. Radiotherapy is a widely used treatment modality for cancer with its distinct therapeutic challenges. Thus, combining the two approaches seems reasonable. Strong biological rationale exist for combining vascular-targeted therapies with radiation. AAs and VDAs were shown to alter the tumor microenvironment in such a way as to enhance responses to radiation. The results of preclinical and early clinical studies have confirmed the therapeutic potential of this new treatment strategy in the clinical setting. However, concerns about increased normal tissue toxicity, have been raised

  11. Artificial Chemical Reporter Targeting Strategy Using Bioorthogonal Click Reaction for Improving Active-Targeting Efficiency of Tumor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Hong Yeol; Shin, Min Lee; Shim, Man Kyu; Lee, Sangmin; Na, Jin Hee; Koo, Heebeom; Lee, Hyukjin; Kim, Jong-Ho; Lee, Kuen Yong; Kim, Kwangmeyung; Kwon, Ick Chan

    2017-05-01

    Biological ligands such as aptamer, antibody, glucose, and peptide have been widely used to bind specific surface molecules or receptors in tumor cells or subcellular structures to improve tumor-targeting efficiency of nanoparticles. However, this active-targeting strategy has limitations for tumor targeting due to inter- and intraheterogeneity of tumors. In this study, we demonstrated an alternative active-targeting strategy using metabolic engineering and bioorthogonal click reaction to improve tumor-targeting efficiency of nanoparticles. We observed that azide-containing chemical reporters were successfully generated onto surface glycans of various tumor cells such as lung cancer (A549), brain cancer (U87), and breast cancer (BT-474, MDA-MB231, MCF-7) via metabolic engineering in vitro. In addition, we compared tumor targeting of artificial azide reporter with bicyclononyne (BCN)-conjugated glycol chitosan nanoparticles (BCN-CNPs) and integrin α v β 3 with cyclic RGD-conjugated CNPs (cRGD-CNPs) in vitro and in vivo. Fluorescence intensity of azide-reporter-targeted BCN-CNPs in tumor tissues was 1.6-fold higher and with a more uniform distribution compared to that of cRGD-CNPs. Moreover, even in the isolated heterogeneous U87 cells, BCN-CNPs could bind artificial azide reporters on tumor cells more uniformly (∼92.9%) compared to cRGD-CNPs. Therefore, the artificial azide-reporter-targeting strategy can be utilized for targeting heterogeneous tumor cells via bioorthogonal click reaction and may provide an alternative method of tumor targeting for further investigation in cancer therapy.

  12. Tumor-Associated Macrophages as Major Players in the Tumor Microenvironment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chanmee, Theerawut; Ontong, Pawared; Konno, Kenjiro; Itano, Naoki

    2014-01-01

    During tumor progression, circulating monocytes and macrophages are actively recruited into tumors where they alter the tumor microenvironment to accelerate tumor progression. Macrophages shift their functional phenotypes in response to various microenvironmental signals generated from tumor and stromal cells. Based on their function, macrophages are divided broadly into two categories: classical M1 and alternative M2 macrophages. The M1 macrophage is involved in the inflammatory response, pathogen clearance, and antitumor immunity. In contrast, the M2 macrophage influences an anti-inflammatory response, wound healing, and pro-tumorigenic properties. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) closely resemble the M2-polarized macrophages and are critical modulators of the tumor microenvironment. Clinicopathological studies have suggested that TAM accumulation in tumors correlates with a poor clinical outcome. Consistent with that evidence, experimental and animal studies have supported the notion that TAMs can provide a favorable microenvironment to promote tumor development and progression. In this review article, we present an overview of mechanisms responsible for TAM recruitment and highlight the roles of TAMs in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, immunosuppression, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Finally, we discuss TAM-targeting therapy as a promising novel strategy for an indirect cancer therapy

  13. Tumor-Associated Macrophages as Major Players in the Tumor Microenvironment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chanmee, Theerawut [Institute of Advanced Technology, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan); Ontong, Pawared [Division of Engineering (Biotechnology), Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan); Konno, Kenjiro [Department of Animal Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan); Itano, Naoki, E-mail: itanon@cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp [Institute of Advanced Technology, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan); Division of Engineering (Biotechnology), Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan); Department of Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555 (Japan)

    2014-08-13

    During tumor progression, circulating monocytes and macrophages are actively recruited into tumors where they alter the tumor microenvironment to accelerate tumor progression. Macrophages shift their functional phenotypes in response to various microenvironmental signals generated from tumor and stromal cells. Based on their function, macrophages are divided broadly into two categories: classical M1 and alternative M2 macrophages. The M1 macrophage is involved in the inflammatory response, pathogen clearance, and antitumor immunity. In contrast, the M2 macrophage influences an anti-inflammatory response, wound healing, and pro-tumorigenic properties. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) closely resemble the M2-polarized macrophages and are critical modulators of the tumor microenvironment. Clinicopathological studies have suggested that TAM accumulation in tumors correlates with a poor clinical outcome. Consistent with that evidence, experimental and animal studies have supported the notion that TAMs can provide a favorable microenvironment to promote tumor development and progression. In this review article, we present an overview of mechanisms responsible for TAM recruitment and highlight the roles of TAMs in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, immunosuppression, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Finally, we discuss TAM-targeting therapy as a promising novel strategy for an indirect cancer therapy.

  14. NADPH promotes the rapid growth of the tumor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Sheng

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available NADPH oxidase is the main source of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS. ROS plays an important role in a variety of tumor types. The ROS mediated by NADPH oxidase increases the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIF-α through multiple signaling pathways in tumor, and HIF-α could be regulated and controlled by downstream multiple targeted genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor, glucose transporter to promote tumor angiogenesis, cell energy metabolism reprogram and tumor metastasis. Meanwhile, HIF-α can also regulate the expression of NADPH oxidase by ROS, thus further promoting development of tumor. In this review, we summarized the functions of NADPH in tumorigenesis and discussed their potential implications in cancer therapy.

  15. Promotion of Tumor Invasion by Cooperation of Granulocytes and Macrophages Activated by Anti-tumor Antibodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilio Barbera-Guillem

    1999-11-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the potential role of anti-tumor antibodies and tumor antigens in the formation of immune complexes which promote matrix degradation and angiogenesis. B-cell deficient or B-cell depleted mice showed a reduction in tumor invasion and metastasis. In vitro invasion assays and in vivo models of metastasis showed that anti-sTn antibodies and sTn tumor antigens form complexes which induce granulocytes and macrophages together to mediate tumor invasion and metastasis by processes including extracellular matrix degradation and angiogenesis. These results suggest the existence of a tumor promoting role of a B-cell immune response induced by shed tumor associated antigens of solid, nonlymphoid tumors.

  16. Store-operated Ca2+ entry is remodelled and controls in vitro angiogenesis in endothelial progenitor cells isolated from tumoral patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Lodola

    Full Text Available Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs may be recruited from bone marrow to sustain tumor vascularisation and promote the metastatic switch. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving EPC proliferation and tubulogenesis could outline novel targets for alternative anti-angiogenic treatments. Store-operated Ca(2+ entry (SOCE, which is activated by a depletion of the intracellular Ca(2+ pool, regulates the growth of human EPCs, where is mediated by the interaction between the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+-sensor, Stim1, and the plasmalemmal Ca(2+ channel, Orai1. As oncogenesis may be associated to the capability of tumor cells to grow independently on Ca(2+ influx, it is important to assess whether SOCE regulates EPC-dependent angiogenesis also in tumor patients.The present study employed Ca(2+ imaging, recombinant sub-membranal and mitochondrial aequorin, real-time polymerase chain reaction, gene silencing techniques and western blot analysis to investigate the expression and the role of SOCE in EPCs isolated from peripheral blood of patients affected by renal cellular carcinoma (RCC; RCC-EPCs as compared to control EPCs (N-EPCs. SOCE, activated by either pharmacological (i.e. cyclopiazonic acid or physiological (i.e. ATP stimulation, was significantly higher in RCC-EPCs and was selectively sensitive to BTP-2, and to the trivalent cations, La(3+ and Gd(3+. Furthermore, 2-APB enhanced thapsigargin-evoked SOCE at low concentrations, whereas higher doses caused SOCE inhibition. Conversely, the anti-angiogenic drug, carboxyamidotriazole (CAI, blocked both SOCE and the intracellular Ca(2+ release. SOCE was associated to the over-expression of Orai1, Stim1, and transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1 at both mRNA and protein level The intracellular Ca(2+ buffer, BAPTA, BTP-2, and CAI inhibited RCC-EPC proliferation and tubulogenesis. The genetic suppression of Stim1, Orai1, and TRPC1 blocked CPA-evoked SOCE in RCC-EPCs.SOCE is remodelled in EPCs

  17. The Use of Novel PET Tracers to Image Breast Cancer Biologic Processes Such as Proliferation, DNA Damage and Repair, and Angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, Laura

    2016-02-01

    The balance between proliferation and cell death is pivotal to breast tumor growth. Because of a combination of environmental and genetic factors leading to activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, these processes become deregulated in cancer. PET imaging of proliferation, angiogenesis, and DNA damage and repair offers the opportunity to monitor therapeutic efficacy to detect changes in tumor biology that may precede physical size reduction and simultaneously allows the study of intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity.This review examines recent developments in breast cancer imaging using novel probes. The probes discussed here are not licensed for routine use and are at various stages of development ranging from preclinical development (e.g., the DNA repair marker γH2AX) to clinical validation in larger studies (such as the proliferation probe 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine [(18)F-FLT]). In breast cancer, most studies have focused on proliferation imaging mainly based on (18)F-labeled thymidine analogs. Initial studies have been promising; however, the results of larger validation studies are necessary before being incorporated into routine clinical use. Although there are distinct advantages in using process-specific probes, properties such as metabolism need careful consideration, because high background uptake in the liver due to glucuronidation in the case of (18)F-FLT may limit utility for imaging of liver metastases.Targeting angiogenesis has had some success in tumors such as renal cell carcinoma; however, angiogenesis inhibitors have not been particularly successful in the clinical treatment of breast cancer. This could be potentially attributed to patient selection due to the lack of validated predictive and responsive biomarkers; the quest for a successful noninvasive biomarker for angiogenesis could solve this challenge. Finally, we look at cell death including apoptosis and DNA damage and repair probes, the most well

  18. Increased suppression of oncolytic adenovirus carrying mutant k5 on colorectal tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan Junkai; Xiao Tian; Gu Jinfa; Wei Na; He Lingfeng; Ding Miao; Liu Xinyuan

    2008-01-01

    Angiogenesis plays a key role in the development of a wide variety of malignant tumors. The approach of targeting antiangiogenesis has become an important field of cancer gene therapy. In this study, the antiangiogenesis protein K5 (the kringle 5 of human plasminogen) has been mutated by changing leucine71 to arginine to form mK5. Then the ZD55-mK5, which is an oncolytic adenovirus expressing mK5, was constructed. It showed stronger inhibition on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell. Moreover, in tube formation and embryonic chorioallantoic membrane assay, ZD55-mK5 exhibited more effective antiangiogenesis than ZD55-K5. In addition, ZD55-mK5 generated obvious suppression on the growth of colorectal tumor xenografts and prolonged the life span of nude mice. These results indicate that ZD55-mK5 is a potent agent for inhibiting the tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth

  19. The SDF-1–CXCR4 signaling pathway: a molecular hub modulating neo-angiogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, Isabelle; Jin, David; Rafii, Shahin

    2010-01-01

    Pro-angiogenic bone marrow (BM) cells include subsets of hematopoietic cells that provide vascular support and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which under certain permissive conditions could differentiate into functional vascular cells. Recent evidence demonstrates that the chemokine stromal-cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1, also known as CXCL12) has a major role in the recruitment and retention of CXCR4+ BM cells to the neo-angiogenic niches supporting revascularization of ischemic tissue and tumor growth. However, the precise mechanism by which activation of CXCR4 modulates neo-angiogenesis is not clear. SDF-1 not only promotes revascularization by engaging with CXCR4 expressed on the vascular cells but also supports mobilization of pro-angiogenic CXCR4+VEGFR1+ hematopoietic cells, thereby accelerating revascularization of ischemic organs. Here, we attempt to define the multiple functions of the SDF-1–CXCR4 signaling pathway in the regulation of neo-vascularization during acute ischemia and tumor growth. In particular, we introduce the concept that, by modulating plasma SDF-1 levels, the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 acutely promotes, while chronic AMD3100 treatment inhibits, mobilization of pro-angiogenic cells. We will also discuss strategies to modulate the mobilization of essential subsets of BM cells that participate in neo-angiogenesis, setting up the stage for enhancing revascularization or targeting tumor vessels by exploiting CXCR4 agonists and antagonists, respectively. PMID:17560169

  20. Development of NMR imaging using CEST agents: application to brain tumor in a rodent model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flament, J.

    2012-01-01

    The study aimed at developing saturation transfer imaging of lipoCEST contrast agents for the detection of angiogenesis in a U87 mouse brain tumor model. A lipoCEST with a sensitivity threshold of 100 pM in vitro was optimized in order to make it compatible with CEST imaging in vivo. Thanks to the development of an experimental setup dedicated to CEST imaging, we evaluated lipoCEST to detect specifically tumor angiogenesis. We demonstrated for the first time that lipoCEST visualization was feasible in vivo in a mouse brain after intravenous injection. Moreover, the integrin α v β 3 over expressed during tumor angiogenesis can be specifically targeted using a functionalized lipoCEST with RGD peptide. The specific association between the RGD-lipoCEST and its target α v β 3 was confirmed by immunohistochemical data and fluorescence microscopy. Finally, in order to tend to a molecular imaging protocol by CEST-MRI, we developed a quantification tool of lipoCEST contrast agents. This tool is based on modeling of proton exchange processes in vivo. By taking into account both B0 and B1 fields inhomogeneities which can dramatically alter CEST contrast, we showed that the accuracy of our quantification tool was 300 pM in vitro. The tool was applied on in vivo data acquired on the U87 mouse model and the maximum concentration of RGD-lipoCEST linked to their molecular targets was evaluated to 1.8 nM. (author) [fr

  1. Advanced Research of mTOR and Lung Carcinoid Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zixuan ZHANG

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR, a main protein kinase in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, is an important intracellular mediator involved in multiple celluar functions including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and angiogenesis. Recently, the high expression of mTOR and mTOR-related kinase have been found in neuroendocrin tumors. Therefore, mTOR pathway represents an attractive target for new anticancer therapies except surgery.

  2. Advances in establishment and analysis of three-dimensional tumor spheroid-based functional assays for target validation and drug evaluation

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    Vinci Maria

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is overwhelming evidence that in vitro three-dimensional tumor cell cultures more accurately reflect the complex in vivo microenvironment than simple two-dimensional cell monolayers, not least with respect to gene expression profiles, signaling pathway activity and drug sensitivity. However, most currently available three-dimensional techniques are time consuming and/or lack reproducibility; thus standardized and rapid protocols are urgently needed. Results To address this requirement, we have developed a versatile toolkit of reproducible three-dimensional tumor spheroid models for dynamic, automated, quantitative imaging and analysis that are compatible with routine high-throughput preclinical studies. Not only do these microplate methods measure three-dimensional tumor growth, but they have also been significantly enhanced to facilitate a range of functional assays exemplifying additional key hallmarks of cancer, namely cell motility and matrix invasion. Moreover, mutual tissue invasion and angiogenesis is accommodated by coculturing tumor spheroids with murine embryoid bodies within which angiogenic differentiation occurs. Highly malignant human tumor cells were selected to exemplify therapeutic effects of three specific molecularly-targeted agents: PI-103 (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor, 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG (heat shock protein 90 (HSP90 inhibitor and CCT130234 (in-house phospholipase C (PLCγ inhibitor. Fully automated analysis using a Celigo cytometer was validated for tumor spheroid growth and invasion against standard image analysis techniques, with excellent reproducibility and significantly increased throughput. In addition, we discovered key differential sensitivities to targeted agents between two-dimensional and three-dimensional cultures, and also demonstrated enhanced potency of some agents against cell migration

  3. Role and mechanism of arsenic in regulating angiogenesis.

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    Ling-Zhi Liu

    Full Text Available Arsenic is a wide spread carcinogen associated with several kinds of cancers including skin, lung, bladder, and liver cancers. Lung is one of the major targets of arsenic exposure. Angiogenesis is the pivotal process during carcinogenesis and chronic pulmonary diseases, but the role and mechanism of arsenic in regulating angiogenesis remain to be elucidated. In this study we show that short time exposure of arsenic induces angiogenesis in both human immortalized lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B and adenocarcinoma cells A549. To study the molecular mechanism of arsenic-inducing angiogenesis, we find that arsenic induces reactive oxygen species (ROS generation, which activates AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways and increases the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF. Inhibition of ROS production suppresses angiogenesis by decreasing AKT and ERK activation and HIF-1 expression. Inhibition of ROS, AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways is sufficient to attenuate arsenic-inducing angiogenesis. HIF-1 and VEGF are downstream effectors of AKT and ERK1/2 that are required for arsenic-inducing angiogenesis. These results shed light on the mechanism of arsenic in regulating angiogenesis, and are helpful to develop mechanism-based intervention to prevent arsenic-induced carcinogenesis and angiogenesis in the future.

  4. 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.

  5. Correlation of MRI apparent diffusion coefficient of invasive breast cancer with tumor tissue growth and angiogenesis

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    Ze-Hong Fu

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the correlation of MRI apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC value of invasive breast cancer with tumor tissue growth and angiogenesis. Methods: Patients with breast mass who were treated in Wuhan No. 6 Hospital between March 2014 and May 2017 were selected as the research subjects and divided into group A with invasive ductal carcinoma, group B with intraductal carcinoma and group C with benign lesion according to the biopsy results, magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging was conducted to determine ADC values, and biopsy tissue was taken to determine the expression of proliferation genes and angiogenesis genes. Results: USP39, CyclinD1, VEGF, bFGF, Angplt-2, Angplt-3 and Angplt-4 protein expression levels in lesions of group A and group B were significantly higher than those of group C while ADC value as well as ALEX1 and Bax protein expression levels were significantly lower than those of group C; USP39, CyclinD1, VEGF, bFGF, Angplt-2, Angplt-3 and Angplt-4 protein expression levels in lesions of group A were significantly higher than those of group B while ADC value as well as ALEX1 and Bax protein expression levels was significantly lower than those of group B; USP39, CyclinD1, VEGF, bFGF, Angplt-2, Angplt-3 and Angplt-4 protein expression levels in invasive breast cancer tissue with high ADC value were significantly lower than those in invasive breast cancer tissue with low ADC value while ALEX1 and Bax protein expression levels were significantly higher than those in invasive breast cancer tissue with low ADC value. Conclusion: The decrease of ADC value of invasive breast cancer is closely related to cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis.

  6. The effects of CD147 on the cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis in glioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Haoyuan; Shao, Ying; Chen, Xuan

    2017-01-01

    To analyze the effects of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (CD147) on glioma proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. Tissue samples were obtained from 101 glioma cases while normal brain tissues were obtained from 30 brain injury cases. Immunohistochemical assay was performed to detect the expressions of CD147, CD34, and VEGF in tissue samples. QRT-PCR was performed to detect the relative expression of CD147 mRNA in human glioma cell lines. CD147 siRNA was transfected into glioma cell line U251. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis were tested by MTT, flow cytometry, Transwell assay, and vasculogenic mimicry assay, respectively. Expressions of relative proteins were analyzed with western blot. CD147 was positively expressed with the percentage of 0, 37.5, 44.8, 67.9, and 85.7 % in normal tissues and glioma tissues with WHO grades I-IV, respectively, and the scores of MVDand VEGF were associated with the expression of CD147. CD147 was significantly upregulated in the human glioma cell lines (P CD147 suppressed cell proliferation, blocked cell cycle, induced apoptosis, inhibited cell invasion and angiogenesis in glioma cells in vitro. The expression of CD147 was significantly associated with WHO tumor grade and angiogenesis; silencing of CD147 contributed to inhibition of glioma proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Our study provided firm evidence that CD 147 is a potential glioma target for anti-angiogenic therapies.

  7. Asparagus polysaccharide and gum with hepatic artery embolization induces tumor growth and inhibits angiogenesis in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Ling-Ling; Xiang, Jian-Feng; Lin, Jin-Bo; Yi, Shang-Hui; Yang, Li-Tao; Li, Yi-Sheng; Zeng, Hao-Tao; Lin, Sheng-Ming; Xin, Dong-Wei; Zhao, Hai-Liang; Qiu, Shu-Qi; Chen, Tao; Zhang, Min-Guang

    2014-01-01

    Liver cancer is one of leading digestive malignancies with high morbidity and mortality. There is an urgent need for the development of novel therapies for this deadly disease. It has been proven that asparagus polysaccharide, one of the most active derivates from the traditional medicine asparagus, possesses notable antitumor properties. However, little is known about the efficacy of asparagus polysaccharide as an adjuvant for liver cancer chemotherapy. Herein, we reported that asparagus polysaccharide and its embolic agent form, asparagus gum, significantly inhibited liver tumor growth with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor model, while significantly inhibiting angiogenesis and promoting tumor cell apoptosis. Moreover, asparagine gelatinous possessed immunomodulatory functions and showed little toxicity to the host. These results highlight the chemotherapeutic potential of asparagus polysaccharide and warrant a future focus on development as novel chemotherapeutic agent for liver cancer TACE therapy.

  8. Exosomal protein interactors as emerging therapeutic targets in urothelial bladder cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nitu Kumari

    2015-06-01

    Conclusions: The importance of identifying interactors is that that they can be used as targets for therapy, for example, using Bevacizumab (avastin – an angiogenesis inhibitor against NF2 to inhibit protein–protein interactions will inhibit tumor growth and progression by hindering the exosome biogenesis.

  9. Interface between breast cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment using platelet-rich plasma to promote tumor angiogenesis - influence of platelets and fibrin bundles on the behavior of breast tumor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, Sheila Siqueira; Sumikawa, Joana Tomomi; Castro, Eloísa Dognani; Batista, Fabricio Pereira; Paredes-Gamero, Edgar; Oliveira, Lilian Carolina; Guerra, Izabel Monastério; Peres, Giovani Bravin; Cavalheiro, Renan Pelluzzi; Juliano, Luiz; Nazário, Afonso Pinto; Facina, Gil; Tsai, Siu Mui; Oliva, Maria Luiza Vilela; Girão, Manoel João Batista Castello

    2017-03-07

    Cancer progression is associated with an evolving tissue interface of direct epithelial-tumor microenvironment interactions. In biopsies of human breast tumors, extensive alterations in molecular pathways are correlated with cancer staging on both sides of the tumor-stroma interface. These interactions provide a pivotal paracrine signaling to induce malignant phenotype transition, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We explored how the direct contact between platelets-fibrin bundles primes metastasis using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a source of growth factors and mimics the provisional fibrin matrix between actively growing breast cancer cells and the tumor stroma. We have demonstrated PRP functions, modulating cell proliferation that is tumor-subtype and cancer cell-type-specific. Epithelial and stromal primary cells were prepared from breast cancer biopsies from 21 women with different cancer subtypes. Cells supplemented with PRP were immunoblotted with anti-phospho and total Src-Tyr-416, FAK-Try-925, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, TGF-β, Smad2, and Snail monoclonal antibodies. Breast tumor cells from luminal B and HER2 subtypes showed the most malignant profiles and the expression of thrombin and other classes of proteases at levels that were detectable through FRET peptide libraries. The angiogenesis process was investigated in the interface obtained between platelet-fibrin-breast tumor cells co-cultured with HUVEC cells. Luminal B and HER2 cells showed robust endothelial cell capillary-like tubes ex vivo. The studied interface contributes to the attachment of endothelial cells, provides a source of growth factors, and is a solid substrate. Thus, replacement of FBS supplementation with PRP supplementation represents an efficient and simple approach for mimicking the real multifactorial tumor microenvironment.

  10. The Dynamics of Developmental and Tumor Angiogenesis—A Comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Yi; Jakobsson, Lars

    2012-01-01

    The blood vasculature in cancers has been the subject of intense interest during the past four decades. Since the original ideas of targeting angiogenesis to treat cancer were proposed in the 1970s, it has become evident that more knowledge about the role of vessels in tumor biology is needed to fully take advantage of such strategies. The vasculature serves the surrounding tissue in a multitude of ways that all must be taken into consideration in therapeutic manipulation. Aspects of delivery of conventional cytostatic drugs, induction of hypoxia affecting treatment by radiotherapy, changes in tumor cell metabolism, vascular leak and trafficking of leukocytes are affected by interventions on vascular function. Many tumors constitute a highly interchangeable milieu undergoing proliferation, apoptosis, and necrosis with abundance of growth factors, enzymes and metabolites. These aspects are reflected by the abnormal tortuous, leaky vascular bed with detached mural cells (pericytes). The vascular bed of tumors is known to be unstable and undergoing remodeling, but it is not until recently that this has been dynamically demonstrated at high resolution, facilitated by technical advances in intravital microscopy. In this review we discuss developmental genetic loss-of-function experiments in the light of tumor angiogenesis. We find this a valid comparison since many studies phenocopy the vasculature in development and tumors

  11. The Dynamics of Developmental and Tumor Angiogenesis—A Comparison

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Yi; Jakobsson, Lars, E-mail: Lars.jakobsson@ki.se [Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-17177 (Sweden)

    2012-04-11

    The blood vasculature in cancers has been the subject of intense interest during the past four decades. Since the original ideas of targeting angiogenesis to treat cancer were proposed in the 1970s, it has become evident that more knowledge about the role of vessels in tumor biology is needed to fully take advantage of such strategies. The vasculature serves the surrounding tissue in a multitude of ways that all must be taken into consideration in therapeutic manipulation. Aspects of delivery of conventional cytostatic drugs, induction of hypoxia affecting treatment by radiotherapy, changes in tumor cell metabolism, vascular leak and trafficking of leukocytes are affected by interventions on vascular function. Many tumors constitute a highly interchangeable milieu undergoing proliferation, apoptosis, and necrosis with abundance of growth factors, enzymes and metabolites. These aspects are reflected by the abnormal tortuous, leaky vascular bed with detached mural cells (pericytes). The vascular bed of tumors is known to be unstable and undergoing remodeling, but it is not until recently that this has been dynamically demonstrated at high resolution, facilitated by technical advances in intravital microscopy. In this review we discuss developmental genetic loss-of-function experiments in the light of tumor angiogenesis. We find this a valid comparison since many studies phenocopy the vasculature in development and tumors.

  12. Glycan Markers as Potential Immunological Targets in Circulating Tumor Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Denong; Wu, Lisa; Liu, Xiaohe

    2017-01-01

    We present here an experimental approach for exploring a new class of tumor biomarkers that are overexpressed by circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and are likely targetable in immunotherapy against tumor metastasis. Using carbohydrate microarrays, anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were scanned against a large panel of carbohydrate antigens to identify potential tumor glycan markers. Subsequently, flow cytometry and fiber-optic array scanning technology (FAST) were applied to determine whether the identified targets are tumor-specific cell-surface markers and are, therefore, likely suitable for targeted immunotherapy. Finally, the tumor glycan-specific antibodies identified were validated using cancer patients' blood samples for their performance in CTC-detection and immunotyping analysis. In this article, identifying breast CTC-specific glycan markers and targeting mAbs serve as examples to illustrate this tumor biomarker discovery strategy.

  13. Mature and progenitor endothelial cells perform angiogenesis also under protease inhibition: the amoeboid angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chillà, Anastasia; Margheri, Francesca; Biagioni, Alessio; Del Rosso, Mario; Fibbi, Gabriella; Laurenzana, Anna

    2018-04-03

    Controlling vascular growth is a challenging aim for the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. The amoeboid and mesenchymal types of invasiveness are two modes of migration interchangeable in cancer cells: the Rac-dependent mesenchymal migration requires the activity of proteases; the Rho-ROCK-dependent amoeboid motility is protease-independent and has never been described in endothelial cells. A cocktail of physiologic inhibitors (Ph-C) of serine-proteases, metallo-proteases and cysteine-proteases, mimicking the physiological environment that cells encounter during their migration within the angiogenesis sites was used to induce amoeboid style migration of Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) and mature endothelial cells (ECs). To evaluate the mesenchymal-ameboid transition RhoA and Rac1 activation assays were performed along with immunofluorescence analysis of proteins involved in cytoskeleton organization. Cell invasion was studied in Boyden chambers and Matrigel plug assay for the in vivo angiogenesis. In the present study we showed in both ECFCs and ECs, a decrease of activated Rac1 and an increase of activated RhoA upon shifting of cells to the amoeboid conditions. In presence of Ph-C inhibitors both cell lines acquired a round morphology and Matrigel invasion was greatly enhanced with respect to that observed in the absence of protease inhibition. We also observed that the urokinase-plasminogen-activator (uPAR) receptor silencing and uPAR-integrin uncoupling with the M25 peptide abolished both mesenchymal and amoeboid angiogenesis of ECFCs and ECs in vitro and in vivo, indicating a role of the uPAR-integrin-actin axis in the regulation of amoeboid angiogenesis. Furthermore, under amoeboid conditions endothelial cells seem to be indifferent to VEGF stimulation, which induces an amoeboid signaling pattern also in mesenchymal conditions. Here we first provide a data set disclosing that endothelial cells can move and differentiate into vascular

  14. High efficiency diffusion molecular retention tumor targeting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanyan Guo

    Full Text Available Here we introduce diffusion molecular retention (DMR tumor targeting, a technique that employs PEG-fluorochrome shielded probes that, after a peritumoral (PT injection, undergo slow vascular uptake and extensive interstitial diffusion, with tumor retention only through integrin molecular recognition. To demonstrate DMR, RGD (integrin binding and RAD (control probes were synthesized bearing DOTA (for (111 In(3+, a NIR fluorochrome, and 5 kDa PEG that endows probes with a protein-like volume of 25 kDa and decreases non-specific interactions. With a GFP-BT-20 breast carcinoma model, tumor targeting by the DMR or i.v. methods was assessed by surface fluorescence, biodistribution of [(111In] RGD and [(111In] RAD probes, and whole animal SPECT. After a PT injection, both probes rapidly diffused through the normal and tumor interstitium, with retention of the RGD probe due to integrin interactions. With PT injection and the [(111In] RGD probe, SPECT indicated a highly tumor specific uptake at 24 h post injection, with 352%ID/g tumor obtained by DMR (vs 4.14%ID/g by i.v.. The high efficiency molecular targeting of DMR employed low probe doses (e.g. 25 ng as RGD peptide, which minimizes toxicity risks and facilitates clinical translation. DMR applications include the delivery of fluorochromes for intraoperative tumor margin delineation, the delivery of radioisotopes (e.g. toxic, short range alpha emitters for radiotherapy, or the delivery of photosensitizers to tumors accessible to light.

  15. Although Abundant in Tumor Tissue, Mast Cells Have No Effect on Immunological Micro-milieu or Growth of HPV-Induced or Transplanted Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanawaz Mohammed Ghouse

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary: High numbers of mast cells populate the stroma of many types of neoplasms, including human papilloma virus-induced benign and malignant tumors in man and mouse. Equipped with numerous pattern recognition receptors and capable of executing important pro-inflammatory responses, mast cells are considered innate sentinels that significantly impact tumor biology. Mast cells were reported to promote human papilloma virus (HPV-induced epithelial hyperproliferation and neo-angiogenesis in an HPV-driven mouse model of skin cancer. We analyzed HPV-induced epithelial hyperplasia and squamous cell carcinoma formation, as well as growth of tumors inoculated into the dermis, in mice lacking skin mast cells. Unexpectedly, the absence of mast cells had no effect on HPV-induced epithelial growth or angiogenesis, on growth kinetics of inoculated tumors, or on the immunological tumor micro-milieu. Thus, the conspicuous recruitment of mast cells into tumor tissues cannot necessarily be equated with important mast cell functions in tumor growth. : Mast cells accumulate in high numbers in many human tumors, and they are widely viewed as important promoters of tumor growth. Ghouse et al. show that growth, angiogenesis, and the immunological micro-milieu of tumors growing in mice genetically deficient for mast cells are unchanged compared to control tumors. Keywords: mast cells, HPV-induced skin cancer, tumor angiogenesis, tumor micro-milieu

  16. Efficient VEGF targeting delivery of DOX using Bevacizumab conjugated SiO2@LDH for anti-neuroblastoma therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Rongrong; Wang, Zhaoqi; Liang, Peng; He, Xiaolie; Zhuang, Xizhen; Huang, Ruiqi; Wang, Mei; Wang, Qigang; Qian, Yechang; Wang, Shilong

    2017-11-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis and is highly expressed in carcinoma, which make it an important target for tumor targeting therapy. Neuroblastoma is the main cause for cancer-related death in children. Like most solid tumors, it is also accompanied with the overexpression of VEGF. Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (DOX), a typical chemotherapeutic agent, exhibits efficient anticancer activities for various cancers. However, DOX, without targeting ability, usually causes severe damage to normal tissues. To overcome the shortages, we designed a novel nano-composite, which is Bevacizumab (Bev) modified SiO 2 @LDH nanoparticles (SiO 2 @LDH-Bev), loading with DOX to achieve targeting ability and curative efficiency. SiO 2 @LDH-DOX and SiO 2 @LDH-Bev-DOX nanoparticles were synthesized and the physicochemical properties were characterized by TEM detection, Zeta potential analysis, FTIR, Raman and XPS analysis. Then in vitro and in vivo anti-neuroblastoma efficiency, targeting ability and mechanisms of anti-carcinoma and anti-angiogenesis of SiO 2 @LDH-Bev-DOX were explored. Our results indicated that we obtained the core-shell structure SiO 2 @LDH-Bev with an average diameter of 253±10nm and the amount of conjugated Bev was 4.59±0.38μg/mg SiO 2 @LDH-Bev. SiO 2 @LDH-Bev-DOX could improve the cellular uptake and the targeting effect of DOX to brain and tumor, enhance the anti-neuroblastoma and anti-angiogenesis efficiency both in vitro and in vivo, and alleviate side effects of DOX sharply, especially hepatic injury. In addition, we also demonstrated that angiogenesis inhibitory effect was mediated by DOX and VEGF triggered signal pathways, including PI3K/Akt, Raf/MEK/ERK, and adhesion related pathways. In summary, SiO 2 @LDH-Bev could be a potential VEGF targeting nanocarrier applied in VEGF positive cancer therapy. This paper explored that a novel core-shell structure nanomaterial SiO 2 @LDH and modified SiO 2 @LDH with

  17. Libraries of RGD analogs, labeled through ReO3+ or TcO3+ coordination, targeting αVβ3 integrin: development of tracers for the early detection of tumor neo-angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aufort, M.

    2008-11-01

    Integrins form a family of hetero-dimeric integral glycoproteins which play a central role in cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix interactions. In particular, they are over expressed during tumor neo-angiogenesis. About 10 of them recognize a structured RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence. Analogs of this sequence can be used for the early detection of tumors and metastases. We developed new tracers, labeled with 99m Tc, for the molecular imaging of α V β 3 integrin. Until recently, there was no reliable ab initio structure prediction of complex molecules containing Re and Tc chelates. Therefore, we preferred a combinatorial approach to develop potential ligands of α V β 3 integrin and we attempted to identify efficient tracers by in vivo screening. This method would account for biodistribution and pharmacokinetics properties in the early steps of the study. Tracers were obtained according two strategies: i) cyclization of linear RGD analogs; ii) combinatorial assembling of independent modules through metal core coordination by the well-known NS 2 +S motif. After synthesis and labeling, the stability of the tracers was investigated in presence of glutathione and in murine plasma. In vitro screening on purified integrin showed that a cyclic rhenium coordinate binds specifically α V β 3 . A tumor model (U87-MG tumor on nude mice) was validated in the laboratory and a method was developed to analyze in vivo experiments. Biodistribution data and percentage of activity found in tumors are encouraging for cyclic compounds though identification of efficient tracers is difficult due to their instability in the conditions of analyses. (author)

  18. Tumor-targeted nanomedicines for cancer theranostics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lammers, Twan; Shi, Yang

    2017-01-01

    Chemotherapeutic drugs have multiple drawbacks, including severe side effects and suboptimal therapeutic efficacy. Nanomedicines assist in improving the biodistribution and the target accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs, and are therefore able to enhance the balance between efficacy and toxicity. Multiple different types of nanomedicines have been evaluated over the years, including liposomes, polymer-drug conjugates and polymeric micelles, which rely on strategies such as passive targeting, active targeting and triggered release for improved tumor-directed drug delivery. Based on the notion that tumors and metastases are highly heterogeneous, it is important to integrate imaging properties in nanomedicine formulations in order to enable non-invasive and quantitative assessment of targeting efficiency. By allowing for patient pre-selection, such next generation nanotheranostics are useful for facilitating clinical translation and personalizing nanomedicine treatments. PMID:27865762

  19. Therapeutic Approaches to Target Cancer Stem Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diaz, Arlhee; Leon, Kalet

    2011-01-01

    The clinical relevance of cancer stem cells (CSC) remains a major challenge for current cancer therapies, but preliminary findings indicate that specific targeting may be possible. Recent studies have shown that these tumor subpopulations promote tumor angiogenesis through the increased production of VEGF, whereas the VEGF neutralizing antibody bevacizumab specifically inhibits CSC growth. Moreover, nimotuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with a potent antiangiogenic activity, has been shown by our group to reduce the frequency of CSC-like subpopulations in mouse models of brain tumors when combined with ionizing radiation. These studies and subsequent reports from other groups support the relevance of approaches based on molecular-targeted therapies to selectively attack CSC. This review discusses the relevance of targeting both the EGFR and angiogenic pathways as valid approaches to this aim. We discuss the relevance of identifying better molecular markers to develop drug screening strategies that selectively target CSC

  20. Four jointed box 1 promotes angiogenesis and is associated with poor patient survival in colorectal carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole T Al-Greene

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis, the recruitment and re-configuration of pre-existing vasculature, is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Increased tumor vascularization often correlates with poor patient outcomes in a broad spectrum of carcinomas. We identified four jointed box 1 (FJX1 as a candidate regulator of tumor angiogenesis in colorectal cancer. FJX1 mRNA and protein are upregulated in human colorectal tumor epithelium as compared with normal epithelium and colorectal adenomas, and high expression of FJX1 is associated with poor patient prognosis. FJX1 mRNA expression in colorectal cancer tissues is significantly correlated with changes in known angiogenesis genes. Augmented expression of FJX1 in colon cancer cells promotes growth of xenografts in athymic mice and is associated with increased tumor cell proliferation and vascularization. Furthermore, FJX1 null mice develop significantly fewer colonic polyps than wild-type littermates after combined dextran sodium sulfate (DSS and azoxymethane (AOM treatment. In vitro, conditioned media from FJX1 expressing cells promoted endothelial cell capillary tube formation in a HIF1-α dependent manner. Taken together our results support the conclusion that FJX1 is a novel regulator of tumor progression, due in part, to its effect on tumor vascularization.

  1. Immunoglobulin free light chains are biomarkers of poor prognosis in basal-like breast cancer and are potential targets in tumor-associated inflammation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kormelink, T.G.; Powe, D.G.; Kuijpers, S.A.; Abudukelimu, A.; Fens, M.H.; Pieters, E.H.; Kassing-Van der Ven, W.W.; Habashy, H.O.; Ellis, I.O.; Blokhuis, B.R.; Thio, M.; Hennink, W.E.; Storm, Gerrit; Redegeld, F.A.; Schiffelers, R.M.

    2014-01-01

    Inflammation is an important component of various cancers and its inflammatory cells and mediators have been shown to have prognostic potential. Tumor-infiltrating mast cells can promote tumor growth and angiogenesis, but the mechanism of mast cell activation is unclear. In earlier studies, we

  2. Targeting Nanomedicine to Brain Tumors: Latest Progress and Achievements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van't Root, Moniek; Lowik, Clemens; Mezzanotte, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Targeting nanomedicine to brain tumors is hampered by the heterogeneity of brain tumors and the blood brain barrier. These represent the main reasons of unsuccessful treatments. Nanomedicine based approaches hold promise for improved brain tissue distribution of drugs and delivery of combination therapies. In this review, we describe the recent advancements and latest achievements in the use of nanocarriers, virus and cell-derived nanoparticles for targeted therapy of brain tumors. We provide successful examples of nanomedicine based approaches for direct targeting of receptors expressed in brain tumor cells or modulation of pathways involved in cell survival as well as approaches for indirect targeting of cells in the tumor stroma and immunotherapies. Although the field is at its infancy, clinical trials involving nanomedicine based approaches for brain tumors are ongoing and many others will start in the near future. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  3. PTHrP drives breast tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis in mice and is a potential therapy target

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiarong; Karaplis, Andrew C.; Huang, Dao C.; Siegel, Peter M.; Camirand, Anne; Yang, Xian Fang; Muller, William J.; Kremer, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Parathyroid hormone–related protein (PTHrP) is a secreted factor expressed in almost all normal fetal and adult tissues. It is involved in a wide range of developmental and physiological processes, including serum calcium regulation. PTHrP is also associated with the progression of skeletal metastases, and its dysregulated expression in advanced cancers causes malignancy-associated hypercalcemia. Although PTHrP is frequently expressed by breast tumors and other solid cancers, its effects on tumor progression are unclear. Here, we demonstrate in mice pleiotropic involvement of PTHrP in key steps of breast cancer — it influences the initiation and progression of primary tumors and metastases. Pthrp ablation in the mammary epithelium of the PyMT-MMTV breast cancer mouse model caused a delay in primary tumor initiation, inhibited tumor progression, and reduced metastasis to distal sites. Mechanistically, it reduced expression of molecular markers of cell proliferation (Ki67) and angiogenesis (factor VIII), antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2, cell-cycle progression regulator cyclin D1, and survival factor AKT1. PTHrP also influenced expression of the adhesion factor CXCR4, and coexpression of PTHrP and CXCR4 was crucial for metastatic spread. Importantly, PTHrP-specific neutralizing antibodies slowed the progression and metastasis of human breast cancer xenografts. Our data identify what we believe to be new functions for PTHrP in several key steps of breast cancer and suggest that PTHrP may constitute a novel target for therapeutic intervention. PMID:22056386

  4. Tumor target amplification: Implications for nano drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seidi, Khaled; Neubauer, Heidi A; Moriggl, Richard; Jahanban-Esfahlan, Rana; Javaheri, Tahereh

    2018-04-10

    Tumor cells overexpress surface markers which are absent from normal cells. These tumor-restricted antigenic signatures are a fundamental basis for distinguishing on-target from off-target cells for ligand-directed targeting of cancer cells. Unfortunately, tumor heterogeneity impedes the establishment of a solid expression pattern for a given target marker, leading to drastic changes in quality (availability) and quantity (number) of the target. Consequently, a subset of cancer cells remains untargeted during the course of treatment, which subsequently promotes drug-resistance and cancer relapse. Since target inefficiency is only problematic for cancer treatment and not for treatment of other pathological conditions such as viral/bacterial infections, target amplification or the generation of novel targets is key to providing eligible antigenic markers for effective targeted therapy. This review summarizes the limitations of current ligand-directed targeting strategies and provides a comprehensive overview of tumor target amplification strategies, including self-amplifying systems, dual targeting, artificial markers and peptide modification. We also discuss the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of these approaches, the underlying mechanism(s) and established methodologies, mostly in the context of different nanodelivery systems, to facilitate more effective ligand-directed cancer cell monitoring and targeting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Combination of Dll4/Notch and Ephrin-B2/EphB4 targeted therapy is highly effective in disrupting tumor angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Djokovic, Dusan; Gill, Parkash S; Duarte, Antonio; Trindade, Alexandre; Gigante, Joana; Badenes, Marina; Silva, Lilliana; Liu, Ren; Li, Xiuqing; Gong, Ming; Krasnoperov, Valery

    2010-01-01

    Dll4/Notch and Ephrin-B2/EphB4 pathways play critical roles in tumor vessel development and maturation. This study evaluates the efficacy of the inhibition of both signaling pathways, alone and in combination, in reducing the growth of an autochthonous mouse tumor and assesses potential adverse effects. We used the transgenic RIP1-Tag2 tumor model to study the effects of 1) inhibition of Dll4/Notch by either Dll4 allelic deletion or use of a soluble extracellular Dll4 (sDll4), 2) inhibition of Ephrin-B2/EphB4 signaling by a soluble extracellular EphB4 fused to albumin (sEphB4-Alb), and 3) inhibition of both pathways by sEphB4-Alb combined with either Dll4 allelic deletion or sDll4. To investigate adverse effects, we used inducible endothelial-specific Dll4 knock-out mice, treated with sEphB4-Alb, and carried out histopathological analysis. Dll4 allele deletion or soluble Dll4 treatment resulted in increased tumor vessel density, reduced mural cell recruitment and vessel perfusion which resulted in reduced tumor size. The soluble EphB4 instead reduced vessel density and vessel perfusion, leading to reduction of tumor size. Greater efficacy was observed when sEphB4-Alb was combined with either Dll4 allele deletion or sDll4 in regards to tumor size, vessel perfusion and mural cell recruitment. Induced endothelial specific Dll4 loss-of-function caused hepatic vascular alterations, which were prevented by concomitant sEphB4-Alb treatment. Combination targeting of Dll4/Notch and Ephrin-B2/EphB4 has potential for clinical investigation, providing cumulative efficacy and increased safety over Dll4/Notch inhibition alone

  6. Development of a new structure for in vivo tracers synthesis: application to tumor neo-angiogenesis imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinage, O.

    2012-01-01

    Molecular imaging is an essential non-invasive tool usable for diagnosis and characterisation of many diseases. Technetium-based tracers are the most popular ones due to availability, cost and radiochemical properties of 99m Tc. Nevertheless, effective tracers development requires a long, expensive, and mainly empirical optimisation process. This context prompted us to carry on the development of a new technetium structure which exhibits lots of potential functionalization spots compatible with a combinatorial approach. We synthesised 12 N 3 X (X = N, O, S) different ligands. Each of them includes a triazole moiety, (formed via a click-chemistry reaction), which is involved in the metal complexation that implies one of its nitrogen atoms. Then we evaluated their ability to readily form oxo-technetium complexes in conditions that are compatible with medical use in hospital. One complex was formed in quantitative yields and its stability in mice plasma was investigated. A complex called TriaS- 99m Tc, stable to more than 90% after 6 h incubation, was selected. In vivo study of TriaS- 99m Tc revealed an efficient blood clearance via the urinary excretion pathway with very low degradation. As an application, we used this structure for the development of tracers that target integrin α v β 3 , a known bio-marker of tumor neo-angiogenesis. First, we synthesised functionalized TriaS-based integrated complexes. Functional modification of TriaS by addition of side chains and substituents did not affect its ability to chelate oxo-technetium quantitatively. In addition, its stability in mice plasma was satisfactory. We also developed a bifunctional approach using c(RGDfK) peptide as the targeting biomolecule. In this way, a variable moiety (herein a PEG moiety) can be inserted in the structure through click-chemistry in order to modulate tracers solubility, biodistribution and excretion. (author) [fr

  7. Improved magnetic resonance molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis by avidin-induced clearance of nonbound bimodal liposomes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tilborg, van G.A.F.; Mulder, W.J.M.; Schaft, van der D.W.J.; Reutelingsperger, C.; Griffioen, A.W.; Strijkers, G.J.; Nicolay, K.

    2008-01-01

    Angiogenic, that is, newly formed, blood vessels play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis and are a potential target for tumor treatment. In previous studies, the avß3 integrin, which is strongly expressed in angiogenic vessels, has been used as a target for Arg-Gly-Asp

  8. Blockade of Notch Signaling in Tumor-Bearing Mice May Lead to Tumor Regression, Progression, or Metastasis, Depending on Tumor Cell Types

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-Bin Hu

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been reported that blocking Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice results in abortive angiogenesis and tumor regression. However, given that Notch signaling influences numerous cellular processes in vivo, a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of Notch inactivation on tumor growth would be favorable. In this study, we inoculated four cancer cell lines in mice with the conditional inactivation of recombination signal-binding protein-Jκ (RBP-J, which mediates signaling from all four mammalian Notch receptors. We found that whereas three tumors including hepatocarcinoma, lung cancer, and osteogenic sarcoma grew slower in the RBP-J-deficient mice, at least a melanoma, B16, grew significantly faster in the RBP-J-deficient mice than in the controls, suggesting that the RBP-J-deficient hosts could provide permissive cues for tumor growth. All these tumors showed increased microvessels and up-regulated hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, suggesting that whereas defective angiogenesis resulted in hypoxia, different tumors might grow differentially in the RBP-J-deleted mice. Similarly, increased infiltration of Gr1+/Mac1+ cells were noticed in tumors grown in the RBP-J-inactivated mice. Moreover, we found that when inoculated in the RBP-J knockout hosts, the H22 hepatoma cells had a high frequency of metastasis and lethality, suggesting that at least for H22, deficiency of environmental Notch signaling favored tumor metastasis. Our findings suggested that the general blockade of Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice could lead to defective angiogenesis in tumors, but depending on tumor cell types, general inhibition of Notch signaling might result in tumor regression, progression, or metastasis.

  9. One-step radiosynthesis of {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2} for tumor angiogenesis PET imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Shuanglong; Liu, Hongguang; Xu, Yingding; Cheng, Zhen [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Bio-X Program, Department of Radiology, Stanford, CA (United States); Jiang, Han [Stanford University, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Bio-X Program, Department of Radiology, Stanford, CA (United States); Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical PET Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang (China); Zhang, Hong [Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical PET Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang (China)

    2011-09-15

    One of the major obstacles of the clinical translation of {sup 18}F-labeled arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptides has been the laborious multistep radiosynthesis. In order to facilitate the application of RGD-based positron emission tomography (PET) probes in the clinical setting we investigated in this study the feasibility of using the chelation reaction between Al{sup 18}F and a macrocyclic chelator-conjugated dimeric RGD peptide as a simple one-step {sup 18}F labeling strategy for development of a PET probe for tumor angiogenesis imaging. Dimeric cyclic peptide E[c(RGDyK)]{sub 2} (RGD{sub 2}) was first conjugated with a macrocyclic chelator, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA), and the resulting bioconjugate NOTA-RGD{sub 2} was then radiofluorinated via Al{sup 18}F intermediate to synthesize {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2}. Integrin binding affinities of the peptides were assessed by a U87MG cell-based receptor binding assay using {sup 125}I-echistatin as the radioligand. The tumor targeting efficacy and in vivo profile of {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2} were further evaluated in a subcutaneous U87MG glioblastoma xenograft model by microPET and biodistribution. NOTA-RGD{sub 2} was successfully {sup 18}F-fluorinated with good yield within 40 min using the Al{sup 18}F intermediate. The IC{sub 50} of {sup 19}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2} was determined to be 46 {+-} 4.4 nM. Quantitative microPET studies demonstrated that {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2} showed high tumor uptake, fast clearance from the body, and good tumor to normal organ ratios. NOTA-RGD{sub 2} bioconjugate has been successfully prepared and labeled with Al{sup 18}F in one single step of radiosynthesis. The favorable in vivo performance and the short radiosynthetic route of {sup 18}F-AlF-NOTA-RGD{sub 2} warrant further optimization of the probe and the radiofluorination strategy to accelerate the clinical translation of {sup 18}F-labeled RGD peptides. (orig.)

  10. Improved magnetic resonance molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis by avidin-induced clearance of nonbound bimodal liposomes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Tilborg, Geralda A. F.; Mulder, Willem J. M.; van der Schaft, Daisy W. J.; Reutelingsperger, Chris P. M.; Griffioen, Arjan W.; Strijkers, Gustav J.; Nicolay, Klaas

    2008-01-01

    Angiogenic, that is, newly formed, blood vessels play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis and are a potential target for tumor treatment. In previous studies, the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin, which is strongly expressed in angiogenic vessels, has been used as a target for Arg-Gly-Asp

  11. Nanobody-Based Delivery Systems for Diagnosis and Targeted Tumor Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaozhong Hu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The development of innovative targeted therapeutic approaches are expected to surpass the efficacy of current forms of treatments and cause less damage to healthy cells surrounding the tumor site. Since the first development of targeting agents from hybridoma’s, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs have been employed to inhibit tumor growth and proliferation directly or to deliver effector molecules to tumor cells. However, the full potential of such a delivery strategy is hampered by the size of mAbs, which will obstruct the targeted delivery system to access the tumor tissue. By serendipity, a new kind of functional homodimeric antibody format was discovered in camelidae, known as heavy-chain antibodies (HCAbs. The cloning of the variable domain of HCAbs produces an attractive minimal-sized alternative for mAbs, referred to as VHH or nanobodies (Nbs. Apart from their dimensions in the single digit nanometer range, the unique characteristics of Nbs combine a high stability and solubility, low immunogenicity and excellent affinity and specificity against all possible targets including tumor markers. This stimulated the development of tumor-targeted therapeutic strategies. Some autonomous Nbs have been shown to act as antagonistic drugs, but more importantly, the targeting capacity of Nbs has been exploited to create drug delivery systems. Obviously, Nb-based targeted cancer therapy is mainly focused toward extracellular tumor markers, since the membrane barrier prevents antibodies to reach the most promising intracellular tumor markers. Potential strategies, such as lentiviral vectors and bacterial type 3 secretion system, are proposed to deliver target-specific Nbs into tumor cells and to block tumor markers intracellularly. Simultaneously, Nbs have also been employed for in vivo molecular imaging to diagnose diseased tissues and to monitor the treatment effects. Here, we review the state of the art and focus on recent developments with Nbs as

  12. Tumor targeted delivery of doxorubicin in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A B Madhankumar

    Full Text Available Peripheral nerve sheath tumors are benign tumors that have the potential to transform into malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs. Interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2 is a cancer associated receptor expressed in glioblastoma and other invasive cancers. We analyzed IL13Rα2 expression in several MPNST cell lines including the STS26T cell line, as well as in several peripheral nerve sheath tumors to utilize the IL13Rα2 receptor as a target for therapy. In our studies, we demonstrated the selective expression of IL13Rα2 in several peripheral nerve sheath tumors by immunohistochemistry (IHC and immunoblots. We established a sciatic nerve MPNST mouse model in NIH III nude mice using a luciferase transfected STS26T MPNST cell line. Similarly, analysis of the mouse sciatic nerves after tumor induction revealed significant expression of IL13Rα2 by IHC when compared to a normal sciatic nerve. IL13 conjugated liposomal doxorubicin was formulated and shown to bind and internalized in the MPNST cell culture model demonstrating cytotoxic effect. Our subsequent in vivo investigation in the STS26T MPNST sciatic nerve tumor model indicated that IL13 conjugated liposomal doxorubicin (IL13LIPDXR was more effective in inhibiting tumor progression compared to unconjugated liposomal doxorubicin (LIPDXR. This further supports that IL13 receptor targeted nanoliposomes is a potential approach for treating MPNSTs.

  13. Molecular imaging with targeted contrast ultrasound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piedra, Mark; Allroggen, Achim; Lindner, Jonathan R

    2009-01-01

    Molecular imaging with contrast-enhanced ultrasound uses targeted microbubbles that are retained in diseased tissue. The resonant properties of these microbubbles produce acoustic signals in an ultrasound field. The microbubbles are targeted to diseased tissue by using certain chemical constituents in the microbubble shell or by attaching disease-specific ligands such as antibodies to the microbubble. In this review, we discuss the applications of this technique to pathological states in the cerebrovascular system including atherosclerosis, tumor angiogenesis, ischemia, intravascular thrombus, and inflammation. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Cancer associated fibroblasts promote tumor growth and metastasis by modulating the tumor immune microenvironment in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debbie Liao

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Local inflammation associated with solid tumors commonly results from factors released by tumor cells and the tumor stroma, and promotes tumor progression. Cancer associated fibroblasts comprise a majority of the cells found in tumor stroma and are appealing targets for cancer therapy. Here, our aim was to determine the efficacy of targeting cancer associated fibroblasts for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.We demonstrate that cancer associated fibroblasts are key modulators of immune polarization in the tumor microenvironment of a 4T1 murine model of metastatic breast cancer. Elimination of cancer associated fibroblasts in vivo by a DNA vaccine targeted to fibroblast activation protein results in a shift of the immune microenvironment from a Th2 to Th1 polarization. This shift is characterized by increased protein expression of IL-2 and IL-7, suppressed recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells, T regulatory cells, and decreased tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Additionally, the vaccine improved anti-metastatic effects of doxorubicin chemotherapy and enhanced suppression of IL-6 and IL-4 protein expression while increasing recruitment of dendritic cells and CD8(+ T cells. Treatment with the combination therapy also reduced tumor-associated Vegf, Pdgfc, and GM-CSF mRNA and protein expression.Our findings demonstrate that cancer associated fibroblasts promote tumor growth and metastasis through their role as key modulators of immune polarization in the tumor microenvironment and are valid targets for therapy of metastatic breast cancer.

  15. Cancer associated fibroblasts promote tumor growth and metastasis by modulating the tumor immune microenvironment in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Debbie; Luo, Yunping; Markowitz, Dorothy; Xiang, Rong; Reisfeld, Ralph A

    2009-11-23

    Local inflammation associated with solid tumors commonly results from factors released by tumor cells and the tumor stroma, and promotes tumor progression. Cancer associated fibroblasts comprise a majority of the cells found in tumor stroma and are appealing targets for cancer therapy. Here, our aim was to determine the efficacy of targeting cancer associated fibroblasts for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. We demonstrate that cancer associated fibroblasts are key modulators of immune polarization in the tumor microenvironment of a 4T1 murine model of metastatic breast cancer. Elimination of cancer associated fibroblasts in vivo by a DNA vaccine targeted to fibroblast activation protein results in a shift of the immune microenvironment from a Th2 to Th1 polarization. This shift is characterized by increased protein expression of IL-2 and IL-7, suppressed recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells, T regulatory cells, and decreased tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Additionally, the vaccine improved anti-metastatic effects of doxorubicin chemotherapy and enhanced suppression of IL-6 and IL-4 protein expression while increasing recruitment of dendritic cells and CD8(+) T cells. Treatment with the combination therapy also reduced tumor-associated Vegf, Pdgfc, and GM-CSF mRNA and protein expression. Our findings demonstrate that cancer associated fibroblasts promote tumor growth and metastasis through their role as key modulators of immune polarization in the tumor microenvironment and are valid targets for therapy of metastatic breast cancer.

  16. Impact of ER520, a candidate of selective estrogen receptor modulators, on in vitro cell growth, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and in vivo tumor xenograft of human breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lijun; Wang, Ying; Du, Huaqing; Jiang, Yao; Tang, Zhichao; Liu, Hongyi; Xiang, Hua; Xiao, Hong

    2015-12-01

    ER520, a derivative of indenoisoquinoline, is a patented compound. This study was designed to screen its biological properties and to evaluate its antineoplastic and antiangiogenic effect. Western blot was employed to monitor the ERα and ERβ protein expression in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and endometrial carcinoma Ishikawa cells. MTT assay was employed to determine cell proliferation. Cell adhesion, scratch and Transwell assay were utilized to estimate the ability of cellular adhesion, migration and invasion. ELISA kit was applied to detect the VEGF products in culture medium. In addition, the inhibitory effect of ER520 on the vessel-like construction of HUVEC cells and the angiogenesis of chicken embryos was investigated. The efficiency of ER520 on tumor growth in nude mice was also assessed. ER520 inhibited the expression of ERα in MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells, while it increased ERβ protein level. ER520 also suppressed the proliferation of MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells. Due to its remarkably negative role in cell adhesion, migration and invasion, ER520 showed a potential ability of inhibiting tumor metastasis. Meanwhile, ER520 reduced the VEGF secretion of MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells, prevented the formation of VEGF-stimulated tubular structure and the cell migration of HUVEC cells, and inhibited the angiogenesis of chicken chorioallantoic membrane. Animal experiment also demonstrated that ER520 could frustrate the in vivo tumor growth and the inhibitory ratio was 48.5 % compared with control group. Our findings indicate that ER520 possesses the competence to be a candidate against breast cancer and angiogenesis.

  17. Curcumin Inhibits Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Human Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina Bimonte

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating from transformed cells arising in tissues forming the pancreas. The best chemotherapeutic agent used to treat pancreatic cancer is the gemcitabine. However, gemcitabine treatment is associated with many side effects. Thus novel strategies involving less toxic agents for treatment of pancreatic cancer are necessary. Curcumin is one such agent that inhibits the proliferation and angiogenesis of a wide variety of tumor cells, through the modulation of many cell signalling pathways. In this study, we investigated whether curcumin plays antitumor effects in MIA PaCa-2 cells. In vitro studies showed that curcumin inhibits the proliferation and enhances apoptosis of MIA PaCa-2 cells. To test whether the antitumor activity of curcumin is also observed in vivo, we generated an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer by injection of MIA PaCa-2 cells in nude mice. We placed mice on diet containing curcumin at 0.6% for 6 weeks. In these treated mice tumors were smaller with respect to controls and showed a downregulation of the transcription nuclear factor NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated gene products. Overall, our data indicate that curcumin has a great potential in treatment of human pancreatic cancer through the modulation of NF-κB pathway.

  18. Combined Effects of Pericytes in the Tumor Microenvironment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aline Lopes Ribeiro

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Pericytes are multipotent perivascular cells whose involvement in vasculature development is well established. Evidences in the literature also suggest that pericytes display immune properties and that these cells may serve as an in vivo reservoir of stem cells, contributing to the regeneration of diverse tissues. Pericytes are also capable of tumor homing and are important cellular components of the tumor microenvironment (TME. In this review, we highlight the contribution of pericytes to some classical hallmarks of cancer, namely, tumor angiogenesis, growth, metastasis, and evasion of immune destruction, and discuss how collectively these hallmarks could be tackled by therapies targeting pericytes, providing a rationale for cancer drugs aiming at the TME.

  19. In vivo VEGF imaging with radiolabeled bevacizumab in a human ovarian tumor xenograft

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nagengast, Wouter B.; Hospers, Geke A.; Mulder, Nanno H.; de Jong, Johan R.; Hollema, Harry; Brouwers, Adrienne H.; van Dongen, Guns A.; Perk, Lars R.; Lub-de Hooge, Marjolijn N.

    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), released by tumor cells, is an important growth factor in tumor angiogenesis. The humanized monoclonal antibody bevacizumab blocks VEGF-induced tumor angiogenesis by binding, thereby neutralizing VEGF. Our aim was to develop radiolabeled bevacizumab for

  20. Angiogenesis in Pituitary Adenomas: Human Studies and New Mutant Mouse Models

    OpenAIRE

    Cristina, Carolina; Luque, Guillermina María; Demarchi, Gianina; Lopez Vicchi, Felicitas; Zubeldia-Brenner, Lautaro; Perez Millan, Maria Ines; Perrone, Sofia; Ornstein, Ana Maria; Lacau-Mengido, Isabel M.; Berner, Silvia Inés; Becu-Villalobos, Damasia

    2014-01-01

    The role of angiogenesis in pituitary tumor development has been questioned, as pituitary tumors have been usually found to be less vascularized than the normal pituitary tissue. Nevertheless, a significantly higher degree of vasculature has been shown in invasive or macropituitary prolactinomas when compared to noninvasive and microprolactinomas. Many growth factors and their receptors are involved in pituitary tumor development. For example, VEGF, FGF-2, FGFR1, and PTTG, which give a partic...

  1. Matrix metalloproteinase-10 promotes tumor progression through regulation of angiogenic and apoptotic pathways in cervical tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Ge; Miyake, Makito; Lawton, Adrienne; Goodison, Steve; Rosser, Charles J

    2014-01-01

    Cancer invasion and metastasis develops through a series of steps that involve the loss of cell to cell and cell to matrix adhesion, degradation of extracellular matrix and induction of angiogenesis. Different protease systems (e.g., matrix metalloproteinases, MMPs) are involved in these steps. MMP-10, one of the lesser studied MMPs, is limited to epithelial cells and can facilitate tumor cell invasion by targeting collagen, elastin and laminin. Enhanced MMP-10 expression has been linked to poor clinical prognosis in some cancers, however, mechanisms underlying a role for MMP-10 in tumorigenesis and progression remain largely unknown. Here, we report that MMP-10 expression is positively correlated with the invasiveness of human cervical and bladder cancers. Using commercial tissue microarray (TMA) of cervical and bladder tissues, MMP-10 immunohistochemical staining was performed. Furthermore using a panel of human cells (HeLa and UROtsa), in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed in which MMP-10 was overexpressed or silenced and we noted phenotypic and genotypic changes. Experimentally, we showed that MMP-10 can regulate tumor cell migration and invasion, and endothelial cell tube formation, and that MMP-10 effects are associated with a resistance to apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that increasing MMP-10 expression stimulates the expression of HIF-1α and MMP-2 (pro-angiogenic factors) and PAI-1 and CXCR2 (pro-metastatic factors), and accordingly, targeting MMP-10 with siRNA in vivo resulted in diminution of xenograft tumor growth with a concomitant reduction of angiogenesis and a stimulation of apoptosis. Taken together, our findings show that MMP-10 can play a significant role in tumor growth and progression, and that MMP-10 perturbation may represent a rational strategy for cancer treatment

  2. Vascular pericyte density and angiogenesis associated with adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killingsworth, Murray C; Wu, Xiaojuan

    2011-01-01

    Angiogenesis facilitates metabolism, proliferation and metastasis of adenocarcinoma cells in the prostate, as without the development of new vasculature tumor growth cannot be sustained. However, angiogenesis is variable with the well-known phenomenon of vascular 'hotspots' seen associated with viable tumor cell mass. With the recent recognition of pericytes as molecular regulators of angiogenesis, we have examined the interaction of these cells in actively growing new vessels. Pericyte interactions with developing new vessels were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Pericyte distribution was mapped from α-SMA+ immunostained histological sections and quantified using image analysis. Data was obtained from peripheral and more central regions of 27 cases with Gleason scores of 4-9. Pericyte numbers were increased around developing new vessel sprouts at sites of luminal maturation. Numbers were reduced around the actively growing tips of migrating endothelial cells and functional new vessels. Tumor regions internal to a 500-μm peripheral band showed higher microvessel pericyte density than the peripheral region. Pericytes were found to be key cellular components of developing new vessels in adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Their numbers increased at sites of luminal maturation with these cells displaying an activated phenotype different to quiescent pericytes. Increased pericyte density was found internal to the peripheral region, suggesting more mature vessels lie more centrally. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Drug targeting to tumors: principles, pitfalls and (pre-) clinical progress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lammers, Twan; Kiessling, Fabian; Hennink, Wim E; Storm, Gert

    2012-07-20

    Many different systems and strategies have been evaluated for drug targeting to tumors over the years. Routinely used systems include liposomes, polymers, micelles, nanoparticles and antibodies, and examples of strategies are passive drug targeting, active drug targeting to cancer cells, active drug targeting to endothelial cells and triggered drug delivery. Significant progress has been made in this area of research both at the preclinical and at the clinical level, and a number of (primarily passively tumor-targeted) nanomedicine formulations have been approved for clinical use. Significant progress has also been made with regard to better understanding the (patho-) physiological principles of drug targeting to tumors. This has led to the identification of several important pitfalls in tumor-targeted drug delivery, including I) overinterpretation of the EPR effect; II) poor tumor and tissue penetration of nanomedicines; III) misunderstanding of the potential usefulness of active drug targeting; IV) irrational formulation design, based on materials which are too complex and not broadly applicable; V) insufficient incorporation of nanomedicine formulations in clinically relevant combination regimens; VI) negligence of the notion that the highest medical need relates to metastasis, and not to solid tumor treatment; VII) insufficient integration of non-invasive imaging techniques and theranostics, which could be used to personalize nanomedicine-based therapeutic interventions; and VIII) lack of (efficacy analyses in) proper animal models, which are physiologically more relevant and more predictive for the clinical situation. These insights strongly suggest that besides making ever more nanomedicine formulations, future efforts should also address some of the conceptual drawbacks of drug targeting to tumors, and that strategies should be developed to overcome these shortcomings. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Arachidonic Acid Metabolite as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Breast Cancer Metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thaiz F. Borin

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Metastatic breast cancer (BC (also referred to as stage IV spreads beyond the breast to the bones, lungs, liver, or brain and is a major contributor to the deaths of cancer patients. Interestingly, metastasis is a result of stroma-coordinated hallmarks such as invasion and migration of the tumor cells from the primary niche, regrowth of the invading tumor cells in the distant organs, proliferation, vascularization, and immune suppression. Targeted therapies, when used as monotherapies or combination therapies, have shown limited success in decreasing the established metastatic growth and improving survival. Thus, novel therapeutic targets are warranted to improve the metastasis outcomes. We have been actively investigating the cytochrome P450 4 (CYP4 family of enzymes that can biosynthesize 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE, an important signaling eicosanoid involved in the regulation of vascular tone and angiogenesis. We have shown that 20-HETE can activate several intracellular protein kinases, pro-inflammatory mediators, and chemokines in cancer. This review article is focused on understanding the role of the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway in BC metastasis with an emphasis on 20-HETE as a novel therapeutic target to decrease BC metastasis. We have discussed all the significant investigational mechanisms and put forward studies showing how 20-HETE can promote angiogenesis and metastasis, and how its inhibition could affect the metastatic niches. Potential adjuvant therapies targeting the tumor microenvironment showing anti-tumor properties against BC and its lung metastasis are discussed at the end. This review will highlight the importance of exploring tumor-inherent and stromal-inherent metabolic pathways in the development of novel therapeutics for treating BC metastasis.

  5. VEGF111b, a new member of VEGFxxxb isoforms and induced by mitomycin C, inhibits angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gu, Fang; Li, Xiuli [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing (China); Kong, Jian [Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China); Pan, Bing [The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides of Health Ministry, Beijing (China); Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides of Health Ministry, Beijing (China); Sun, Min [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xian (China); Zheng, Lemin, E-mail: zhengl@bjmu.edu.cn [The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides of Health Ministry, Beijing (China); Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides of Health Ministry, Beijing (China); Yao, Yuanqing, E-mail: yqyao@126.com [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing (China)

    2013-11-08

    Highlights: •We discovered a new member of VEGFxxxb family-VEGF111b. •We found VEGF111b mRNA and protein can be induced by mitomycin C. •We confirmed VEGF111b over-expression inhibits angiogenesis. •VEGF111b inhibits angiogenesis through inhibiting VEGF-R2/PI3K/Akt and VEGF-R2/ERK1/2 phosphorylation. -- Abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) stimulating angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and progression. The conventional VEGF-A isoforms have been considered as pro-angiogenic factors. Another family of VEGF-A isoforms generated by alternative splicing, termed VEGFxxxb isoforms, has anti-angiogenic property, exemplified by VEGF165b. Here, we identify a new number of VEGFxxx family-VEGF111b induced by mitomycin C, although not detected in mitomycin C-unexposed ovarian cancer cells. SKOV3 cells were transfected with pcDNA{sub 3.1} empty vector, pcDNA{sub 3.1}-VEGF111b or pcDNA{sub 3.1}-VEGF165b to collect conditioned mediums respectively. VEGF111b overexpression inhibits proliferation, migration and tube formation of endothelial cell by inhibiting VEGF-R2 phosphorylation and its downstream signaling, similar to VEGF165b but slightly lower than VEGF165b. The anti-angiogenic property depends on the six amino acids of exon 8b of the VEGFxxxb isoforms. Our results show that VEGF111b is a novel potent anti-angiogenic agent that can target the VEGF-R2 and its signaling pathway to inhibit ovarian tumor growth.

  6. VEGF111b, a new member of VEGFxxxb isoforms and induced by mitomycin C, inhibits angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu, Fang; Li, Xiuli; Kong, Jian; Pan, Bing; Sun, Min; Zheng, Lemin; Yao, Yuanqing

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •We discovered a new member of VEGFxxxb family-VEGF111b. •We found VEGF111b mRNA and protein can be induced by mitomycin C. •We confirmed VEGF111b over-expression inhibits angiogenesis. •VEGF111b inhibits angiogenesis through inhibiting VEGF-R2/PI3K/Akt and VEGF-R2/ERK1/2 phosphorylation. -- Abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) stimulating angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and progression. The conventional VEGF-A isoforms have been considered as pro-angiogenic factors. Another family of VEGF-A isoforms generated by alternative splicing, termed VEGFxxxb isoforms, has anti-angiogenic property, exemplified by VEGF165b. Here, we identify a new number of VEGFxxx family-VEGF111b induced by mitomycin C, although not detected in mitomycin C-unexposed ovarian cancer cells. SKOV3 cells were transfected with pcDNA 3.1 empty vector, pcDNA 3.1 -VEGF111b or pcDNA 3.1 -VEGF165b to collect conditioned mediums respectively. VEGF111b overexpression inhibits proliferation, migration and tube formation of endothelial cell by inhibiting VEGF-R2 phosphorylation and its downstream signaling, similar to VEGF165b but slightly lower than VEGF165b. The anti-angiogenic property depends on the six amino acids of exon 8b of the VEGFxxxb isoforms. Our results show that VEGF111b is a novel potent anti-angiogenic agent that can target the VEGF-R2 and its signaling pathway to inhibit ovarian tumor growth

  7. Myeloid derived suppressor cells as therapeutic target in hematological malignancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim eDe Veirman

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that accumulate during pathological conditions such as cancer and are associated with a poor clinical outcome. MDSC expansion hampers the host anti-tumor immune response by inhibition of T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion and recruitment of regulatory T cells. In addition, MDSC exert non-immunological functions including the promotion of angiogenesis, tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent years, MDSC are considered as a potential target in solid tumors and hematological malignancies to enhance the effects of currently used immune modulating agents. This review focuses on the characteristics, distribution, functions, cell-cell interactions and targeting of MDSC in hematological malignancies including multiple myeloma, lymphoma and leukemia.

  8. Treatment of medulloblastoma with oncolytic measles viruses expressing the angiogenesis inhibitors endostatin and angiostatin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutzen, Brian; Bid, Hemant Kumar; Houghton, Peter J; Pierson, Christopher R; Powell, Kimerly; Bratasz, Anna; Raffel, Corey; Studebaker, Adam W

    2014-01-01

    Medulloblastoma is the most common type of pediatric brain tumor. Although numerous factors influence patient survival rates, more than 30% of all cases will ultimately be refractory to conventional therapies. Current standards of care are also associated with significant morbidities, giving impetus for the development of new treatments. We have previously shown that oncolytic measles virotherapy is effective against medulloblastoma, leading to significant prolongation of survival and even cures in mouse xenograft models of localized and metastatic disease. Because medulloblastomas are known to be highly vascularized tumors, we reasoned that the addition of angiogenesis inhibitors could further enhance the efficacy of oncolytic measles virotherapy. Toward this end, we have engineered an oncolytic measles virus that express a fusion protein of endostatin and angiostatin, two endogenous and potent inhibitors of angiogenesis. Oncolytic measles viruses encoding human and mouse variants of a secretable endostatin/angiostatin fusion protein were designed and rescued according to established protocols. These viruses, known as MV-hE:A and MV-mE:A respectively, were then evaluated for their anti-angiogenic potential and efficacy against medulloblastoma cell lines and orthotopic mouse models of localized disease. Medulloblastoma cells infected by MV-E:A readily secrete endostatin and angiostatin prior to lysis. The inclusion of the endostatin/angiostatin gene did not negatively impact the measles virus’ cytotoxicity against medulloblastoma cells or alter its growth kinetics. Conditioned media obtained from these infected cells was capable of inhibiting multiple angiogenic factors in vitro, significantly reducing endothelial cell tube formation, viability and migration compared to conditioned media derived from cells infected by a control measles virus. Mice that were given a single intratumoral injection of MV-E:A likewise showed reduced numbers of tumor-associated blood

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  10. VEGF blockade inhibits angiogenesis and reepithelialization of endometrium

    OpenAIRE

    Fan, Xiujun; Krieg, Sacha; Kuo, Calvin J.; Wiegand, Stanley J.; Rabinovitch, Marlene; Druzin, Maurice L.; Brenner, Robert M.; Giudice, Linda C.; Nayak, Nihar R.

    2008-01-01

    Despite extensive literature on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and regulation by steroid hormones, the lack of clear understanding of the mechanisms of angiogenesis in the endometrium is a major limitation for use of antiangiogenic therapy targeting endometrial vessels. In the current work, we used the rhesus macaque as a primate model and the decidualized mouse uterus as a murine model to examine angiogenesis during endometrial breakdown and regeneration. We found that ...

  11. Platelet factor-4 and its p17-70 peptide inhibit myeloma proliferation and angiogenesis in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Longjiang; Du, Juan; Hou, Jian; Jiang, Hua; Zou, Jianfeng

    2011-01-01

    Angiogenesis plays an important role in the development of multiple myeloma (MM). The interaction between MM cells and the bone marrow microenvironment stimulates the proliferation and migration of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) contributes to the formation of new blood vessels by actively recruiting circulating EPCs. The production of proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors is also dysregulated in MM. Platelet factor 4 (PF4) is a potent angiostatic cytokine that inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in several animal models. In this study, we stably transfected human myeloma cell lines with the PF4 gene or the sequence encoding its more potent p17-70 peptide and investigated the effects of PF4 and p17-70 on angiogenesis and tumor growth in vitro and in a SCID-rab myeloma model. PF4 and p17-70 significantly attenuated VEGF production, both in vitro and in vivo. In a migration study using a Transwell system, PF4 or p17-70 markedly suppressed the migration of co-cultured human endothelial progenitor cells. PF4 or p17-70 also caused a significant reduction in microvessel densities in myeloma xenografts and markedly reduced the tumor volume in the SCID mice. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that PF4 and p17-70 significantly extended the overall survival of SCID mice bearing human myeloma xenografts. Our findings indicate that PF4 or p17-70 could be valuable in combating multiple myeloma by disrupting tumor angiogenesis

  12. Green tea and its anti-angiogenesis effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashidi, Bahman; Malekzadeh, Mehrnoush; Goodarzi, Mohammad; Masoudifar, Aria; Mirzaei, Hamed

    2017-05-01

    The development of new blood vessels from a pre-existing vasculature (also known as angiogenesis) is required for many physiological processes including embryogenesis and post-natal growth. However, pathological angiogenesis is also a hallmark of cancer and many ischaemic and inflammatory diseases. The pro-angiogenic members of the VEGF family (vascular endothelial growth factor family), VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D and placental growth factor (PlGF), and the related receptors, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 have a central and decisive role in angiogenesis. Indeed, they are the targets for anti-angiogenic drugs currently approved. Green tea (from the Camellia sinensis plant) is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It is able to inhibit angiogenesis by different mechanisms such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Green tea and its polyphenolic substances (like catechins) show chemo-preventive and chemotherapeutic features in various types of cancer and experimental models for human cancers. The tea catechins, including (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), have multiple effects on the cellular proteome and signalome. Note that the polyphenolic compounds from green tea are able to change the miRNA expression profile associated with angiogenesis in various cancer types. This review focuses on the ability of the green tea constituents to suppress angiogenesis signaling and it summarizes the mechanisms by which EGCG might inhibit the VEGF family. We also highlighted the miRNAs affected by green tea which are involved in anti-angiogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Rosmarinic acid inhibits inflammation and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma by suppression of NF-κB signaling in H22 tumor-bearing mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen Cao

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to explore the anti-tumor effect and therapeutic potential of rosmarinic acid (RA in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. RA at 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg was given to H22 tumor-bearing mice by intragastric administration once daily for 10 consecutive days. Levels of inflammatory and angiogenic factors, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β, interleukin-6 (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA. Protein levels of phosphorylated NF-κB p65 and p65 were detected by western blot. mRNA level of NF-κB p65 was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The results showed that RA could effectively suppress tumor growth with fewer toxic effects by regulating the secretion of cytokines associated with inflammation and angiogenesis, and suppressing the expression of NF-κB p65 in the xenograft microenvironment. Our findings unveil the possible anti-tumor mechanisms of RA and support RA as a potential drug for the treatment of HCC.

  14. Tumor and target delineation: current research and future challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Austin-Seymour, Mary; Chen, George T.Y.; Rosenman, Julian; Michalski, Jeff; Lindsley, Karen; Goitein, Michael

    1995-01-01

    In the past decade, significant progress has been made in the imaging of tumors, three dimensional (3D) treatment planning, and radiation treatment delivery. At this time one of the greatest challenges for conformal radiation therapy is the accurate delineation of tumor and target volumes. The physician encounters many uncertainties in the process of defining both tumor and target. The sources of these uncertainties are discussed, as well as the issues requiring study to reduce these uncertainties

  15. Simultaneous quantification of tumor uptake for targeted and non-targeted liposomes and their encapsulated contents by ICP-MS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Zhiliang; Zaki, Ajlan Al; Hui, James Z; Tsourkas, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    Liposomes are intensively being developed for biomedical applications including drug and gene delivery. However, targeted liposomal delivery in cancer treatment is a very complicated multi-step process. Unfavorable liposome biodistribution upon intravenous administration and membrane destabilization in blood circulation could result in only a very small fraction of cargo reaching the tumors. It would therefore be desirable to develop new quantitative strategies to track liposomal delivery systems to improve the therapeutic index and decrease systemic toxicity. Here, we developed a simple and non-radiative method to quantify the tumor uptake of targeted and non-targeted control liposomes as well as their encapsulated contents simultaneously. Specifically, four different chelated lanthanide metals were encapsulated or surface-conjugated onto tumor-targeted and non-targeted liposomes, respectively. The two liposome formulations were then injected into tumor-bearing mice simultaneously and their tumor delivery was determined quantitatively via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), allowing for direct comparisons. Tumor uptake of the liposomes themselves and their encapsulated contents were consistent with targeted and non-targeted liposome formulations that were injected individually. PMID:22882145

  16. Quercetin inhibits angiogenesis through thrombospondin-1 upregulation to antagonize human prostate cancer PC-3 cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Feiya; Jiang, Xian; Song, Liming; Wang, Huiping; Mei, Zhu; Xu, Zhiqing; Xing, Nianzeng

    2016-03-01

    The rapid growth, morbidity and mortality of prostate cancer, and the lack of effective treatment have attracted great interests of researchers to find novel cancer therapies aiming to inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth. Quercetin is a flavonoid compound that widely exists in the nature. Our previous study preliminarily demonstrated that quercetin effectively inhibited human prostate cancer cell xenograft tumor growth by inhibiting angiogenesis. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is the first reported endogenous anti-angiogenic factor that can inhibit angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. However, the relationship between quercetin inhibiting angiogenesis and TSP-1 upregulation in prostate cancer has not been determined. Thus, we explored the important role of TSP-1 upregulation in reducing angiogenesis and anti-prostate cancer effect of quercetin both in vitro and in vivo for the first time. After the selected doses were used for a certain time, quercetin i) significantly inhibited PC-3 and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation, migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner; ⅱ) effectively inhibited prostate cancer PC-3 cell xenograft tumor growth by 37.5% with 75 mg/kg as compared to vehicle control group, more effective than 25 (22.85%) and 50 mg/kg (29.6%); ⅲ) was well tolerated by BALB/c mice and no obvious toxic reactions were observed; ⅳ) greatly reduced angiogenesis and led to higher TSP-1 protein and mRNA expression both in vitro and in vivo in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, quercetin could increase TSP-1 expression to inhibit angiogenesis resulting in antagonizing prostate cancer PC-3 cell and xenograft tumor growth. The present study can lay a good basis for the subsequent concrete mechanism study and raise the possibility of applying quercetin to clinical for human prostate cancer in the near future.

  17. An innovative pre-targeting strategy for tumor cell specific imaging and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Si-Yong; Peng, Meng-Yun; Rong, Lei; Jia, Hui-Zhen; Chen, Si; Cheng, Si-Xue; Feng, Jun; Zhang, Xian-Zheng

    2015-09-21

    A programmed pre-targeting system for tumor cell imaging and targeting therapy was established based on the "biotin-avidin" interaction. In this programmed functional system, transferrin-biotin can be actively captured by tumor cells with the overexpression of transferrin receptors, thus achieving the pre-targeting modality. Depending upon avidin-biotin recognition, the attachment of multivalent FITC-avidin to biotinylated tumor cells not only offered the rapid fluorescence labelling, but also endowed the pre-targeted cells with targeting sites for the specifically designed biotinylated peptide nano-drug. Owing to the successful pre-targeting, tumorous HepG2 and HeLa cells were effectively distinguished from the normal 3T3 cells via fluorescence imaging. In addition, the self-assembled peptide nano-drug resulted in enhanced cell apoptosis in the observed HepG2 cells. The tumor cell specific pre-targeting strategy is applicable for a variety of different imaging and therapeutic agents for tumor treatments.

  18. Pachymic acid modified carbon nanoparticles reduced angiogenesis via inhibition of MMP-3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jun; Liu, Jun; Lu, Chun-Wei; Cai, Ding-Fang

    2015-01-01

    Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessel generation, which is consistently and robustly correlated with tumor formation, growth, and metastasis. The disruption of angiogenesis, and the imbalanced endothelial remodeling and regression, are the main pathogenesis of malignant tumor. Recently, multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) have been proposed as a new tool for drug delivery in cancer treatment, which also displayed anti-angiogenic property. In the present study, we modified MWNTs with pachymic acid (PA) extracted from Heterosmilax chinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine used for cancer treatment, and compared their effects on blood vessel development. MWNTs and PA/MWNTs were evaluated for their influences on chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) vessel morphology and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) expression, a crucial proteinase associated with tumor metastasis. MWNTs functioned as an inhibitor of forming branch while PA was not able to promote this inhibition. Subsequently, MWNTs suppressed the endothelial cell maturation, accounting for the ceased elongation of CAM blood vessel, while PA/MWNTs increased the suppressive effect, indicating the potential roles of PA in preventing angiogenesis. PA/MWNTs also showed greater anti-angiogenic property as MMP-3 expression in CAM tissue was significantly decreased by PA/MWNTs compared to MWNTs. These results emphasize the anti-angiogenic activities of PA, supporting a new promising therapy for cancer from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine.

  19. Mind the GAP: A Novel Tumor-Promoting Mechanism | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    RAS proteins, like light switches, toggle between an “on” conformation where they promote cell growth, survival, and/or the formation of blood vessels (known as angiogenesis) and an “off” conformation in which they are unable to stimulate their target effector proteins. Nearly one-third of human tumors express a mutated RAS gene, which encodes a protein locked permanently in

  20. Preclinical Efficacy of [V4Q5]dDAVP, a Second Generation Vasopressin Analog, on Metastatic Spread and Tumor-Associated Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garona, Juan; Sobol, Natasha T; Pifano, Marina; Segatori, Valeria I; Gomez, Daniel E; Ripoll, Giselle V; Alonso, Daniel F

    2018-06-01

    Control of metastatic spread of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains as a major therapeutic challenge. [V4Q5]dDAVP is a vasopressin peptide analog with previously reported anticancer activity against carcinoma tumors. By acting as a selective agonist of AVPR2 present in endothelial and tumor cells, [V4Q5]dDAVP is able to impair tumor aggressiveness and distant spread. Our aim was to evaluate the potential therapeutic benefits of [V4Q5]dDAVP on highly aggressive CRC disease using experimental models with translational relevance. Murine CT-26 and human Colo-205 AVPR2-expressing CRC cell lines were used to test the preclinical efficacy of [V4Q5]dDAVP, both in vitro and in vivo. In syngeneic mice surgically implanted with CT-26 cells in the spleen, sustained i.v. treatment with [V4Q5]dDAVP (0.3 µg/kg) dramatically impaired metastatic progression to liver without overt signs of toxicity, and also reduced experimental lung colonization. The compound inhibited in vivo angiogenesis driven by Colo-205 cells in athymic mice, as well as in vitro endothelial cell migration and capillary tube formation. [V4Q5]dDAVP exerted AVPR2-dependent cytostatic activity in vitro (IC50 1.08 µM) and addition to 5-FU resulted in synergistic antiproliferative effects both in CT-26 and Colo-205 cells. The present preclinical study establishes for the first time the efficacy of [V4Q5]dDAVP on CRC. These encouraging results suggest that the novel second generation vasopressin analog could be used for the management of aggressive CRC as an adjuvant agent during surgery or to complement standard chemotherapy, limiting tumor angiogenesis and metastasis and thus protecting the patient from CRC recurrence.

  1. Evaluation of technetium-99M labeled RGD-containing peptide as potential tumor imaging agents in tumor-bearing mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Silong; Zeng Jun; Zhang Lihua

    2004-01-01

    Integrins (especially α v β 3 ) play a important role in angiogenesis, growth and metastasis of a solid tumor. Targeting tumor with radiolabeled ligands of the α V β 3 integrin may provide information about the receptor status and enable specific therapeutic strategy. A tripeptidic sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) is often the primary site of recognition by integrins. The aim of this study examine 99m Tc-labeled elevenfold peptide (GRGDSRGDSCY, GY11) that target the α V β 3 integrin to determine if this agent target tumors for diagnostic imaging and/or targeted radiotherapy of cancer. Methods: GY11 was radiolabelled with 99 Tc m via cystine residue by means of stannous chloride. 99 Tc m -GY11 was injected through tail vein into nude mice bearing A375 human melanoma. Biodistribution was investigated at 1,2,4 and 6 hours after injection. Percentage injected dose/gram of tissue (%ID/g) and tumor/non-tumor ratios were calculated. Planar images were acquired with SPECT at 1,2,4,6hrs, respectively. Results: 99 Tc m -GY11 was rapidly cleared from blood and excreted predominantly from the kidney. Tumor uptake at 2h postinjection was 3.1%ID/g. The ratios of tumor/blood and tumor/muscle increased from 0.9-6.2, 4.3-13.5 from 1-6hrs postinjection, respectively. Planar images confirmed that tumor could be visualized at 4h after administration of 99 Tc m -GY11. Conclusion: The results suggest that 99 Tc m -GY11 is a promising compound for noninvasive determining the α V β 3 integrin status. 99 Tc m -GY11 SPECT may be useful to imaging α V β 3 -positive tumor and also guide proper utility of α V β 3 antagonist therapy and radionuclide therapy for cancer. (authors)

  2. Canine parvovirus-like particles, a novel nanomaterial for tumor targeting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Destito Giuseppe

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Specific targeting of tumor cells is an important goal for the design of nanotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Recently, viruses have been explored as nano-containers for specific targeting applications, however these systems typically require modification of the virus surface using chemical or genetic means to achieve tumor-specific delivery. Interestingly, there exists a subset of viruses with natural affinity for receptors on tumor cells that could be exploited for nanotechnology applications. For example, the canine parvovirus (CPV utilizes transferrin receptors (TfRs for binding and cell entry into canine as well as human cells. TfRs are over-expressed by a variety of tumor cells and are widely being investigated for tumor-targeted drug delivery. We explored whether the natural tropism of CPV to TfRs could be harnessed for targeting tumor cells. Towards this goal, CPV virus-like particles (VLPs produced by expression of the CPV-VP2 capsid protein in a baculovirus expression system were examined for attachment of small molecules and delivery to tumor cells. Structural modeling suggested that six lysines per VP2 subunit are presumably addressable for bioconjugation on the CPV capsid exterior. Between 45 and 100 of the possible 360 lysines/particle could be routinely derivatized with dye molecules depending on the conjugation conditions. Dye conjugation also demonstrated that the CPV-VLPs could withstand conditions for chemical modification on lysines. Attachment of fluorescent dyes neither impaired binding to the TfRs nor affected internalization of the 26 nm-sized VLPs into several human tumor cell lines. CPV-VLPs therefore exhibit highly favorable characteristics for development as a novel nanomaterial for tumor targeting.

  3. Tumor Penetrating Theranostic Nanoparticles for Enhancement of Targeted and Image-guided Drug Delivery into Peritoneal Tumors following Intraperitoneal Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ning; Bozeman, Erica N; Qian, Weiping; Wang, Liya; Chen, Hongyu; Lipowska, Malgorzata; Staley, Charles A; Wang, Y Andrew; Mao, Hui; Yang, Lily

    2017-01-01

    The major obstacles in intraperitoneal (i.p.) chemotherapy of peritoneal tumors are fast absorption of drugs into the blood circulation, local and systemic toxicities, inadequate drug penetration into large tumors, and drug resistance. Targeted theranostic nanoparticles offer an opportunity to enhance the efficacy of i.p. therapy by increasing intratumoral drug delivery to overcome resistance, mediating image-guided drug delivery, and reducing systemic toxicity. Herein we report that i.p. delivery of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) targeted magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) led to intratumoral accumulation of 17% of total injected nanoparticles in an orthotopic mouse pancreatic cancer model, which was three-fold higher compared with intravenous delivery. Targeted delivery of near infrared dye labeled IONPs into orthotopic tumors could be detected by non-invasive optical and magnetic resonance imaging. Histological analysis revealed that a high level of uPAR targeted, PEGylated IONPs efficiently penetrated into both the peripheral and central tumor areas in the primary tumor as well as peritoneal metastatic tumor. Improved theranostic IONP delivery into the tumor center was not mediated by nonspecific macrophage uptake and was independent from tumor blood vessel locations. Importantly, i.p. delivery of uPAR targeted theranostic IONPs carrying chemotherapeutics, cisplatin or doxorubicin, significantly inhibited the growth of pancreatic tumors without apparent systemic toxicity. The levels of proliferating tumor cells and tumor vessels in tumors treated with the above theranostic IONPs were also markedly decreased. The detection of strong optical signals in residual tumors following i.p. therapy suggested the feasibility of image-guided surgery to remove drug-resistant tumors. Therefore, our results support the translational development of i.p. delivery of uPAR-targeted theranostic IONPs for image-guided treatment of peritoneal tumors.

  4. Polyphenol-based nutraceuticals for the control of angiogenesis: Analysis of the critical issues for human use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morbidelli, Lucia

    2016-09-01

    Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood-vessel, is crucial in the pathogenesis of several diseases, and thus represents a druggable target for the prevention and treatment of different disorders. It is nowadays well kwon how diet can control cancer development and progression, and how the use of certain diet components can prevent cancer development. Several studies, also from our lab, now indicate that natural plant products including nutraceuticals modulate tumor angiogenesis. In this review, it is reported how phytochemicals, comprising hydroxytyrosol, resveratrol, genistein, curcumin, and the green tea component epigallocatechin-3-gallate among the others, negatively regulate angiogenesis. A single plant-derived compound may affect both endothelial and tumor cells, with the common denominator of anti-inflammatory and radical scavenger activities. Beside these positive features, documented in cellular and animal models, a series of critical issues should be considered from a pharmacological point of view as: what is the best source of bioactive compounds: food and beverages, extracted phytocomplexes, isolated nutraceuticals or synthetic analogues? How is the bioavailability of the compounds of interest in relation to the above source? Is there any biological activity by circulating metabolic derivatives? What is the best formulation, administration route and posology? How safe are in humans? How strong and reliable are the clinical trials designed for their use alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy? After a dissertation of these critical points, the conclusion can be drawn that novel and effective strategies should be optimized to improve their bioavailability and efficacy, considering their exploitation as chemopreventive and/or curative approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Tumour angiogenesis pathways: related clinical issues and implications for nuclear medicine imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiele, Christophe van de; De Winter, Olivier; Dierckx, Rudi Andre; Oltenfreiter, Ruth; Slegers, Guido; Signore, Alberto

    2002-01-01

    Tumour angiogenesis is essential for growth, invasion and metastasis. Retrospective studies suggest that it is an independent prognostic factor that merits prospective validation. Furthermore, as tumour blood vessels show many differences from normal vessels and are not genetically unstable, they form a key area for therapy development. However, as anti-angiogenic therapy is primarily cytostatic and not cytotoxic, novel tailor-made specific end-points for treatment monitoring are required. In this regard, suitable molecular parameters for imaging tumour angiogenesis by means of nuclear medicine are being explored. Here we review current knowledge on the multiple pathways controlling tumour angiogenesis and try to assess which are the most clinically relevant for nuclear medicine imaging. Parameters that may influence the imaging potential of radiopharmaceuticals for angiogenesis imaging such as molecular weight and structure, their targeted location within the tumour and their usefulness in terms of specificity and constancy of the targeted molecular pathway are discussed. (orig.)

  6. Inhibition of tumor metastasis by a growth factor receptor bound protein 2 Src homology 2 domain-binding antagonist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giubellino, Alessio; Gao, Yang; Lee, Sunmin; Lee, Min-Jung; Vasselli, James R; Medepalli, Sampath; Trepel, Jane B; Burke, Terrence R; Bottaro, Donald P

    2007-07-01

    Metastasis, the primary cause of death in most forms of cancer, is a multistep process whereby cells from the primary tumor spread systemically and colonize distant new sites. Blocking critical steps in this process could potentially inhibit tumor metastasis and dramatically improve cancer survival rates; however, our understanding of metastasis at the molecular level is still rudimentary. Growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (Grb2) is a widely expressed adapter protein with roles in epithelial cell growth and morphogenesis, as well as angiogenesis, making it a logical target for anticancer drug development. We have previously shown that a potent antagonist of Grb2 Src homology-2 domain-binding, C90, blocks growth factor-driven cell motility in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. We now report that C90 inhibits metastasis in vivo in two aggressive tumor models, without affecting primary tumor growth rate. These results support the potential efficacy of this compound in reducing the metastatic spread of primary solid tumors and establish a critical role for Grb2 Src homology-2 domain-mediated interactions in this process.

  7. Progress toward overcoming hypoxia-induced resistance to solid tumor therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karakashev, Sergey V; Reginato, Mauricio J

    2015-01-01

    Hypoxic tumors are associated with poor clinical outcome for multiple types of human cancer. This may be due, in part, to hypoxic cancer cells being resistant to anticancer therapy, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Hypoxia inducible factor 1, a major regulator of cellular response to hypoxia, regulates the expression of genes that are involved in multiple aspects of cancer biology, including cell survival, proliferation, metabolism, invasion, and angiogenesis. Here, we review multiple pathways regulated by hypoxia/hypoxia inducible factor 1 in cancer cells and discuss the latest advancements in overcoming hypoxia-mediated tumor resistance

  8. Particular features of angiogenesis in lesions in patients suffering from basal cell epithelioma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. N. Khlebnikova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Basal cell epithelioma is one of the most frequent malignant skin neoplasms. Angiogenesis plays an important part in the development of basal cell epithelioma. The article presents a review of the angiogenesis of this tumor with the help the immunohistochemistry analysis using CD31 and CD34 markers. The authors established a reliable relationship between the number of vessels expressing CD31 and those expressing CD34 in the superficial and nodular forms of the tumor as well as superficial, multi-center, nodular and infiltrative basal cell epitheliomas. A comparison of the number of vessels expressing CD31 and CD34 markers in different histological types made revealed a trend to their growth in the infiltrative type vs. superficial, multi-center and nodular ones.

  9. Effect of the micronutrient iodine in thyroid carcinoma angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniell, Kayla; Nucera, Carmelo

    2016-12-20

    Iodide is a micronutrient essential for thyroid hormone production. The uptake and metabolism of iodide by thyrocytes is crucial to proper thyroid function. Iodide ions are drawn into the thyroid follicular cell via the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) in the cell membrane and become integrated into tyrosyl residues to ultimately form thyroid hormones. We sought to learn how an abnormal concentration of iodide within thyrocyte can have significant effects on the thyroid, specifically the surrounding vascular network. Insufficient levels of iodide can lead to increased expression or activity of several pathways, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The VEGF protein fuel vessel growth (angiogenesis) and therefore enhances the nutrients available to surrounding cells. Alternatively, normal/surplus iodide levels can have inhibitory effects on angiogenesis. Varying levels of iodide in the thyroid can influence thyroid carcinoma cell proliferation and angiogenesis via regulation of the hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and VEGF-dependent pathway. We have reviewed a number of studies to investigate how the effect of iodide on angiogenic and oxidative stress regulation can affect the viability of thyroid carcinoma cells. The various studies outlined give key insights to the role of iodide in thyroid follicles function and vascular growth, generally highlighting that insufficient levels of iodide stimulate pathways resulting in vascular growth, and viceversa normal/surplus iodide levels inhibit such pathways. Intriguingly, TSH and iodine levels differentially regulate the expression levels of angiogenic factors. All cells, including carcinoma cells, increase uptake of blood nutrients, meaning the vascular profile is influential to tumor growth and progression. Importantly, variation in the iodine concentrations also influence BRAF V600E -mediated oncogenic activity and might deregulate tumor proliferation. Although the mechanisms are not well eluted, iodine

  10. 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.

  11. Angiogenesis in vestibular schwannomas: expression of extracellular matrix factors MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Martin Nue; Werther, Kim; Nalla, Amarnadh

    2010-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are potent mediators of tumor angiogenesis. It has been demonstrated that vestibular schwannoma VEGF expression correlates with tumor growth pattern, whereas knowledge on the expression of MMPs is lacking. This study...

  12. Targeting Malignant Brain Tumors with Antibodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rok Razpotnik

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Antibodies have been shown to be a potent therapeutic tool. However, their use for targeting brain diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancers, has been limited, particularly because the blood–brain barrier (BBB makes brain tissue hard to access by conventional antibody-targeting strategies. In this review, we summarize new antibody therapeutic approaches to target brain tumors, especially malignant gliomas, as well as their potential drawbacks. Many different brain delivery platforms for antibodies have been studied such as liposomes, nanoparticle-based systems, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs, and cell-based approaches. We have already shown the successful delivery of single-chain fragment variable (scFv with CPP as a linker between two variable domains in the brain. Antibodies normally face poor penetration through the BBB, with some variants sufficiently passing the barrier on their own. A “Trojan horse” method allows passage of biomolecules, such as antibodies, through the BBB by receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT. Such examples of therapeutic antibodies are the bispecific antibodies where one binding specificity recognizes and binds a BBB receptor, enabling RMT and where a second binding specificity recognizes an antigen as a therapeutic target. On the other hand, cell-based systems such as stem cells (SCs are a promising delivery system because of their tumor tropism and ability to cross the BBB. Genetically engineered SCs can be used in gene therapy, where they express anti-tumor drugs, including antibodies. Different types and sources of SCs have been studied for the delivery of therapeutics to the brain; both mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs and neural stem cells (NSCs show great potential. Following the success in treatment of leukemias and lymphomas, the adoptive T-cell therapies, especially the chimeric antigen receptor-T cells (CAR-Ts, are making their way into glioma treatment as another type of cell

  13. Targeting Mitochondrial Function to Treat Quiescent Tumor Cells in Solid Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaonan Zhang

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The disorganized nature of tumor vasculature results in the generation of microenvironments characterized by nutrient starvation, hypoxia and accumulation of acidic metabolites. Tumor cell populations in such areas are often slowly proliferating and thus refractory to chemotherapeutical drugs that are dependent on an active cell cycle. There is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic interventions that circumvent growth dependency. The screening of drug libraries using multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS or glucose-starved tumor cells has led to the identification of several compounds with promising therapeutic potential and that display activity on quiescent tumor cells. Interestingly, a common theme of these drug screens is the recurrent identification of agents that affect mitochondrial function. Such data suggest that, contrary to the classical Warburg view, tumor cells in nutritionally-compromised microenvironments are dependent on mitochondrial function for energy metabolism and survival. These findings suggest that mitochondria may represent an “Achilles heel” for the survival of slowly-proliferating tumor cells and suggest strategies for the development of therapy to target these cell populations.

  14. Expression of Angiogenesis Regulatory Proteins and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Factors in Platelets of the Breast Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Han

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Platelets play a role in tumor angiogenesis and growth and are the main transporters of several angiogenesis regulators. Here, we aimed to determine the levels of angiogenesis regulators and epithelial-mesenchymal transition factors sequestered by circulating platelets in breast cancer patients and age-matched healthy controls. Platelet pellets (PP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP were collected by routine protocols. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1, platelet factor 4 (PF4, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Angiogenesis-associated expression of VEGF (2.1 pg/106 platelets versus 0.9 pg/106 platelets, P < 0.001, PF4 (21.2 ng/106 platelets versus 10.2 ng/106 platelets, P < 0.001, PDGF-BB (42.9 pg/106 platelets versus 19.1 pg/106 platelets, P < 0.001, and TGF-β1 (15.3 ng/106 platelets versus 4.3 ng/106 platelets, P < 0.001 differed in the PP samples of cancer and control subjects. In addition, protein concentrations were associated with clinical characteristics (P<0.05. Circulating platelets in breast cancer sequester higher levels of PF4, VEGF, PDGF-BB, and TGF-β1, suggesting a possible target for early diagnosis. VEGF, PDGF, and TGF-β1 concentrations in platelets may be associated with prognosis.

  15. Influence of Levamisole and Other Angiogenesis Inhibitors on Angiogenesis and Endothelial Cell Morphology in Vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Friis, Tina; Engel, Anne-Marie; Bendiksen, Christine D.; Larsen, Line S.; Houen, Gunnar, E-mail: gh@ssi.dk [Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Immunology and Genetics, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen (Denmark)

    2013-06-24

    Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vessels is required for many physiological processes and for growth of solid tumors. Initiated by hypoxia, angiogenesis involves binding of angiogenic factors to endothelial cell (EC) receptors and activation of cellular signaling, differentiation, migration, proliferation, interconnection and canalization of ECs, remodeling of the extracellular matrix and stabilization of newly formed vessels. Experimentally, these processes can be studied by several in vitro and in vivo assays focusing on different steps in the process. In vitro, ECs form networks of capillary-like tubes when propagated for three days in coculture with fibroblasts. The tube formation is dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and omission of VEGF from the culture medium results in the formation of clusters of undifferentiated ECs. Addition of angiogenesis inhibitors to the coculture system disrupts endothelial network formation and influences EC morphology in two distinct ways. Treatment with antibodies to VEGF, soluble VEGF receptor, the VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor SU5614, protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor (PTPI) IV or levamisole results in the formation of EC clusters of variable size. This cluster morphology is a result of inhibited EC differentiation and levamisole can be inferred to influence and block VEGF signaling. Treatment with platelet factor 4, thrombospondin, rapamycin, suramin, TNP-470, salubrinal, PTPI I, PTPI II, clodronate, NSC87877 or non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) results in the formation of short cords of ECs, which suggests that these inhibitors have an influence on later steps in the angiogenic process, such as EC proliferation and migration. A humanized antibody to VEGF is one of a few angiogenesis inhibitors used clinically for treatment of cancer. Levamisole is approved for clinical treatment of cancer and is interesting with respect to anti-angiogenic activity

  16. The folate receptor as a molecular target for tumor-selective radionuclide delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke, C.-Y.; Mathias, Carla J.; Green, Mark A.

    2003-01-01

    The cell-membrane folate receptor is a potential molecular target for tumor-selective drug delivery, including radiolabeled folate-chelate conjugates for diagnostic imaging. We review here some background on the folate receptor as tumor-associated molecular target for drug delivery, and briefly survey the literature on tumor-targeting with radiolabeled folate-chelate conjugates

  17. Mathematical modeling of tumor-associated macrophage interactions with the cancer microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahlbacher, Grace; Curtis, Louis T; Lowengrub, John; Frieboes, Hermann B

    2018-01-30

    Immuno-oncotherapy has emerged as a promising means to target cancer. In particular, therapeutic manipulation of tumor-associated macrophages holds promise due to their various and sometimes opposing roles in tumor progression. It is established that M1-type macrophages suppress tumor progression while M2-types support it. Recently, Tie2-expressing macrophages (TEM) have been identified as a distinct sub-population influencing tumor angiogenesis and vascular remodeling as well as monocyte differentiation. This study develops a modeling framework to evaluate macrophage interactions with the tumor microenvironment, enabling assessment of how these interactions may affect tumor progression. M1, M2, and Tie2 expressing variants are integrated into a model of tumor growth representing a metastatic lesion in a highly vascularized organ, such as the liver. Behaviors simulated include M1 release of nitric oxide (NO), M2 release of growth-promoting factors, and TEM facilitation of angiogenesis via Angiopoietin-2 and promotion of monocyte differentiation into M2 via IL-10. The results show that M2 presence leads to larger tumor growth regardless of TEM effects, implying that immunotherapeutic strategies that lead to TEM ablation may fail to restrain growth when the M2 represents a sizeable population. As TEM pro-tumor effects are less pronounced and on a longer time scale than M1-driven tumor inhibition, a more nuanced approach to influence monocyte differentiation taking into account the tumor state (e.g., under chemotherapy) may be desirable. The results highlight the dynamic interaction of macrophages within a growing tumor, and, further, establish the initial feasibility of a mathematical framework that could longer term help to optimize cancer immunotherapy.

  18. Markers of angiogenesis and epidermal growth factor receptor signalling in patients with pancreatic and gastroesophageal junction cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rohrberg, Kristoffer Staal; Skov, Birgit Guldhammer; Lassen, Ulrik

    2010-01-01

    The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and angiogenesis are well established targets in anti-cancer therapy. Several targeted anti-cancer therapies are in clinical trials in pancreatic and gastroesophageal (GEJ) cancer. However, many patients do not respond to these targeted therapies...... in pancreatic and GEJ cancer patients, and could be investigated further as predictive biomarkers in such patients treated with EGFR or angiogenesis targeted therapies....

  19. A comparison of prostate tumor targeting strategies using magnetic resonance imaging-targeted, transrectal ultrasound-guided fusion biopsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Peter R; Cool, Derek W; Fenster, Aaron; Ward, Aaron D

    2018-03-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted, three-dimensional (3D) transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy aims to reduce the 21-47% false-negative rate of clinical two-dimensional (2D) TRUS-guided systematic biopsy, but continues to yield false-negative results. This may be improved via needle target optimization, accounting for guidance system errors and image registration errors. As an initial step toward the goal of optimized prostate biopsy targeting, we investigated how needle delivery error impacts tumor sampling probability for two targeting strategies. We obtained MRI and 3D TRUS images from 49 patients. A radiologist and radiology resident assessed these MR images and contoured 81 suspicious regions, yielding tumor surfaces that were registered to 3D TRUS. The biopsy system's root-mean-squared needle delivery error (RMSE) and systematic error were modeled using an isotropic 3D Gaussian distribution. We investigated two different prostate tumor-targeting strategies using (a) the tumor's centroid and (b) a ring in the lateral-elevational plane. For each simulation, targets were spaced at equal arc lengths on a ring with radius equal to the systematic error magnitude. A total of 1000 biopsy simulations were conducted for each tumor, with RMSE and systematic error magnitudes ranging from 1 to 6 mm. The difference in median tumor sampling probability and probability of obtaining a 50% core involvement was determined for ring vs centroid targeting. Our simulation results indicate that ring targeting outperformed centroid targeting in situations where systematic error exceeds RMSE. In these instances, we observed statistically significant differences showing 1-32% improvement in sampling probability due to ring targeting. Likewise, we observed statistically significant differences showing 1-39% improvement in 50% core involvement probability due to ring targeting. Our results suggest that the optimal targeting scheme for prostate biopsy depends on

  20. Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Oncology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gopinath eSutendra

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Current drug development in oncology is non-selective as it typically focuses on pathways essential for the survival of all dividing cells. The unique metabolic profile of cancer, which is characterized by increased glycolysis and suppressed mitochondrial glucose oxidation provides cancer cells with a proliferative advantage, conducive with apoptosis resistance and even increased angiogenesis. Recent evidence suggests that targeting the cancer-specific metabolic and mitochondrial remodeling may offer selectivity in cancer treatment. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK is a mitochondrial enzyme that is activated in a variety of cancers and results in the selective inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH, a complex of enzymes that converts cytosolic pyruvate to mitochondrial acetyl-CoA, the substrate for the Krebs’ cycle. Inhibition of PDK with either small interfering RNAs or the orphan drug dichloroacetate (DCA shifts the metabolism of cancer cells from glycolysis to glucose oxidation and reverses the suppression of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. In addition, this therapeutic strategy increases the production of diffusible Krebs’ cycle intermediates and mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species (mROS, activating p53 or inhibiting pro-proliferative and pro-angiogenic transcription factors like nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α. These effects result in decreased tumor growth and angiogenesis in a variety of cancers with high selectivity. In a small but mechanistic clinical trial in patients with glioblastoma, a highly aggressive and vascular form of brain cancer, DCA decreased tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth, suggesting that metabolic targeting therapies can be translated directly to patients. Therefore, reversing the mitochondrial suppression with metabolic-modulating drugs, like PDK inhibitors holds promise in the rapidly expanding field of metabolic oncology.

  1. Tumor microenvironment in invasive lobular carcinoma: possible therapeutic targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, Saki; Miki, Yasuhiro; Miyashita, Minoru; Hata, Shuko; Takahashi, Yayoi; Rai, Yoshiaki; Sagara, Yasuaki; Ohi, Yasuyo; Hirakawa, Hisashi; Tamaki, Kentaro; Ishida, Takanori; Watanabe, Mika; Suzuki, Takashi; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

    2016-01-01

    Invasive ductal and lobular carcinomas (IDC and ILC) are the two most common histological types of breast cancer, and have been considered to develop from terminal duct lobular unit but their molecular, pathological, and clinical features are markedly different between them. These differences could be due to different mechanisms of carcinogenesis and tumor microenvironment, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) but little has been explored in this aspect. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the status of angiogenesis, maturation of intratumoral microvessels, and proliferation of CAFs using immunohistochemistry and PCR array analysis to explore the differences of tumor microenvironment between ILC and IDC. We studied grade- and age-matched, luminal-like ILC and IDC. We immunolocalized CD34 and αSMA for an evaluation of CAFs and CD31, Vasohibin-1, a specific marker of proliferative endothelial cells and nestin, a marker of pericytes for studying the status of proliferation and maturation of intratumoral microvessel. We also performed PCR array analysis to evaluate angiogenic factors in tumor stromal components. The number of CAFs, microvessel density, and vasohibin-1/CD31 positive ratio were all significantly higher in ILC than IDC but nestin immunoreactivity in intratumoral microvessel was significantly lower in ILC. These results did indicate that proliferation of CAFs and endothelial cells was more pronounced in ILC than IDC but newly formed microvessels were less mature than those in IDC. PCR array analysis also revealed that IGF-1 expression was higher in ILC than IDC. This is the first study to demonstrate the differences of tumor microenvironment including CAFs and proliferation and maturation of intratumoral vessels between ILC and IDC.

  2. Angiogenic and angiostatic factors in the molecular control of angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Distler, J H W; Hirth, A; Kurowska-Stolarska, M; Gay, R E; Gay, S; Distler, O

    2003-09-01

    The vascular system that ensures an adequate blood flow is required to provide the cells with sufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen. Two different mechanisms of the formation of new vessels can be distinguished: vasculogenesis, the formation of the first primitive vascular plexus de novo and angiogenesis, the formation of new vessels from preexisting ones. Both processes are regulated by a delicate balance of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. Physiologically, angiostatic mediators outweigh the angiogenic molecules and angiogenesis does not occur. Under certain conditions such as tumor formation or wound healing, the positive regulators of angiogenesis predominate and the endothelium becomes activated. Angiogenesis is initiated by vasodilatation and an increased permeability. After destabilization of the vessel wall, endothelial cells proliferate, migrate and form a tube, which is finally stabilized by pericytes and smooth muscle cells. Numerous soluble growth factors and inhibitors, cytokines and proteases as well as extracellular matrix proteins and adhesion molecules strictly control this multi-step process. The properties and interactions of angiogenic molecules such as VEGFs, FGFs, angiopoietins, PDGF, angiogenin, angiotropin, HGF, CXC chemokines with ELR motif, PECAM-1, integrins and VE-cadherin as well as angiostatic key players such as angiostatin, endostatin, thrombospondin, CXC chemokines without ELR motif, PEDF are discussed in this review with respect to their molecular impact on angiogenesis.

  3. EMMPRIN promotes angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion and resistance to sunitinib in renal cell carcinoma, and its level predicts patient outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Mototaka; Nakai, Yasutomo; Nakata, Wataru; Yoshida, Takahiro; Hatano, Koji; Kawashima, Atsunari; Fujita, Kazutoshi; Uemura, Motohide; Takayama, Hitoshi; Nonomura, Norio

    2013-01-01

    Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) has been reported to play crucial roles, including in angiogenesis, in several carcinomas. However, the correlation between EMMPRIN levels and angiogenesis expression profile has not been reported, and the role of EMMPRIN in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the association of EMMPRIN with angiogenesis, its value in prognosis, and its roles in RCC. EMMPRIN expression was examined in 50 RCC patients treated with radical nephrectomy. Angiogenesis, proliferation, and invasion activity were evaluated using EMMPRIN knockdown RCC cell lines. The size of EMMPRIN-overexpressing xenografts was measured and the degree of angiogenesis was quantified. EMMPRIN expression was evaluated in RCC patients who received sunitinib therapy and in sunitinib-resistant cells. Further, the relation between EMMPRIN expression and sensitivity to sunitinib was examined. EMMPRIN score was significantly associated with clinicopathological parameters in RCC patients, as well as being significantly correlated with microvessel area (MVA) in immature vessels and with prognosis. Down-regulation of EMMPRIN by siRNA led to decreased VEGF and bFGF expression, cell proliferation, and invasive potential. EMMPRIN over-expressing xenografts showed accelerated growth and MVA of immature vessels. EMMPRIN expression was significantly increased in patients who received sunitinib therapy as well as in sunitinib-resistant 786-O cells (786-suni). EMMPRIN-overexpressing RCC cells were resistant to sunitinib. Our findings indicate that high expression of EMMPRIN in RCC plays important roles in tumor progression and sunitinib resistance. Therefore, EMMPRIN could be a novel target for the treatment of RCC.

  4. EMMPRIN promotes angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion and resistance to sunitinib in renal cell carcinoma, and its level predicts patient outcome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mototaka Sato

    Full Text Available Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN has been reported to play crucial roles, including in angiogenesis, in several carcinomas. However, the correlation between EMMPRIN levels and angiogenesis expression profile has not been reported, and the role of EMMPRIN in renal cell carcinoma (RCC is unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the association of EMMPRIN with angiogenesis, its value in prognosis, and its roles in RCC.EMMPRIN expression was examined in 50 RCC patients treated with radical nephrectomy. Angiogenesis, proliferation, and invasion activity were evaluated using EMMPRIN knockdown RCC cell lines. The size of EMMPRIN-overexpressing xenografts was measured and the degree of angiogenesis was quantified. EMMPRIN expression was evaluated in RCC patients who received sunitinib therapy and in sunitinib-resistant cells. Further, the relation between EMMPRIN expression and sensitivity to sunitinib was examined.EMMPRIN score was significantly associated with clinicopathological parameters in RCC patients, as well as being significantly correlated with microvessel area (MVA in immature vessels and with prognosis. Down-regulation of EMMPRIN by siRNA led to decreased VEGF and bFGF expression, cell proliferation, and invasive potential. EMMPRIN over-expressing xenografts showed accelerated growth and MVA of immature vessels. EMMPRIN expression was significantly increased in patients who received sunitinib therapy as well as in sunitinib-resistant 786-O cells (786-suni. EMMPRIN-overexpressing RCC cells were resistant to sunitinib.Our findings indicate that high expression of EMMPRIN in RCC plays important roles in tumor progression and sunitinib resistance. Therefore, EMMPRIN could be a novel target for the treatment of RCC.

  5. Development of tumor-targeted near infrared probes for fluorescence guided surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelderhouse, Lindsay E; Chelvam, Venkatesh; Wayua, Charity; Mahalingam, Sakkarapalayam; Poh, Scott; Kularatne, Sumith A; Low, Philip S

    2013-06-19

    Complete surgical resection of malignant disease is the only reliable method to cure cancer. Unfortunately, quantitative tumor resection is often limited by a surgeon's ability to locate all malignant disease and distinguish it from healthy tissue. Fluorescence-guided surgery has emerged as a tool to aid surgeons in the identification and removal of malignant lesions. While nontargeted fluorescent dyes have been shown to passively accumulate in some tumors, the resulting tumor-to-background ratios are often poor, and the boundaries between malignant and healthy tissues can be difficult to define. To circumvent these problems, our laboratory has developed high affinity tumor targeting ligands that bind to receptors that are overexpressed on cancer cells and deliver attached molecules selectively into these cells. In this study, we explore the use of two tumor-specific targeting ligands (i.e., folic acid that targets the folate receptor (FR) and DUPA that targets prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)) to deliver near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes specifically to FR and PSMA expressing cancers, thereby rendering only the malignant cells highly fluorescent. We report here that all FR- and PSMA-targeted NIR probes examined bind cultured cancer cells in the low nanomolar range. Moreover, upon intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice with metastatic disease, these same ligand-NIR dye conjugates render receptor-expressing tumor tissues fluorescent, enabling their facile resection with minimal contamination from healthy tissues.

  6. Friends Turned Foes: Angiogenic Growth Factors beyond Angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matkar, Pratiek N; Ariyagunarajah, Ramya; Leong-Poi, Howard; Singh, Krishna K

    2017-10-02

    Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones is a biological process that ensures an adequate blood flow is maintained to provide the cells with a sufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen within the body. Numerous soluble growth factors and inhibitors, cytokines, proteases as well as extracellular matrix proteins and adhesion molecules stringently regulate the multi-factorial process of angiogenesis. The properties and interactions of key angiogenic molecules such as vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and angiopoietins have been investigated in great detail with respect to their molecular impact on angiogenesis. Since the discovery of angiogenic growth factors, much research has been focused on their biological actions and their potential use as therapeutic targets for angiogenic or anti-angiogenic strategies in a context-dependent manner depending on the pathologies. It is generally accepted that these factors play an indispensable role in angiogenesis. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that this is not their only role and it is likely that the angiogenic factors have important functions in a wider range of biological and pathological processes. The additional roles played by these molecules in numerous pathologies and biological processes beyond angiogenesis are discussed in this review.

  7. Specific targeting for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoefnagel, C.A.

    2003-01-01

    For the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors three ways of specific targeting of radionuclides prevail: by 131 I-meta-iodo-benzyl-guanidine (MIBG), which is taken up by an active uptake-1 mechanism and stored in neurosecretory granules of neural crest tumor cells, by radiolabeled peptides, in particular the somatostatin analogs octreotide and lanreotide, targeting the peptide receptors, and by radiolabeled antibodies, which target tumor cell surface antigens. The choice depends on the indication, the results of diagnostic imaging using tracer amounts of these agents, the availability and feasibility of radionuclide therapy and of other treatment modalities. The applications, clinical results and developments for the major indications are reviewed. 131 I-MIBG therapy has a cumulative response rate of 50%, associated with little toxicity, in metastatic pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma and neuroblastoma, whereas its role is primarily palliative in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma and carcinoid tumors. Treatment using 90 Y- or 177 Lu-labeled octreotide/lanreotide is mostly used in neuroendocrine gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) tumors and paraganglioma, attaining stabilization of disease anti-palliation in the majority of patients. As this treatment is specific for the receptor rather than for the tumor type, it may also be applicable to other, non-neuroendocrine tumors. Radioimmunotherapy is applied in medullary thyroid carcinoma, in which a phase I/II study using bi-specific anti-DTPA/anti-CEA immuno-conjugates followed by 131 I-hapten has proven some degree of success, and may be used in neuroblastoma more effectively than before, once chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies become available for therapy. Integration of these specific and noninvasive therapies at an optimal moment into the treatment protocols of these diseases may enhance their effectiveness and acceptance. (author)

  8. Accessing key steps of human tumor progression in vivo by using an avian embryo model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagedorn, Martin; Javerzat, Sophie; Gilges, Delphine; Meyre, Aurélie; de Lafarge, Benjamin; Eichmann, Anne; Bikfalvi, Andreas

    2005-02-01

    Experimental in vivo tumor models are essential for comprehending the dynamic process of human cancer progression, identifying therapeutic targets, and evaluating antitumor drugs. However, current rodent models are limited by high costs, long experimental duration, variability, restricted accessibility to the tumor, and major ethical concerns. To avoid these shortcomings, we investigated whether tumor growth on the chick chorio-allantoic membrane after human glioblastoma cell grafting would replicate characteristics of the human disease. Avascular tumors consistently formed within 2 days, then progressed through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2-dependent angiogenesis, associated with hemorrhage, necrosis, and peritumoral edema. Blocking of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor signaling pathways by using small-molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors abrogated tumor development. Gene regulation during the angiogenic switch was analyzed by oligonucleotide microarrays. Defined sample selection for gene profiling permitted identification of regulated genes whose functions are associated mainly with tumor vascularization and growth. Furthermore, expression of known tumor progression genes identified in the screen (IL-6 and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61) as well as potential regulators (lumican and F-box-only 6) follow similar patterns in patient glioma. The model reliably simulates key features of human glioma growth in a few days and thus could considerably increase the speed and efficacy of research on human tumor progression and preclinical drug screening. angiogenesis | animal model alternatives | glioblastoma

  9. Single-level dynamic spiral CT of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation between imaging features and tumor angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Weixia; Min Pengqiu; Song Bin; Xiao Bangliang; Liu Yan; Wang Wendong; Chen Xian; Xu Jianying

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the correlation of the enhancement imaging features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and relevant parameters revealed by single-level dynamic spiral CT scanning with tumor microvessel counting (MVC). Methods: The study included 26 histopathologically proven HCC patients. Target-slice dynamic scanning and portal venous phase scanning were performed for all patients. The time-density curves were generated with measurement of relevant parameters including: peak value (PV) and contrast enhancement ratio (CER), and the gross enhancement morphology analyzed. Histopathological slides were carefully prepared for the standard F8RA and VEGF immunohistochemical staining and tumor microvessel counting and calculation of VEGF expression percentage of tumor cells. The enhancement imaging features of HCC lesions were correlatively studied with tumor MVC and VEGF expression. Results: Peak value of HCC lesions were 7.9 to 75.2 HU, CER were 3.8% to 36.0%. MVC were 6 to 91, and the VEGF expression percentage were 32.1% to 78.3%. The PV and CER were significantly correlated with tumor tissue MVC (r = 0.508 and 0.423, P < 0.01 and 0.05 respectively). There were no correlations between PV and CER and VEGF expression percentage. Both the patterns of time-density curve and the gross enhancement morphology of HCC lesions were also correlated with tumor MVC, and reflected the distribution characteristics of tumor microvessels within HCC lesions. A close association was found between the likelihood of intrahepatic metastasis of HCC lesions with densely enhanced pseudo capsules and the presence of rich tumor microvessels within these pseudo capsules. Conclusion: The parameters and the enhancement imaging features of HCC lesions on target-slice dynamic scanning are correlated with tumor MVC, and can reflect the distribution characteristics of tumor microvessels within HCC lesions. Dynamic spiral CT scanning is a valuable means to assess the angiogenic activity and

  10. Cerebral insulin, insulin signaling pathway, and brain angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yi; Zhang, Le; Hu, Zhiping

    2016-01-01

    Insulin performs unique non-metabolic functions within the brain. Broadly speaking, two major areas of these functions are those related to brain endothelial cells and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, and those related to behavioral effects, like cognition in disease states (Alzheimer's disease, AD) and in health. Recent studies showed that both these functions are associated with brain angiogenesis. These findings raise interesting questions such as how they are linked to each other and whether modifying brain angiogenesis by targeting certain insulin signaling pathways could be an effective strategy to treat dementia as in AD, or even to help secure healthy longevity. The two canonical downstream pathways involved in mediating the insulin signaling pathway, the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, in the brain are supposed to be similar to those in the periphery. PI3K and MAPK pathways play important roles in angiogenesis. Both are involved in stimulating hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) in angiogenesis and could be activated by the insulin signaling pathway. This suggests that PI3K and MAPK pathways might act as cross-talk between the insulin signaling pathway and the angiogenesis pathway in brain. But the cerebral insulin, insulin signaling pathway, and the detailed mechanism in the connection of insulin signaling pathway, brain angiogenesis pathway, and healthy aging or dementias are still mostly not clear and need further studies.

  11. The redox protein thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) increases hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha protein expression: Trx-1 overexpression results in increased vascular endothelial growth factor production and enhanced tumor angiogenesis.

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    Welsh, Sarah J; Bellamy, William T; Briehl, Margaret M; Powis, Garth

    2002-09-01

    Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a heterodimer of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta subunits, is a transcriptional activator central to the cellular response to low oxygen that includes metabolic adaptation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and inhibited apoptosis. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) is a small redox protein overexpressed in a number of human primary tumors. We have examined the effects of Trx-1 on HIF activity and the activation of downstream genes. Stable transfection of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells with human Trx-1 caused a significant increase in HIF-1alpha protein levels under both normoxic (20% oxygen) and hypoxic (1% oxygen) conditions. Trx-1 increased hypoxia-induced HIF-1 transactivation activity measured using a luciferase reporter under the control of the hypoxia response element. Changes in HIF-1alpha mRNA levels did not account for the changes observed at the protein level, and HIF-1beta protein levels did not change. Trx-1 transfection also caused a significant increase in the protein products of hypoxia-responsive genes, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide synthase 2 in a number of different cell lines (MCF-7 human breast and HT29 human colon carcinomas and WEHI7.2 mouse lymphoma cells) under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The pattern of expression of the different isoforms of VEGF was not changed by Trx-1. Transfection of a redox-inactive Trx-1 (C32S/C35S) markedly decreased levels of HIF-1alpha protein, HIF-1 transactivating activity, and VEGF protein in MCF-7 cells compared with empty vector controls. In vivo studies using WEHI7.2 cells transfected with Trx-1 showed significantly increased tumor VEGF and angiogenesis. The results suggest that Trx-1 increases HIF-1alpha protein levels in cancer cells and increases VEGF production and tumor angiogenesis.

  12. Dietary Proteins and Angiogenesis

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    Miguel Ángel Medina

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Both defective and persistent angiogenesis are linked to pathological situations in the adult. Compounds able to modulate angiogenesis have a potential value for the treatment of such pathologies. Several small molecules present in the diet have been shown to have modulatory effects on angiogenesis. This review presents the current state of knowledge on the potential modulatory roles of dietary proteins on angiogenesis. There is currently limited available information on the topic. Milk contains at least three proteins for which modulatory effects on angiogenesis have been previously demonstrated. On the other hand, there is some scarce information on the potential of dietary lectins, edible plant proteins and high protein diets to modulate angiogenesis.

  13. Cytokines and Angiogenesis in the Corpus Luteum

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    António M. Galvão

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In adults, physiological angiogenesis is a rare event, with few exceptions as the vasculogenesis needed for tissue growth and function in female reproductive organs. Particularly in the corpus luteum (CL, regulation of angiogenic process seems to be tightly controlled by opposite actions resultant from the balance between pro- and antiangiogenic factors. It is the extremely rapid sequence of events that determines the dramatic changes on vascular and nonvascular structures, qualifying the CL as a great model for angiogenesis studies. Using the mare CL as a model, reports on locally produced cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF, interferon gamma (IFNG, or Fas ligand (FASL, pointed out their role on angiogenic activity modulation throughout the luteal phase. Thus, the main purpose of this review is to highlight the interaction between immune, endothelial, and luteal steroidogenic cells, regarding vascular dynamics/changes during establishment and regression of the equine CL.

  14. Critical role of CDK11p58 in human breast cancer growth and angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chi, Yayun; Huang, Sheng; Peng, Haojie; Liu, Mengying; Zhao, Jun; Shao, Zhiming; Wu, Jiong

    2015-01-01

    A capillary network is needed in cancer growth and metastasis. Induction of angiogenesis represents one of the major hallmarks of cancer. CDK11 p58 , a Ser/Thr kinase that belongs to the Cell Division Cycle 2-like 1 (CDC2L1) subfamily is associated with cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis, sister chromatid cohesion and apoptotic signaling. However, its role in breast cancer proliferation and angiogenesis remains unclear. Tumorigenicity assays and blood vessel assessment in athymic mice were used to assess the function of CDK11 p58 in tumor proliferation and angiogenesis. CCK-8 assay was used to detect breast cancer cell growth. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD31 and CD34 in CDK11 positive patient breast cancer tissues. Dual-Luciferase array was used to analyze the function of CDK11 p58 in the regulation of VEGF promoter activity. Western blot was used to detect related protein expression levels. CDK11 p58 inhibited breast cancer growth and angiogenesis in breast cancer cells and in nude mice transplanted with tumors. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that CDK11 p58 was negatively associated with angiogenesis-related proteins such as VEGF, CD31 and CD34 in breast cancer patients. Real-time PCR and dual-luciferase assay showed CDK11 p58 inhibited the mRNA levels of VEGF and the promoter activity of VEGF. As CDK11 p58 is a Ser/Thr kinase, the kinase-dead mutant failed to inhibit VEGF mRNA and promoter activity. Western blot analysis showed the same pattern of related protein expression. The data suggested angiogenesis inhibition was dependent on CDK11 p58 kinase activity. This study indicates that CDK11 p58 inhibits the growth and angiogenesis of breast cancer dependent on its kinase activity. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1698-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

  15. Tumor-Derived Exosomes and Their Role in Cancer Progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiteside, Theresa L

    2016-01-01

    Tumor cells actively produce, release, and utilize exosomes to promote tumor growth. Mechanisms through which tumor-derived exosomes subserve the tumor are under intense investigation. These exosomes are information carriers, conveying molecular and genetic messages from tumor cells to normal or other abnormal cells residing at close or distant sites. Tumor-derived exosomes are found in all body fluids. Upon contact with target cells, they alter phenotypic and functional attributes of recipients, reprogramming them into active contributors to angiogenesis, thrombosis, metastasis, and immunosuppression. Exosomes produced by tumors carry cargos that in part mimic contents of parent cells and are of potential interest as noninvasive biomarkers of cancer. Their role in inhibiting the host antitumor responses and in mediating drug resistance is important for cancer therapy. Tumor-derived exosomes may interfere with cancer immunotherapy, but they also could serve as adjuvants and antigenic components of antitumor vaccines. Their biological roles in cancer development or progression as well as cancer therapy suggest that tumor-derived exosomes are critical components of oncogenic transformation. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. miRNA let-7b modulates macrophage polarization and enhances tumor-associated macrophages to promote angiogenesis and mobility in prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhigang; Xu, Lu; Hu, Yinying; Huang, Yanqin; Zhang, Yujuan; Zheng, Xiufen; Wang, Shanshan; Wang, Yifan; Yu, Yanrong; Zhang, Meng; Yuan, Keng; Min, Weiping

    2016-05-09

    Macrophage polarization is a highly plastic physiological process that responds to a variety of environmental factors by changing macrophage phenotype and function. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are generally recognized as promoting tumor progression. As universal regulators, microRNAs (miRNAs) are functionally involved in numerous critical cellular processes including macrophage polarization. Let-7b, a miRNA, has differential expression patterns in inflamed tissues compared with healthy controls. However, whether and how miRNA let-7b regulates macrophage phenotype and function is unclear. In this report, we find that up-regulation of let-7b is characteristic of prostatic TAMs, and down-regulation of let-7b in TAMs leads to changes in expression profiles of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-12, IL-23, IL-10 and TNF-α. As a result, TAMs treated with let-7b inhibitors reduce angiogenesis and prostate carcinoma (PCa) cell mobility. Let-7b may play a vital role in regulating macrophage polarization, thus modulating the prognosis of prostate cancer.

  17. Probiotic yeast inhibits VEGFR signaling and angiogenesis in intestinal inflammation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinhua Chen

    Full Text Available Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb can protect against intestinal injury and tumor formation, but how this probiotic yeast controls protective mucosal host responses is unclear. Angiogenesis is an integral process of inflammatory responses in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD and required for mucosal remodeling during restitution. The aim of this study was to determine whether Sb alters VEGFR (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling, a central regulator of angiogenesis.HUVEC were used to examine the effects of Sb on signaling and on capillary tube formation (using the ECMatrix™ system. The effects of Sb on VEGF-mediated angiogenesis were examined in vivo using an adenovirus expressing VEGF-A(164 in the ears of adult nude mice (NuNu. The effects of Sb on blood vessel volume branching and density in DSS-induced colitis was quantified using VESsel GENeration (VESGEN software.1 Sb treatment attenuated weight-loss (p<0.01 and histological damage (p<0.01 in DSS colitis. VESGEN analysis of angiogenesis showed significantly increased blood vessel density and volume in DSS-treated mice compared to control. Sb treatment significantly reduced the neo-vascularization associated with acute DSS colitis and accelerated mucosal recovery restoration of the lamina propria capillary network to a normal morphology. 2 Sb inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo in the mouse ear model. 3 Sb also significantly inhibited angiogenesis in vitro in the capillary tube assay in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.01. 4 In HUVEC, Sb reduced basal VEGFR-2 phosphorylation, VEGFR-2 phosphorylation in response to VEGF as well as activation of the downstream kinases PLCγ and Erk1/2.Our findings indicate that the probiotic yeast S boulardii can modulate angiogenesis to limit intestinal inflammation and promote mucosal tissue repair by regulating VEGFR signaling.

  18. [6]-Gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger, inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eok-Cheon; Min, Jeong-Ki; Kim, Tae-Yoon; Lee, Shin-Jeong; Yang, Hyun-Ok; Han, Sanghwa; Kim, Young-Myeong; Kwon, Young-Guen

    2005-01-01

    [6]-Gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae), has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor-promoting activities. Here, we describe its novel anti-angiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, [6]-gingerol inhibited both the VEGF- and bFGF-induced proliferation of human endothelial cells and caused cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. It also blocked capillary-like tube formation by endothelial cells in response to VEGF, and strongly inhibited sprouting of endothelial cells in the rat aorta and formation of new blood vessel in the mouse cornea in response to VEGF. Moreover, i.p. administration, without reaching tumor cytotoxic blood levels, to mice receiving i.v. injection of B16F10 melanoma cells, reduced the number of lung metastasis, with preservation of apparently healthy behavior. Taken together, these results demonstrate that [6]-gingerol inhibits angiogenesis and may be useful in the treatment of tumors and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases

  19. Peptide-Mediated Liposomal Drug Delivery System Targeting Tumor Blood Vessels in Anticancer Therapy

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    Han-Chung Wu

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Solid tumors are known to recruit new blood vessels to support their growth. Therefore, unique molecules expressed on tumor endothelial cells can function as targets for the antiangiogenic therapy of cancer. Current efforts are focusing on developing therapeutic agents capable of specifically targeting cancer cells and tumor-associated microenvironments including tumor blood vessels. These therapies hold the promise of high efficacy and low toxicity. One recognized strategy for improving the therapeutic effectiveness of conventional chemotherapeutics is to encapsulate anticancer drugs into targeting liposomes that bind to the cell surface receptors expressed on tumor-associated endothelial cells. These anti-angiogenic drug delivery systems could be used to target both tumor blood vessels as well as the tumor cells, themselves. This article reviews the mechanisms and advantages of various present and potential methods using peptide-conjugated liposomes to specifically destroy tumor blood vessels in anticancer therapy.

  20. LincRNA-p21 Impacts Prognosis in Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients through Angiogenesis Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castellano, Joan J; Navarro, Alfons; Viñolas, Nuria; Marrades, Ramon M; Moises, Jorge; Cordeiro, Anna; Saco, Adela; Muñoz, Carmen; Fuster, Dolors; Molins, Laureano; Ramirez, Josep; Monzo, Mariano

    2016-12-01

    Long intergenic noncoding RNA-p21 (lincRNA-p21) is a long noncoding RNA transcriptionally activated by tumor protein p53 (TP53) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha subunit (HIF1A). It is involved in the regulation of TP53-dependent apoptosis and the Warburg effect. We have investigated the role of lincRNA-p21 in NSCLC. LincRNA-p21 expression was assessed in tumor and normal tissue from 128 patients with NSCLC and correlated with time to relapse and cancer-specific survival (CSS). H23, H1299, and HCC-44 cell lines were cultured in hypoxic conditions after silencing of lincRNA-p21. The TaqMan human angiogenesis array was used to explore angiogenesis-related gene expression. Levels of the protein vascular endothelial growth factor A were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the cell supernatants. Angiogenic capability was measured by human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation assay. Microvascular density in tumor samples was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. LincRNA-p21 was down-regulated in tumor tissue, but no association was observed with TP53 mutational status. High lincRNA-p21 levels were associated with poor CSS in all patients (p = 0.032). When patients were classified according to histological subtypes, the impact of lincRNA-p21 was confined to patients with adenocarcinoma in both time to relapse (p = 0.006) and CSS (p < 0.001). To explain the poor outcome of patients with high lincRNA-p21 expression, we studied the role of lincRNA-p21 in angiogenesis in vitro and observed a global downregulation in the expression of angiogenesis-related genes when lincRNA-p21 was inhibited. Moreover, supernatants from lincRNA-p21-inhibited cells were significantly less angiogenic and had lower levels of secreted vascular endothelial growth factor A than controls did. Finally, tumor samples with high lincRNA-p21 levels had higher microvascular density. Our findings suggest that lincRNA-p21 affects outcome in patients with NSCLC adenocarcinoma through

  1. PCA-1/ALKBH3 contributes to pancreatic cancer by supporting apoptotic resistance and angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamato, Ichiro; Sho, Masayuki; Shimada, Keiji; Hotta, Kiyohiko; Ueda, Yuko; Yasuda, Satoshi; Shigi, Naoko; Konishi, Noboru; Tsujikawa, Kazutake; Nakajima, Yoshiyuki

    2012-09-15

    The PCA-1/ALKBH3 gene implicated in DNA repair is expressed in several human malignancies but its precise contributions to cancer remain mainly unknown. In this study, we have determined its functions and clinical importance in pancreatic cancer. PCA-1/ALKBH3 functions in proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis were evaluated in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Further, PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression in 116 patients with pancreatic cancer was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. siRNA-mediated silencing of PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression induced apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation. Conversely, overexpression of PCA-1/ALKBH3 increased anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness. In addition, PCA-1/ALKBH3 silencing downregulated VEGF expression and inhibited angiogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis showed that PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression was abundant in pancreatic cancer tissues, where it correlated with advanced tumor status, pathological stage and VEGF intensity. Importantly, patients with low positivity of PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression had improved postoperative prognosis compared with those with high positivity. Our results establish PCA-1/ALKBH3 as important gene in pancreatic cancer with potential utility as a therapeutic target in this fatal disease.

  2. Hierarchical Targeting Strategy for Enhanced Tumor Tissue Accumulation/Retention and Cellular Internalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sheng; Huang, Peng; Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2016-09-01

    Targeted delivery of therapeutic agents is an important way to improve the therapeutic index and reduce side effects. To design nanoparticles for targeted delivery, both enhanced tumor tissue accumulation/retention and enhanced cellular internalization should be considered simultaneously. So far, there have been very few nanoparticles with immutable structures that can achieve this goal efficiently. Hierarchical targeting, a novel targeting strategy based on stimuli responsiveness, shows good potential to enhance both tumor tissue accumulation/retention and cellular internalization. Here, the recent design and development of hierarchical targeting nanoplatforms, based on changeable particle sizes, switchable surface charges and activatable surface ligands, will be introduced. In general, the targeting moieties in these nanoplatforms are not activated during blood circulation for efficient tumor tissue accumulation, but re-activated by certain internal or external stimuli in the tumor microenvironment for enhanced cellular internalization. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Targeted Delivery of siRNA Therapeutics to Malignant Tumors

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    Qixin Leng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Over the past 20 years, a diverse group of ligands targeting surface biomarkers or receptors has been identified with several investigated to target siRNA to tumors. Many approaches to developing tumor-homing peptides, RNA and DNA aptamers, and single-chain variable fragment antibodies by using phage display, in vitro evolution, and recombinant antibody methods could not have been imagined by researchers in the 1980s. Despite these many scientific advances, there is no reason to expect that the ligand field will not continue to evolve. From development of ligands based on novel or existing biomarkers to linking ligands to drugs and gene and antisense delivery systems, several fields have coalesced to facilitate ligand-directed siRNA therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the major categories of ligand-targeted siRNA therapeutics for tumors, as well as the different strategies to identify new ligands.

  4. Silibinin inhibits hypoxia-induced HIF-1α-mediated signaling, angiogenesis and lipogenesis in prostate cancer cells: In vitro evidence and in vivo functional imaging and metabolomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deep, Gagan; Kumar, Rahul; Nambiar, Dhanya K; Jain, Anil K; Ramteke, Anand M; Serkova, Natalie J; Agarwal, Chapla; Agarwal, Rajesh

    2017-03-01

    Hypoxia is associated with aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in prostate cancer (PCa) patients suggesting that PCa growth and progression could be controlled via targeting hypoxia-induced signaling and biological effects. Here, we analyzed silibinin (a natural flavonoid) efficacy to target cell growth, angiogenesis, and metabolic changes in human PCa, LNCaP, and 22Rv1 cells under hypoxic condition. Silibinin treatment inhibited the proliferation, clonogenicity, and endothelial cells tube formation by hypoxic (1% O 2 ) PCa cells. Interestingly, hypoxia promoted a lipogenic phenotype in PCa cells via activating acetyl-Co A carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) that was inhibited by silibinin treatment. Importantly, silibinin treatment strongly decreased hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression in PCa cells together with a strong reduction in hypoxia-induced NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity. HIF-1α overexpression in LNCaP cells significantly increased the lipid accumulation and NOX activity; however, silibinin treatment reduced HIF-1α expression, lipid levels, clonogenicity, and NOX activity even in HIF-1α overexpressing LNCaP cells. In vivo, silibinin feeding (200 mg/kg body weight) to male nude mice with 22Rv1 tumors, specifically inhibited tumor vascularity (measured by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI) resulting in tumor growth inhibition without directly inducing necrosis (as revealed by diffusion-weighted MRI). Silibinin feeding did not significantly affect tumor glucose uptake measured by FDG-PET; however, reduced the lipid synthesis measured by quantitative 1 H-NMR metabolomics. IHC analyses of tumor tissues confirmed that silibinin feeding decreased proliferation and angiogenesis as well as reduced HIF-1α, FASN, and ACC levels. Together, these findings further support silibinin usefulness against PCa through inhibiting hypoxia-induced signaling. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. An effective tumor-targeting strategy utilizing hypoxia-sensitive siRNA delivery system for improved anti-tumor outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Lin; Fan, Bo; Sun, Ping; Huang, Wei; Jin, Mingji; Wang, Qiming; Gao, Zhonggao

    2016-10-15

    Hypoxia is a feature of most solid tumors, targeting hypoxia is considered as the best validated yet not extensively exploited strategy in cancer therapy. Here, we reported a novel tumor-targeting strategy using a hypoxia-sensitive siRNA delivery system. In the study, 2-nitroimidazole (NI), a hydrophobic component that can be converted to hydrophilic 2-aminoimidazole (AI) through bioreduction under hypoxic conditions, was conjugated to the alkylated polyethyleneimine (bPEI1.8k-C6) to form amphiphilic bPEI1.8k-C6-NI polycations. bPEI1.8k-C6-NI could self-assemble into micelle-like aggregations in aqueous, which contributed to the improved stability of the bPEI1.8k-C6-NI/siRNA polyplexes, resulted in increased cellular uptake. After being transported into the hypoxic tumor cells, the selective nitro-to-amino reduction would cause structural change and elicit a relatively loose structure to facilitate the siRNA dissociation in the cytoplasm, for enhanced gene silencing efficiency ultimately. Therefore, the conflict between the extracellular stability and the intracellular siRNA release ability of the polyplexes was solved by introducing the hypoxia-responsive unit. Consequently, the survivin-targeted siRNA loaded polyplexes shown remarkable anti-tumor effect not only in hypoxic cells, but also in tumor spheroids and tumor-bearing mice, indicating that the hypoxia-sensitive siRNA delivery system had great potential for tumor-targeted therapy. Hypoxia is one of the most remarkable features of most solid tumors, and targeting hypoxia is considered as the best validated strategy in cancer therapy. However, in the past decades, there were few reports about using this strategy in the drug delivery system, especially in siRNA delivery system. Therefore, we constructed a hypoxia-sensitive siRNA delivery system utilizing a hypoxia-responsive unit, 2-nitroimidazole, by which the unavoidable conflict between improved extracellular stability and promoted intracellular si

  6. Targeting Metabolic Symbiosis to Overcome Resistance to Anti-angiogenic Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Pisarsky

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Despite the approval of several anti-angiogenic therapies, clinical results remain unsatisfactory, and transient benefits are followed by rapid tumor recurrence. Here, we demonstrate potent anti-angiogenic efficacy of the multi-kinase inhibitors nintedanib and sunitinib in a mouse model of breast cancer. However, after an initial regression, tumors resume growth in the absence of active tumor angiogenesis. Gene expression profiling of tumor cells reveals metabolic reprogramming toward anaerobic glycolysis. Indeed, combinatorial treatment with a glycolysis inhibitor (3PO efficiently inhibits tumor growth. Moreover, tumors establish metabolic symbiosis, illustrated by the differential expression of MCT1 and MCT4, monocarboxylate transporters active in lactate exchange in glycolytic tumors. Accordingly, genetic ablation of MCT4 expression overcomes adaptive resistance against anti-angiogenic therapy. Hence, targeting metabolic symbiosis may be an attractive avenue to avoid resistance development to anti-angiogenic therapy in patients.

  7. Multiple Myeloma Macrophages: Pivotal Players in the Tumor Microenvironment

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    Simona Berardi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumor microenvironment is essential for multiple myeloma (MM growth, progression, and drug resistance through provision of survival signals and secretion of growth and proangiogenic factors. This paper examines the importance of macrophages within MM bone marrow (BM microenvironment, referred to as MM-associated macrophages, as a potential niche component that supports tumor plasma cells. These macrophages are derived from peripheral blood monocytes recruited into the tumor. Upon activation by MM plasma cells and mesenchymal stromal cells, macrophages can release growth factors, proteolytic enzymes, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators that promote plasma cell growth and survival. Macrophages promote tumor progression through several mechanisms including angiogenesis, growth, and drug resistance. Indeed, these macrophages are essential for the induction of an angiogenic response through vasculogenic mimicry, and this ability proceeds in step with progression of the plasma cell tumors. Data suggest that macrophages play an important role in the biology and survival of patients with MM, and they may be a target for the MM antivascular management.

  8. Selective tumor cell targeting by the disaccharide moiety of bleomycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Zhiqiang; Schmaltz, Ryan M; Bozeman, Trevor C; Paul, Rakesh; Rishel, Michael J; Tsosie, Krystal S; Hecht, Sidney M

    2013-02-27

    In a recent study, the well-documented tumor targeting properties of the antitumor agent bleomycin (BLM) were studied in cell culture using microbubbles that had been derivatized with multiple copies of BLM. It was shown that BLM selectively targeted MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells but not the "normal" breast cell line MCF-10A. Furthermore, it was found that the BLM analogue deglycobleomycin, which lacks the disaccharide moiety of BLM, did not target either cell line, indicating that the BLM disaccharide moiety is necessary for tumor selectivity. Not resolved in the earlier study were the issues of whether the BLM disaccharide moiety alone is sufficient for tumor cell targeting and the possible cellular uptake of the disaccharide. In the present study, we conjugated BLM, deglycoBLM, and BLM disaccharide to the cyanine dye Cy5**. It was found that the BLM and BLM disaccharide conjugates, but not the deglycoBLM conjugate, bound selectively to MCF-7 cells and were internalized. The same was also true for the prostate cancer cell line DU-145 (but not for normal PZ-HPV-7 prostate cells) and for the pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3 (but not for normal SVR A221a pancreas cells). The targeting efficiency of the disaccharide was only slightly less than that of BLM in MCF-7 and DU-145 cells and comparable to that of BLM in BxPC-3 cells. These results establish that the BLM disaccharide is both necessary and sufficient for tumor cell targeting, a finding with obvious implications for the design of novel tumor imaging and therapeutic agents.

  9. Inhibitory effect of ginsenoside Rg3 combined with gemcitabine on angiogenesis and growth of lung cancer in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Tai-Guo; Huang, Ying; Cui, Dan-Dan; Huang, Xiao-Bing; Mao, Shu-Hua; Ji, Ling-Ling; Song, Hai-Bo; Yi, Cheng

    2009-01-01

    Ginsenoside Rg3, a saponin extracted from ginseng, inhibits angiogenesis. The combination of low-dose chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic inhibitors suppresses growth of experimental tumors more effectively than conventional therapy or anti-angiogenic agent alone. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose gemcitabine combined with ginsenoside Rg3 on angiogenesis and growth of established Lewis lung carcinoma in mice. C57L/6 mice implanted with Lewis lung carcinoma were randomized into the control, ginsenoside Rg3, gemcitabine and combination group. The quality of life and survival of mice were recorded. Tumor volume, inhibitive rate and necrosis rate were estimated. Necrosis of tumor and signals of blood flow as well as dynamic parameters of arterial blood flow in tumors such as peak systolic velocity (PSV) and resistive index (RI) were detected by color Doppler ultrasound. In addition, expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and CD31 were observed by immunohistochemstry, and microvessel density (MVD) of the tumor tissues was assessed by CD31 immunohistochemical analysis. Quality of life of mice in the ginsenoside Rg3 and combination group were better than in the control and gemcitabine group. Combined therapy with ginsenoside Rg3 and gemcitabine not only enhanced efficacy on suppression of tumor growth and prolongation of the survival, but also increased necrosis rate of tumor significantly. In addition, the combination treatment could obviously decrease VEGF expression and MVD as well as signals of blood flow and PSV in tumors. Ginsenoside Rg3 combined with gemcitabine may significantly inhibit angiogenesis and growth of lung cancer and improve survival and quality of life of tumor-bearing mice. The combination of chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs may be an innovative and promising therapeutic strategy in the experimental treatment of human lung cancer

  10. N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-mediated ING4 downregulation contributed to the angiogenesis of transformed human gastric epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yansu; Fu, Rui; Xu, Mengdie; Huang, Yefei; Sun, Guixiang; Xu, Lichun

    2018-04-15

    Angiogenesis is associated with the progression and mortality of gastric cancer. Epidemiological evidences indicate that long-term N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) exposure predominantly contributes to the mortality of gastric cancer. Therefore, further reduced mortality of gastric cancer demands to explore the exact mechanisms of NOCs induced angiogenesis. As a tumor suppressor gene, inhibitor of growth protein 4 (ING4) plays an important role in pathological angiogenesis. In this study, we will investigate ING4 expression level in human gastric epithelial cells after the long-term low dose exposure of N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and the pathological impact of MNNG-reduced ING4 on angiogenesis of transformed cells. The soft agar colony formation assay, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and wound healing assay were used to evaluate the characteristics of transformed cells. HUVEC growth and tube formation assays were performed to test the angiogenic abilities. EMSA, luciferase reporter gene assay, real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to explore the exact mechanism. By establishing transformed human gastric epithelial cells via chronic low dose treatment, a gradually ING4 downregulation was observed in the later-stage of MNNG-induced cell transformation. Moreover, we demonstrated that MNNG exposure-reduced ING4 expression significantly resulted into aggravating angiogenesis through increasing the phosphorylation level of NF-κB p65 and subsequently DAN binding activity and regulating the expressions of NF-κB p65 downstream pro-angiogenic genes, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Our findings provided a significant mechanistic insight into angiogenesis of MNNG-transformed human gastric epithelial cell and supported the concept that ING4 may be a relevant therapeutic target for gastric cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Neem leaf glycoprotein prophylaxis transduces immune dependent stop signal for tumor angiogenic switch within tumor microenvironment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saptak Banerjee

    Full Text Available We have reported that prophylactic as well as therapeutic administration of neem leaf glycoprotein (NLGP induces significant restriction of solid tumor growth in mice. Here, we investigate whether the effect of such pretreatment (25µg/mice; weekly, 4 times benefits regulation of tumor angiogenesis, an obligate factor for tumor progression. We show that NLGP pretreatment results in vascular normalization in melanoma and carcinoma bearing mice along with downregulation of CD31, VEGF and VEGFR2. NLGP pretreatment facilitates profound infiltration of CD8+ T cells within tumor parenchyma, which subsequently regulates VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling in CD31+ vascular endothelial cells to prevent aberrant neovascularization. Pericyte stabilization, VEGF dependent inhibition of VEC proliferation and subsequent vascular normalization are also experienced. Studies in immune compromised mice confirmed that these vascular and intratumoral changes in angiogenic profile are dependent upon active adoptive immunity particularly those mediated by CD8+ T cells. Accumulated evidences suggest that NLGP regulated immunomodulation is active in tumor growth restriction and normalization of tumor angiogenesis as well, thereby, signifying its clinical translation.

  12. Tumor Targeting and Drug Delivery by Anthrax Toxin

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    Christopher Bachran

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Anthrax toxin is a potent tripartite protein toxin from Bacillus anthracis. It is one of the two virulence factors and causes the disease anthrax. The receptor-binding component of the toxin, protective antigen, needs to be cleaved by furin-like proteases to be activated and to deliver the enzymatic moieties lethal factor and edema factor to the cytosol of cells. Alteration of the protease cleavage site allows the activation of the toxin selectively in response to the presence of tumor-associated proteases. This initial idea of re-targeting anthrax toxin to tumor cells was further elaborated in recent years and resulted in the design of many modifications of anthrax toxin, which resulted in successful tumor therapy in animal models. These modifications include the combination of different toxin variants that require activation by two different tumor-associated proteases for increased specificity of toxin activation. The anthrax toxin system has proved to be a versatile system for drug delivery of several enzymatic moieties into cells. This highly efficient delivery system has recently been further modified by introducing ubiquitin as a cytosolic cleavage site into lethal factor fusion proteins. This review article describes the latest developments in this field of tumor targeting and drug delivery.

  13. Tumor Targeting and Drug Delivery by Anthrax Toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachran, Christopher; Leppla, Stephen H

    2016-07-01

    Anthrax toxin is a potent tripartite protein toxin from Bacillus anthracis. It is one of the two virulence factors and causes the disease anthrax. The receptor-binding component of the toxin, protective antigen, needs to be cleaved by furin-like proteases to be activated and to deliver the enzymatic moieties lethal factor and edema factor to the cytosol of cells. Alteration of the protease cleavage site allows the activation of the toxin selectively in response to the presence of tumor-associated proteases. This initial idea of re-targeting anthrax toxin to tumor cells was further elaborated in recent years and resulted in the design of many modifications of anthrax toxin, which resulted in successful tumor therapy in animal models. These modifications include the combination of different toxin variants that require activation by two different tumor-associated proteases for increased specificity of toxin activation. The anthrax toxin system has proved to be a versatile system for drug delivery of several enzymatic moieties into cells. This highly efficient delivery system has recently been further modified by introducing ubiquitin as a cytosolic cleavage site into lethal factor fusion proteins. This review article describes the latest developments in this field of tumor targeting and drug delivery.

  14. 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])

  15. TIE2-expressing monocytes as a diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsubara, Tokuhiro; Kanto, Tatsuya; Kuroda, Shoko; Yoshio, Sachiyo; Higashitani, Koyo; Kakita, Naruyasu; Miyazaki, Masanori; Sakakibara, Mitsuru; Hiramatsu, Naoki; Kasahara, Akinori; Tomimaru, Yoshito; Tomokuni, Akira; Nagano, Hiroaki; Hayashi, Norio; Takehara, Tetsuo

    2013-04-01

    Angiogenesis is a critical step in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Myeloid lineage cells, such as macrophages and monocytes, have been reported to regulate angiogenesis in mouse tumor models. TIE2, a receptor of angiopoietins, conveys pro-angiogenic signals and identifies a monocyte/macrophage subset with pro-angiogenic activity. Here, we analyzed the occurrence and kinetics of TIE2-expressing monocytes/macrophages (TEMs) in HCC patients. This study enrolled 168 HCV-infected patients including 89 with HCC. We examined the frequency of TEMs, as defined as CD14+CD16+TIE2+ cells, in the peripheral blood and liver. The localization of TEMs in the liver was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Micro-vessel density in the liver was measured by counting CD34+ vascular structures. We found that the frequency of circulating TEMs was significantly higher in HCC than non-HCC patients, while being higher in the liver than in the blood. In patients who underwent local radio-ablation or resection of HCC, the frequency of TEMs dynamically changed in the blood in parallel with HCC recurrence. Most TEMs were identified in the perivascular areas of tumor tissue. A significant positive correlation was observed between micro-vessel density in HCC and frequency of TEMs in the blood or tumors, suggesting that TEMs are involved in HCC angiogenesis. Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed the superiority of TEM frequency to AFP, PIVKA-II and ANG-2 serum levels as diagnostic marker for HCC. TEMs increase in patients with HCC and their frequency changes with the therapeutic response or recurrence. We thus suggest that TEM frequency can be used as a diagnostic marker for HCC, potentially reflecting angiogenesis in the liver. Copyright © 2012 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  16. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate from Kaempferia galanga inhibits angiogenesis through tyrosine kinase

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    Juni Ekowati

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background Many tumors express on their receptor tyrosine kinases vascular endothelial growth factor activity associated with angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis through reduction of tyrosine kinase activity is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The present study aimed to determine the mechanism and potency of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC isolated from Kaempferia galanga as angiogenesis inhibitor. Methods A laboratory experimental study was conducted using chorio-allantoic membranes (CAMs of nine-day old chicken eggs induced by 60ng basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC potency was determined at dosages of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg and compared with celecoxib 60 mg as reference drug and one negative bFGF-induced control group. Neovascularization and endothelial cell count in CAM blood vessels were evaluated. To predict the antiangiogenic mechanism of EPMC, a docking study was performed with the Molegro Virtual Docker program on tyrosine kinase as receptor (PDB 1XKK. Results Angiogenesis stimulation by bFGF was prevented significantly (p<0.05 by EPMC at dosages of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg and this activity was dose dependent. Molecular docking showed interaction between EPMC functional groups and tyrosine kinase amino acids at Met766, Met793, Thr854, Thr790, Gln791 and Ala743. There was an association between EPMC antiangiogenic activity and docking study results. Conclusions Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate is a potential new angiogenesis inhibitor through interaction with tyrosine kinase. EPMC could be a promising therapeutic agent for treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases.

  17. Inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha by dihydroxyphenylethanol, a product from olive oil, blocks microsomal prostaglandin-E synthase-1/vascular endothelial growth factor expression and reduces tumor angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terzuoli, Erika; Donnini, Sandra; Giachetti, Antonio; Iñiguez, Miguel A; Fresno, Manuel; Melillo, Giovanni; Ziche, Marina

    2010-08-15

    2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenil)-ethanol (DPE), a polyphenol present in olive oil, has been found to attenuate the growth of colon cancer cells, an effect presumably related to its anti-inflammatory activity. To further explore the effects of DPE on angiogenesis and tumor growth we investigated the in vivo efficacy of DPE in a HT-29 xenograft model and in vitro activities in colon cancer cells exposed to interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and prostaglandin E-2 (PGE-2). DPE (10 mg/kg/day for 14 days) inhibited tumor growth, reducing vessel lumina and blood perfusion to tumor, and diminished expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and microsomal prostaglandin-E synthase-1 (mPGEs-1). In vitro, DPE (100 mumol/L) neither affected cell proliferation nor induced apoptosis in HT-29 and WiDr cells. DPE prevented the IL-1beta-mediated increase of mPGEs-1 expression and PGE-2 generation, as it did the silencing of HIF-1alpha. Moreover, DPE blocked mPGEs-1-dependent expression of VEGF and inhibited endothelial sprouting induced by tumor cells in a coculture system. PGE-2 triggers a feed-forward loop involving HIF-1alpha, which impinges on mPGEs-1 and VEGF expression, events prevented by DPE via extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2. The reduction of PGE-2 and VEGF levels, caused by DPE, was invariably associated with a marked decrease in HIF-1alpha expression and activity, independent of proteasome activity, indicating that the DPE effects on tumor growth and angiogenesis are dependent on the inhibition of HIF-1alpha translation. We show that the in vivo DPE antitumor effect is associated with anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic activities resulting from the downregulation of the HIF-1alpha/mPGEs-1/VEGF axis.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  20. Applications of polymeric micelles with tumor targeted in chemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding Hui; Wang Xiaojun; Zhang Song; Liu Xinli

    2012-01-01

    Polymeric micelles (PMs) have gained more progress as a carrier system with the quick development of biological and nanoparticle techniques. In particular, PMs with smart targeting can deliver anti-cancer drugs directly into tumor cells at a sustained rate. PMs with core–shell structure (with diameters of 10 ∼ 100 nm) have been prepared by a variety of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers via a self-assembly process. The preparation of polymeric micelles with stimuli-responsive block copolymers or modification of target molecules on polymeric micelles’ surface are able to significantly improve the efficiency of drug delivery. Polymeric micelles, which have been considered as a novel promising drug carrier for cancer therapeutics, are rapidly evolving and being introduced in an attempt to overcome several limitations of traditional chemotherapeutics, including water solubility, tumor-specific accumulation, anti-tumor efficacy, and non-specific toxicity. This review describes the preparation of polymeric micelles and the targeted modification which greatly enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents.

  1. Targeting Autophagy in the Tumor Microenvironment: New Challenges and Opportunities for Regulating Tumor Immunity

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    Bassam Janji

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Cancer cells evolve in the tumor microenvironment, which is now well established as an integral part of the tumor and a determinant player in cancer cell adaptation and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Despite the remarkable and fairly rapid progress over the past two decades regarding our understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development, its precise contribution to cancer resistance is still fragmented. This is mainly related to the complexity of the “tumor ecosystem” and the diversity of the stromal cell types that constitute the tumor microenvironment. Emerging data indicate that several factors, such as hypoxic stress, activate a plethora of resistance mechanisms, including autophagy, in tumor cells. Hypoxia-induced autophagy in the tumor microenvironment also activates several tumor escape mechanisms, which effectively counteract anti-tumor immune responses mediated by natural killer and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Therefore, strategies aiming at targeting autophagy in cancer cells in combination with other therapeutic strategies have inspired significant interest to overcome immunological tolerance and promote tumor regression. However, a number of obstacles still hamper the application of autophagy inhibitors in clinics. First, the lack of selectivity of the current pharmacological inhibitors of autophagy makes difficult to draw a clear statement about its effective contribution in cancer. Second, autophagy has been also described as an important mechanism in tumor cells involved in presentation of antigens to T cells. Third, there is a circumstantial evidence that autophagy activation in some innate immune cells may support the maturation of these cells, and it is required for their anti-tumor activity. In this review, we will address these aspects and discuss our current knowledge on the benefits and the drawbacks of targeting autophagy in the context of anti-tumor immunity. We believe that it is

  2. 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.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  3. EphB4 as a therapeutic target in mesothelioma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Ren; Ferguson, Benjamin D; Zhou, Yue; Naga, Kranthi; Salgia, Ravi; Gill, Parkash S; Krasnoperov, Valery

    2013-01-01

    Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) often develops decades following exposure to asbestos. Current best therapy produces a response in only half of patients, and the median survival with this therapy remains under a year. A search for novel targets and therapeutics is underway, and recently identified targets include VEGF, Notch, and EphB4-Ephrin-B2. Each of these targets has dual activity, promoting tumor cell growth as well as tumor angiogenesis. We investigated EphB4 expression in 39 human mesothelioma tissues by immunohistochemistry. Xenograft tumors established with human mesothelioma cells were treated with an EphB4 inhibitor (monomeric soluble EphB4 fused to human serum albumin, or sEphB4-HSA). The combinatorial effect of sEphB4-HSA and biologic agent was also studied. EphB4 was overexpressed in 72% of mesothelioma tissues evaluated, with 85% of epithelioid and 38% of sarcomatoid subtypes demonstrating overexpression. The EphB4 inhibitor sEphB4-HSA was highly active as a single agent to inhibit tumor growth, accompanied by tumor cell apoptosis and inhibition of PI3K and Src signaling. Combination of sEphB4-HSA and the anti-VEGF antibody (Bevacizumab) was superior to each agent alone and led to complete tumor regression. EphB4 is a potential therapeutic target in mesothelioma. Clinical investigation of sEphB4-HSA as a single agent and in combination with VEGF inhibitors is warranted

  4. Tumor blood flow modifying effects of electrochemotherapy. A potential vascular targeted mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sersa, G.; Cemazar, M.; Miklavcic, D.

    2003-01-01

    Background. The aim of this study was to determine the tumor blood flow modifying, and potential vascular targeted effect of electrochemotherapy with bleomycin or cisplatin. Materials and methods. Electrochemotherapy was performed by application of short intense electric pulses to the tumors after systemic administration of bleomycin or cisplatin. Evaluated were antitumor effectiveness of electrochemotherapy by tumor measurement, tumor blood flow modifying effect by Patent blue staining technique, and sensitivity of endothelial and tumor cells to the drugs and electrochemotherapy by clonogenicity assay. Results. Electrochemotherapy was effective in treatment of SA-1 tumors in A/J mice resulting in substantial tumor growth delay and also tumor cures. Tumor blood flow reduction following electrochemotherapy correlated well with its antitumor effectiveness. Virtually complete shut down of the tumor blood flow was observed already at 24 h after electrochemotherapy with bleomycin whereas only 50% reduction was observed after electrochemotherapy with cisplatin. Sensitivity of human endothelial HMEC-1 cells to electrochemotherapy suggests a vascular targeted effect for electrochemotherapy in vivo with bleomycin as well as with cisplatin. Conclusion. These results show that, in addition to direct electroporation of tumor cells, other vascular targeted mechanisms are involved in electrochemotherapy with bleomycin or cisplatin, potentially mediated by tumor blood flow reduction, and enhanced tumor cell death as a result of endothelial damage by electrochemotherapy. (author)

  5. Molecular-Targeted Immunotherapeutic Strategy for Melanoma via Dual-Targeting Nanoparticles Delivering Small Interfering RNA to Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Yuan; Qiao, Sha; Dai, Yanfeng; Xu, Guoqiang; Dai, Bolei; Lu, Lisen; Yu, Xiang; Luo, Qingming; Zhang, Zhihong

    2017-09-26

    Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a promising therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. Targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs to the tumor-promoting M2-like TAMs is challenging. Here, we developed M2-like TAM dual-targeting nanoparticles (M2NPs), whose structure and function were controlled by α-peptide (a scavenger receptor B type 1 (SR-B1) targeting peptide) linked with M2pep (an M2 macrophage binding peptide). By loading anti-colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (anti-CSF-1R) small interfering RNA (siRNA) on the M2NPs, we developed a molecular-targeted immunotherapeutic approach to specifically block the survival signal of M2-like TAMs and deplete them from melanoma tumors. We confirmed the validity of SR-B1 for M2-like TAM targeting and demonstrated the synergistic effect of the two targeting units (α-peptide and M2pep) in the fusion peptide (α-M2pep). After being administered to tumor-bearing mice, M2NPs had higher affinity to M2-like TAMs than to tissue-resident macrophages in liver, spleen, and lung. Compared with control treatment groups, M2NP-based siRNA delivery resulted in a dramatic elimination of M2-like TAMs (52%), decreased tumor size (87%), and prolonged survival. Additionally, this molecular-targeted strategy inhibited immunosuppressive IL-10 and TGF-β production and increased immunostimulatory cytokines (IL-12 and IFN-γ) expression and CD8 + T cell infiltration (2.9-fold) in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the siRNA-carrying M2NPs down-regulated expression of the exhaustion markers (PD-1 and Tim-3) on the infiltrating CD8 + T cells and stimulated their IFN-γ secretion (6.2-fold), indicating the restoration of T cell immune function. Thus, the dual-targeting property of M2NPs combined with RNA interference provides a potential strategy of molecular-targeted cancer immunotherapy for clinical application.

  6. Molecular imaging of tumor blood vessels in prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilki, Derya; Seitz, Michael; Singer, Bernhard B; Irmak, Ster; Stief, Christian G; Reich, Oliver; Ergün, Süleyman

    2009-05-01

    In the past three decades many efforts have been undertaken to understand the mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis. The introduction of anti-angiogenic drugs in tumor therapy during the last few years necessitates the establishment of new techniques enabling molecular imaging of tumor vascular remodelling. The determination of tumor size as commonly used is not appropriate since the extended necrosis under anti-angiogenic therapy does not necessarily result in the reduction of tumor diameter. The basis for the molecular imaging of tumor blood vessels is the remodelling of the tumor vessels under anti-angiogenic therapy which obviously occurs at an early stage and seems to be a convincing parameter. Beside the enormous progress in this field during the last few years the resolution is still not high enough to evaluate the remodelling of the micro tumor vessels. New imaging approaches combining specific molecular markers for tumor vessels with the different imaging techniques are needed to overcome this issue as exemplarily discussed for prostate cancer in this review. Molecular contrast agents targeting the vasculature will allow clinicians the visualization of vascular remodelling processes taking place under anti-angiogenic therapy and improve tumor diagnosis and follow-up.

  7. Oligo-branched peptides for tumor targeting: from magic bullets to magic forks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falciani, Chiara; Pini, Alessandro; Bracci, Luisa

    2009-02-01

    Selective targeting of tumor cells is the final goal of research and drug discovery for cancer diagnosis, imaging and therapy. After the invention of hybridoma technology, the concept of magic bullet was introduced into the field of oncology, referring to selective killing of tumor cells, by specific antibodies. More recently, small molecules and peptides have also been proposed as selective targeting agents. We analyze the state of the art of tumor-selective agents that are presently available and tested in clinical settings. A novel approach based on 'armed' oligo-branched peptides as tumor targeting agents, is discussed and compared with existing tumor-selective therapies mediated by antibodies, small molecules or monomeric peptides. Oligo-branched peptides could be novel drugs that combine the advantages of antibodies and small molecules.

  8. Cooperative effects of aminopeptidase N (CD13) expressed by nonmalignant and cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guzman-Rojas, Liliana; Rangel, Roberto; Salameh, Ahmad; Edwards, Julianna K; Dondossola, Eleonora; Kim, Yun-Gon; Saghatelian, Alan; Giordano, Ricardo J; Kolonin, Mikhail G; Staquicini, Fernanda I; Koivunen, Erkki; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2012-01-31

    Processes that promote cancer progression such as angiogenesis require a functional interplay between malignant and nonmalignant cells in the tumor microenvironment. The metalloprotease aminopeptidase N (APN; CD13) is often overexpressed in tumor cells and has been implicated in angiogenesis and cancer progression. Our previous studies of APN-null mice revealed impaired neoangiogenesis in model systems without cancer cells and suggested the hypothesis that APN expressed by nonmalignant cells might promote tumor growth. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the effects of APN deficiency in allografted malignant (tumor) and nonmalignant (host) cells on tumor growth and metastasis in APN-null mice. In two independent tumor graft models, APN activity in both the tumors and the host cells cooperate to promote tumor vascularization and growth. Loss of APN expression by the host and/or the malignant cells also impaired lung metastasis in experimental mouse models. Thus, cooperation in APN expression by both cancer cells and nonmalignant stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment promotes angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis.

  9. Apatinib Inhibits Angiogenesis Via Suppressing Akt/GSK3β/ANG Signaling Pathway in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

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    Zhijian Jin

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC is one of the most lethal human malignancies, and there is no efficient method to slow its process. Apatinib, a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI, has been confirmed for its efficacy and safety in the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma patients. However, the effects of Apatinib in ATC are still unknown. Methods: In this study, we explored the effects and mechanisms of Apatinib on tumor growth and angiogenesis in vitro and in vitro in ATC cells. Angiogenesis antibodies array was utilized to detect the expression of angiogenesis-related genes after Apatinib treatment in ATC cells. In addition, we used Akt activator, Akt inhibitor and GSK3β inhibitor to further study the mechanism for how Apatinib suppressed angiogenesis. Results: Apatinib treatment could suppress the growth of ATC cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner via inducing apoptosis and blocking cell cycle progression at G0/G1 phase. Moreover, Apatinib treatment decreased the expression of angiogenin (ANG and inhibited angiogenesis of ATC cells in vitro and in vitro. We further confirmed that recombinant human ANG (rhANG significantly abrogated Apatinib-mediated anti-angiogenic ability in ATC cells. Additionally, Apatinib treatment decreased the level of p-Akt and p-GSK3β. Moreover, the Apatinib-mediated decrease of ANG and anti-angiogenic ability were partly reversed when an Akt activator, SC79, was administered. Furthermore, the anti-angiogenic ability of Apatinib can be enhanced in the presence of Akt inhibitor, and the inhibition of GSK3β attenuated the anti-angiogenic ability of Apatinib. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that Apatinib treatment inhibited tumor growth, and Apatinib-induced suppression of Akt/GSK3β/ANG signaling pathway may play an important role in the inhibition of angiogenesis in ATC, supporting a potential therapeutic approach for using Apatinib in the treatment of ATC.

  10. Novel Selective Detection Method of Tumor Angiogenesis Factors Using Living Nano-Robots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Fandi, Mohamed; Alshraiedeh, Nida; Owies, Rami; Alshdaifat, Hala; Al-Mahaseneh, Omamah; Al-Tall, Khadijah; Alawneh, Rawan

    2017-07-14

    This paper reports a novel self-detection method for tumor cells using living nano-robots. These living robots are a nonpathogenic strain of E. coli bacteria equipped with naturally synthesized bio-nano-sensory systems that have an affinity to VEGF, an angiogenic factor overly-expressed by cancer cells. The VEGF-affinity/chemotaxis was assessed using several assays including the capillary chemotaxis assay, chemotaxis assay on soft agar, and chemotaxis assay on solid agar. In addition, a microfluidic device was developed to possibly discover tumor cells through the overexpressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Various experiments to study the sensing characteristic of the nano-robots presented a strong response toward the VEGF. Thus, a new paradigm of selective targeting therapies for cancer can be advanced using swimming E. coli as self-navigator miniaturized robots as well as drug-delivery vehicles.

  11. ScFv Anti-Heparan Sulfate Antibodies Unexpectedly Activate Endothelial and Cancer Cells through p38 MAPK: Implications for Antibody-Based Targeting of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Christianson, H.C.; Kuppevelt, A.H. van; Belting, M.

    2012-01-01

    Tumor development requires angiogenesis and anti-angiogenic therapies have been introduced in the treatment of cancer. In this context, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) emerge as interesting targets, owing to their function as co-receptors of major, pro-angiogenic factors. Accordingly, previous

  12. Human BCAS3 expression in embryonic stem cells and vascular precursors suggests a role in human embryogenesis and tumor angiogenesis.

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    Kavitha Siva

    Full Text Available Cancer is often associated with multiple and progressive genetic alterations in genes that are important for normal development. BCAS3 (Breast Cancer Amplified Sequence 3 is a gene of unknown function on human chromosome 17q23, a region associated with breakpoints of several neoplasms. The normal expression pattern of BCAS3 has not been studied, though it is implicated in breast cancer progression. Rudhira, a murine WD40 domain protein that is 98% identical to BCAS3 is expressed in embryonic stem (ES cells, erythropoiesis and angiogenesis. This suggests that BCAS3 expression also may not be restricted to mammary tissue and may have important roles in other normal as well as malignant tissues. We show that BCAS3 is also expressed in human ES cells and during their differentiation into blood vascular precursors. We find that BCAS3 is aberrantly expressed in malignant human brain lesions. In glioblastoma, hemangiopericytoma and brain abscess we note high levels of BCAS3 expression in tumor cells and some blood vessels. BCAS3 may be associated with multiple cancerous and rapidly proliferating cells and hence the expression, function and regulation of this gene merits further investigation. We suggest that BCAS3 is mis-expressed in brain tumors and could serve as a human ES cell and tumor marker.

  13. Longitudinal imaging studies of tumor microenvironment in mice treated with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin.

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    Keita Saito

    Full Text Available Rapamycin is an allosteric inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, and inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis. Recent studies suggested a possibility that rapamycin renormalizes aberrant tumor vasculature and improves tumor oxygenation. The longitudinal effects of rapamycin on angiogenesis and tumor oxygenation were evaluated in murine squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII by electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI to identify an optimal time after rapamycin treatment for enhanced tumor radioresponse. Rapamycin treatment was initiated on SCCVII solid tumors 8 days after implantation (500-750 mm(3 and measurements of tumor pO(2 and blood volume were conducted from day 8 to 14 by EPRI/MRI. Microvessel density was evaluated over the same time period by immunohistochemical analysis. Tumor blood volume as measured by MRI significantly decreased 2 days after rapamycin treatment. Tumor pO(2 levels modestly but significantly increased 2 days after rapamycin treatment; whereas, it decreased in non-treated control tumors. Furthermore, the fraction of hypoxic area (pixels with pO(2<10 mm Hg in the tumor region decreased 2 days after rapamycin treatments. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor microvessel density and pericyte coverage revealed that microvessel density decreased 2 days after rapamycin treatment, but pericyte coverage did not change, similar to what was seen with anti-angiogenic agents such as sunitinib which cause vascular renormalization. Collectively, EPRI/MRI co-imaging can provide non-invasive evidence of rapamycin-induced vascular renormalization and resultant transient increase in tumor oxygenation. Improved oxygenation by rapamycin treatment provides a temporal window for anti-cancer therapies to realize enhanced response to radiotherapy.

  14. Advances in the treatment of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pamela L Kunz

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Pamela L Kunz, George A FisherStanford University Medical Center, CA, USAAbstract: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs are a rare and heterogeneous class of neoplasms. While surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment, non-surgical therapies play a role in the setting of unresectable and metastatic disease. The goals of medical therapy are directed both at alleviating symptoms of peptide release and shrinking tumor mass. Biotherapies such as somatostatin analogs and interferon can decrease the secretion of peptides and inhibit their end-organ effects. A second objective for treatment of unresectable GEP-NETs is limiting tumor growth. Options for limiting tumor growth include somatostatin analogs, systemic chemotherapy, locoregional therapies, ionizing radiation, external beam radiation, and newer targeted agents. In particular, angiogenesis inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and mTOR inhibitors have shown early promising results. The rarity of these tumors, their resistance to standard chemotherapy, and the excellent performance status of most of these patients, make a strong argument for consideration of novel therapeutic trials.Keywords: neuroendocrine, gastroenteropancreatic, carcinoid, somatostatin

  15. A drug development perspective on targeting tumor-associated myeloid cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majety, Meher; Runza, Valeria; Lehmann, Christian; Hoves, Sabine; Ries, Carola H

    2018-02-01

    Despite decades of research, cancer remains a devastating disease and new treatment options are needed. Today cancer is acknowledged as a multifactorial disease not only comprising of aberrant tumor cells but also the associated stroma including tumor vasculature, fibrotic plaques, and immune cells that interact in a complex heterotypic interplay. Myeloid cells represent one of the most abundant immune cell population within the tumor stroma and are equipped with a broad functional repertoire that promotes tumor growth by suppressing cytotoxic T cell activity, stimulating neoangiogenesis and tissue remodeling. Therefore, myeloid cells have become an attractive target for pharmacological intervention. In this review, we summarize the pharmacological approaches to therapeutically target tumor-associated myeloid cells with a focus on advanced programs that are clinically evaluated. In addition, for each therapeutic strategy, the preclinical rationale as well as advantages and challenges from a drug development perspective are discussed. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  16. Comparison of three rapamycin dosing schedules in A/J Tsc2+/- mice and improved survival with angiogenesis inhibitor or asparaginase treatment in mice with subcutaneous tuberous sclerosis related tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dabora Sandra L

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC is an autosomal dominant tumor disorder characterized by the growth of hamartomas in various organs including the kidney, brain, skin, lungs, and heart. Rapamycin has been shown to reduce the size of kidney angiomyolipomas associated with TSC; however, tumor regression is incomplete and kidney angiomyolipomas regrow after cessation of treatment. Mouse models of TSC2 related tumors are useful for evaluating new approaches to drug therapy for TSC. Methods In cohorts of Tsc2+/- mice, we compared kidney cystadenoma severity in A/J and C57BL/6 mouse strains at both 9 and 12 months of age. We also investigated age related kidney tumor progression and compared three different rapamycin treatment schedules in cohorts of A/J Tsc2+/- mice. In addition, we used nude mice bearing Tsc2-/- subcutaneous tumors to evaluate the therapeutic utility of sunitinib, bevacizumab, vincristine, and asparaginase. Results TSC related kidney disease severity is 5-10 fold higher in A/J Tsc2+/- mice compared with C57BL/6 Tsc2+/- mice. Similar to kidney angiomyolipomas associated with TSC, the severity of kidney cystadenomas increases with age in A/J Tsc2+/- mice. When rapamycin dosing schedules were compared in A/J Tsc2+/- cohorts, we observed a 66% reduction in kidney tumor burden in mice treated daily for 4 weeks, an 82% reduction in mice treated daily for 4 weeks followed by weekly for 8 weeks, and an 81% reduction in mice treated weekly for 12 weeks. In the Tsc2-/- subcutaneous tumor mouse model, vincristine is not effective, but angiogenesis inhibitors (sunitinib and bevacizumab and asparaginase are effective as single agents. However, these drugs are not as effective as rapamycin in that they increased median survival only by 24-27%, while rapamycin increased median survival by 173%. Conclusions Our results indicate that the A/J Tsc2+/- mouse model is an improved, higher through-put mouse model for future TSC

  17. Liposomal Tumor Targeting in Drug Delivery Utilizing MMP-2- and MMP-9-Binding Ligands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oula Penate Medina

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology offers an alternative to conventional treatment options by enabling different drug delivery and controlled-release delivery strategies. Liposomes being especially biodegradable and in most cases essentially nontoxic offer a versatile platform for several different delivery approaches that can potentially enhance the delivery and targeting of therapies to tumors. Liposomes penetrate tumors spontaneously as a result of fenestrated blood vessels within tumors, leading to known enhanced permeability and subsequent drug retention effects. In addition, liposomes can be used to carry radioactive moieties, such as radiotracers, which can be bound at multiple locations within liposomes, making them attractive carriers for molecular imaging applications. Phage display is a technique that can deliver various high-affinity and selectivity peptides to different targets. In this study, gelatinase-binding peptides, found by phage display, were attached to liposomes by covalent peptide-PEG-PE anchor creating a targeted drug delivery vehicle. Gelatinases as extracellular targets for tumor targeting offer a viable alternative for tumor targeting. Our findings show that targeted drug delivery is more efficient than non-targeted drug delivery.

  18. 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.

  19. Hypoxia and hydrogen sulfide differentially affect normal and tumor-derived vascular endothelium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serena Bianco

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: endothelial cells play a key role in vessels formation both under physiological and pathological conditions. Their behavior is influenced by blood components including gasotransmitters (H2S, NO and CO. Tumor cells are subjected to a cyclic shift between pro-oxidative and hypoxic state and, in this scenario, H2S can be both cytoprotective and detrimental depending on its concentration. H2S effects on tumors onset and development is scarcely studied, particularly concerning tumor angiogenesis. We previously demonstrated that H2S is proangiogenic for tumoral but not for normal endothelium and this may represent a target for antiangiogenic therapeutical strategies. Methods: in this work, we investigate cell viability, migration and tubulogenesis on human EC derived from two different tumors, breast and renal carcinoma (BTEC and RTEC, compared to normal microvascular endothelium (HMEC under oxidative stress, hypoxia and treatment with exogenous H2S. Results: all EC types are similarly sensitive to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide; chemical hypoxia differentially affects endothelial viability, that results unaltered by real hypoxia. H2S neither affects cell viability nor prevents hypoxia and H2O2-induced damage. Endothelial migration is enhanced by hypoxia, while tubulogenesis is inhibited for all EC types. H2S acts differentially on EC migration and tubulogenesis. Conclusions: these data provide evidence for a great variability of normal and altered endothelium in response to the environmental conditions. Keywords: Hydrogen sulfide, Human microvascular endothelial cells, Human breast carcinoma-derived EC, Human renal carcinoma-derived EC, Tumor angiogenesis

  20. Drug targeting to tumors: principles, pitfalls and (pre-) clinical progress

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lammers, Twan Gerardus Gertudis Maria; Kiessling, F.; Hennink, W.E.; Storm, Gerrit

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Many different systems and strategies have been evaluated for drug targeting to tumors over the years. Routinely used systems include liposomes, polymers, micelles, nanoparticles and antibodies, and examples of strategies are passive drug targeting, active drug targeting to cancer cells,

  1. The host immunological response to cancer therapy: An emerging concept in tumor biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voloshin, Tali; Voest, Emile E; Shaked, Yuval

    2013-07-01

    Almost any type of anti-cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and targeted drugs can induce host molecular and cellular immunological effects which, in turn, can lead to tumor outgrowth and relapse despite an initial successful therapy outcome. Tumor relapse due to host immunological effects is attributed to angiogenesis, tumor cell dissemination from the primary tumors and seeding at metastatic sites. This short review will describe the types of host cells that participate in this process, the types of factors secreted from the host following therapy that can promote tumor re-growth, and the possible implications of this unique and yet only partially-known process. It is postulated that blocking these specific immunological effects in the reactive host in response to cancer therapy may aid in identifying new host-dependent targets for cancer, which in combination with conventional treatments can prolong therapy efficacy and extend survival. Additional studies investigating this specific research direction-both in preclinical models and in the clinical setting are essential in order to advance our understanding of how tumors relapse and evade therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Relevance of tumor angiogenesis patterns as a diagnostic value and prognostic indicator in oral precancer and cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shetty Devicharan D

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Devi Charan Shetty,1 Puneet Ahuja,2 DK Taneja,5 Ajit Singh Rathore,2 Shivjot Chhina,3 Upasana Sethi Ahuja,4 Kiran Kumar,1 Anshuman Ahuja,5 Priyanka Rastogi,11Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, I.T.S-CDSR, Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India; 2Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology; 3Department of Periodontics; 4Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology; 5Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, I.T.S Dental College, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAbstract: Tumor angiogenesis occurs by recruitment of endothelial cell precursors or by sprouting of existing capillaries, which differ from the normal vasculature by having an altered morphology that can be exploited for diagnosis and as a prognostic indicator. Improved technologies have propelled diagnosis into a new era. These technologies have to be used with great precision. The diagnosis of a dysplastic premalignant lesion of the oral mucosa cannot be based solely on clinical findings. Therefore histologic evaluation of a representative biopsy specimen is necessary. Accurate judgment of the proper site for biopsy is essential for reaching a correct diagnosis. The aim of this report is to analyze the vascular patterns with the help of direct oral microscopy and the technique of stereo-optical microscopy in the oral cavity to select biopsy sites, and compare the outcome of a directed biopsy with that of biopsy specimens obtained from sites selected solely on the basis of clinical criteria. The study sample comprised 50 oral mucosal lesions. A statistically significant difference was noted between samples judged to be microscopically representative sites. We conclude that this method would aid in early and better diagnosis and treatment planning of oral premalignant and malignant lesions by assessing the various vascular patterns in the mucosa.Keywords: stereomicroscope, biopsy site selection, angiogenesis, colposcopy

  3. Augmentation of radiation response with the vascular targeting agent ZD6126

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoang Tien; Huang Shyhmin; Armstrong, Eric; Eickhoff, Jens C.; Harari, Paul M.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: To examine the antivascular and antitumor activity of the vascular targeting agent ZD6126 in combination with radiation in lung and head-and-neck (H and N) cancer models. The overall hypothesis was that simultaneous targeting of tumor cells (radiation) and tumor vasculature (ZD6126) might enhance tumor cell killing. Methods and Materials: A series of in vitro studies using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and in vivo studies in athymic mice bearing human lung (H226) and H and N (squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]1, SCC6) tumor xenografts treated with ZD6126 and/or radiation were performed. Results: ZD6126 inhibited the capillary-like network formation in HUVEC. Treatment of HUVEC with ZD6126 resulted in cell cycle arrest in G2/M, with decrease of cells in S phase and proliferation inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. ZD6126 augmented the cell-killing effect of radiation and radiation-induced apoptosis in HUVEC. The combination of ZD6126 and radiation further decreased tumor vascularization in an in vivo Matrigel angiogenesis assay. In tumor xenografts, ZD6126 enhanced the antitumor activity of radiation, resulting in tumor growth delay. Conclusions: These preclinical studies suggest that ZD6126 can augment the radiation response of proliferating endothelial H and N and lung cancer cells. These results complement recent reports suggesting the potential value of combining radiation with vascular targeting/antiangiogenic agents

  4. Development of a new anti-cancer agent for targeted radionuclide therapy: β- radiolabeled RAFT-RGD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petitprin, A.

    2013-01-01

    β-emitters radiolabeled RAFT-RGD as new agents for internal targeted radiotherapy. The αvβ3 integrin is known to play an important role in tumor-induced angiogenesis, tumor proliferation, survival and metastasis. Because of its overexpression on neo-endothelial cells such as those present in growing tumors, as well as on tumor cells of various origins, αvβ3 integrin is an attractive molecular target for diagnosis and therapy of the rapidly growing and metastatic tumors. A tetrameric RGD-based peptide, regioselectively addressable functionalized template-(cyclo-[RGDfK])4 (RAFT-RGD), specifically targets integrin αvβ3 in vitro and in vivo. RAFT-RGD has been used for tumor imaging and drug targeting. This study is the first to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the β-emitters radiolabeled tetrameric RGD peptide RAFT-RGD in a Nude mouse model of αvβ3 -expressing tumors. An injection of 37 MBq of 90 Y-RAFT-RGD or 177 Lu-RAFT-RGD in mice with αvβ3 -positive tumors caused a significant growth delay as compared with mice treated with 37 MBq of 90 Y-RAFT-RAD or 177 Lu-RAFT-RAD or untreated mice. In comparison, an injection of 30 MBq of 90 Y-RAFT-RGD had no efficacy for the treatment of αvβ3 -negative tumors. 90 Y-RAFT-RGD and 177 Lu-RAFT-RGD are potent αvβ3 -expressing tumor targeting agents for internal targeted radiotherapy. (author)

  5. Targeting carbonic anhydrase IX by nitroimidazole based sulfamides enhances the therapeutic effect of tumor irradiation: A new concept of dual targeting drugs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubois, Ludwig; Peeters, Sarah G.J.A.; Kuijk, Simon J.A. van; Yaromina, Ala; Lieuwes, Natasja G.; Saraya, Ruchi; Biemans, Rianne; Rami, Marouan; Parvathaneni, Nanda Kumar; Vullo, Daniela; Vooijs, Marc; Supuran, Claudiu T.; Winum, Jean-Yves

    2013-01-01

    Background and purpose: Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) plays an important role in pH regulation processes critical for tumor cell growth and metastasis. We hypothesize that a dual targeting bioreductive nitroimidazole based anti-CAIX sulfamide drug (DH348) will reduce tumor growth and sensitize tumors to irradiation in a CAIX dependent manner. Material and methods: The effect of the dual targeting anti-CAIX (DH348) and its single targeting control drugs on extracellular acidification and radiosensitivity was examined in HT-29 colorectal carcinoma cells. Tumor growth and time to reach 4× start volume (T4×SV) was monitored for animals receiving DH348 (10 mg/kg) combined with tumor single dose irradiation (10 Gy). Results: In vitro, DH348 reduced hypoxia-induced extracellular acidosis, but did not change hypoxic radiosensitivity. In vivo, DH348 monotherapy decreased tumor growth rate and sensitized tumors to radiation (enhancement ratio 1.50) without systemic toxicity only for CAIX expressing tumors. Conclusions: A newly designed nitroimidazole and sulfamide dual targeting drug reduces hypoxic extracellular acidification, slows down tumor growth at nontoxic doses and sensitizes tumors to irradiation all in a CAIX dependent manner, suggesting no “off-target” effects. Our data therefore indicate the potential utility of a dual drug approach as a new strategy for tumor-specific targeting

  6. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are downregulated in primary breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boneberg, E-M; Legler, D F; Hoefer, M M; Öhlschlegel, C; Steininger, H; Füzesi, L; Beer, G M; Dupont-Lampert, V; Otto, F; Senn, H-J; Fürstenberger, G

    2009-01-01

    Background: Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are considered to play key roles in tumour growth, progression and metastasis. However, targeting tumour angiogenesis in clinical trials showed only modest efficacy. We therefore scrutinised the concept of tumour angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by analysing the expression of crucial markers involved in these processes in primary breast cancer. Methods: We analysed the expression of angiogenic, lymphangiogenic or antiangiogenic factors, their respective receptors and specific markers for endothelial and lymphendothelial cells by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in primary breast cancer and compared the expression profiles to non-cancerous, tumour-adjacent tissues and breast tissues from healthy women. Results: We found decreased mRNA amounts of major angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors in tumour compared to healthy tissues, whereas antiangiogenic factors were upregulated. Concomitantly, angiogenic and lymphangiogenic receptors were downregulated in breast tumours. This antiangiogenic, antilymphangiogenic microenvironment was even more pronounced in aggressive tumours and accompanied by reduced amounts of endothelial and lymphatic endothelial cell markers. Conclusion: Primary breast tumours are not a site of highly active angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Selection for tumour cells that survive with minimal vascular supply may account for this observation in clinical apparent tumours. PMID:19672262

  7. Tumor-targeted inhibition by a novel strategy - mimoretrovirus expressing siRNA targeting the Pokemon gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Zhiqiang; Wang, Huaizhi; Jia, Zhengcai; Shi, Jinglei; Tang, Jun; Mao, Liwei; Liu, Hongli; Deng, Yijing; He, Yangdong; Ruan, Zhihua; Li, Jintao; Wu, Yuzhang; Ni, Bing

    2010-12-01

    Pokemon gene has crucial but versatile functions in cell differentiation, proliferation and tumorigenesis. It is a master regulator of the ARF-HDM2-p53 and Rb-E2F pathways. The facts that the expression of Pokemon is essential for tumor formation and many kinds of tumors over-express the Pokemon gene make it an attractive target for therapeutic intervention for cancer treatment. In this study, we used an RNAi strategy to silence the Pokemon gene in a cervical cancer model. To address the issues involving tumor specific delivery and durable expression of siRNA, we applied the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide ligand and polylysine (K(18)) fusion peptide to encapsulate a recombinant retrovirus plasmid expressing a siRNA targeting the Pokemon gene and produced the 'mimoretrovirus'. At charge ratio 2.0 of fusion peptide/plasmid, the mimoretrovirus formed stable and homogenous nanoparticles, and provided complete DNase I protection and complete gel retardation. This nanoparticle inhibited SiHa cell proliferation and invasion, while it promoted SiHa cell apoptosis. The binding of the nanoparticle to SiHa cells was mediated via the RGD-integrin α(v)β(3) interaction, as evidenced by the finding that unconjugated RGD peptide inhibited this binding significantly. This tumor-targeting mimoretrovirus exhibited excellent anti-tumor capacity in vivo in a nude mouse model. Moreover, the mimoretrovirus inhibited tumor growth with a much higher efficiency than recombinant retrovirus expressing siRNA or the K(18)/P4 nanoparticle lacking the RGD peptide. Results suggest that the RNAi/RGD-based mimoretrovirus developed in this study represents a novel anti-tumor strategy that may be applicable to most research involving cancer therapy and, thus, has promising potential as a cervical cancer treatment.

  8. The tetrapeptide Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu inhibits VEGF-induced angiogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baek, Yi-Yong; Lee, Dong-Keon; So, Ju-Hoon; Kim, Cheol-Hee; Jeoung, Dooil; Lee, Hansoo; Choe, Jongseon; Won, Moo-Ho; Ha, Kwon-Soo; Kwon, Young-Guen; Kim, Young-Myeong

    2015-01-01

    Kringle 5, derived from plasminogen, is highly capable of inhibiting angiogenesis. Here, we have designed and synthesized 10 tetrapeptides, based on the amino acid properties of the core tetrapeptide Lys-Leu-Tyr-Asp (KLYD) originating from anti-angiogenic kringle 5 of human plasminogen. Of these, Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu (RLYE) effectively inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation, with an IC 50 of 0.06–0.08 nM, which was about ten-fold lower than that of the control peptide KLYD (0.79 nM), as well as suppressed developmental angiogenesis in a zebrafish model. Furthermore, this peptide effectively inhibited the cellular events that precede angiogenesis, such as ERK and eNOS phosphorylation and nitric oxide production, in endothelial cells stimulated with VEGF. Collectively, these data demonstrate that RLYE is a potent anti-angiogenic peptide that targets the VEGF signaling pathway. - Highlights: • The tetrapeptide RLYE inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vitro. • RLYE also suppressed neovascularization in a zebrafish model. • Its effect was correlated with inhibition of VEGF-induced ERK and eNOS activation. • RLYE may be used as a therapeutic drug for angiogenesis-related diseases

  9. The tetrapeptide Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu inhibits VEGF-induced angiogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baek, Yi-Yong; Lee, Dong-Keon [Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); So, Ju-Hoon; Kim, Cheol-Hee [Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Jeoung, Dooil [Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hansoo [Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Jongseon [Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Won, Moo-Ho [Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Ha, Kwon-Soo [Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Young-Guen [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young-Myeong, E-mail: ymkim@kangwon.ac.kr [Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-702 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-08-07

    Kringle 5, derived from plasminogen, is highly capable of inhibiting angiogenesis. Here, we have designed and synthesized 10 tetrapeptides, based on the amino acid properties of the core tetrapeptide Lys-Leu-Tyr-Asp (KLYD) originating from anti-angiogenic kringle 5 of human plasminogen. Of these, Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu (RLYE) effectively inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation, with an IC{sub 50} of 0.06–0.08 nM, which was about ten-fold lower than that of the control peptide KLYD (0.79 nM), as well as suppressed developmental angiogenesis in a zebrafish model. Furthermore, this peptide effectively inhibited the cellular events that precede angiogenesis, such as ERK and eNOS phosphorylation and nitric oxide production, in endothelial cells stimulated with VEGF. Collectively, these data demonstrate that RLYE is a potent anti-angiogenic peptide that targets the VEGF signaling pathway. - Highlights: • The tetrapeptide RLYE inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vitro. • RLYE also suppressed neovascularization in a zebrafish model. • Its effect was correlated with inhibition of VEGF-induced ERK and eNOS activation. • RLYE may be used as a therapeutic drug for angiogenesis-related diseases.

  10. Selective targeting of brain tumors with gold nanoparticle-induced radiosensitization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Y Joh

    Full Text Available Successful treatment of brain tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM is limited in large part by the cumulative dose of Radiation Therapy (RT that can be safely given and the blood-brain barrier (BBB, which limits the delivery of systemic anticancer agents into tumor tissue. Consequently, the overall prognosis remains grim. Herein, we report our pilot studies in cell culture experiments and in an animal model of GBM in which RT is complemented by PEGylated-gold nanoparticles (GNPs. GNPs significantly increased cellular DNA damage inflicted by ionizing radiation in human GBM-derived cell lines and resulted in reduced clonogenic survival (with dose-enhancement ratio of ~1.3. Intriguingly, combined GNP and RT also resulted in markedly increased DNA damage to brain blood vessels. Follow-up in vitro experiments confirmed that the combination of GNP and RT resulted in considerably increased DNA damage in brain-derived endothelial cells. Finally, the combination of GNP and RT increased survival of mice with orthotopic GBM tumors. Prior treatment of mice with brain tumors resulted in increased extravasation and in-tumor deposition of GNP, suggesting that RT-induced BBB disruption can be leveraged to improve the tumor-tissue targeting of GNP and thus further optimize the radiosensitization of brain tumors by GNP. These exciting results together suggest that GNP may be usefully integrated into the RT treatment of brain tumors, with potential benefits resulting from increased tumor cell radiosensitization to preferential targeting of tumor-associated vasculature.

  11. [Angiogenesis and endometriose].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, C M; Bartley, J; Mechsner, S; Ebert, A D

    2004-08-01

    Endometriosis is considered a chronic disease of women during their reproductive phase, which resembles many signs of malignancy. So far, therapeutic options for endometriosis-associated pain and infertility are unsatisfactory and often lead to recurrence of disease after termination of treatment. Angiogenesis seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The use of angiogenesis inhibitors may add an important new tool to well-established treatment schedules. Therefore, it is very important to thoroughly investigate the role of angiogenesis in endometriosis with respect to the female reproductive system.

  12. VEGF promotes tumorigenesis and angiogenesis of human glioblastoma stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oka, Naoki; Soeda, Akio; Inagaki, Akihito; Onodera, Masafumi; Maruyama, Hidekazu; Hara, Akira; Kunisada, Takahiro; Mori, Hideki; Iwama, Toru

    2007-01-01

    There is increasing evidence for the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in malignant brain tumors, and these CSCs may play a pivotal role in tumor initiation, growth, and recurrence. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and the neurogenesis of neural stem cells. Using CSCs derived from human glioblastomas and a retrovirus expressing VEGF, we examined the effects of VEGF on the properties of CSCs in vitro and in vivo. Although VEGF did not affect the property of CSCs in vitro, the injection of mouse brains with VEGF-expressing CSCs led to the massive expansion of vascular-rich GBM, tumor-associated hemorrhage, and high morbidity, suggesting that VEGF promoted tumorigenesis via angiogenesis. These results revealed that VEGF induced the proliferation of VEC in the vascular-rich tumor environment, the so-called stem cell niche

  13. Engineering of magnetic DNA nanoparticles for tumor-targeted therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosseinkhani, Hossein; Chen Yiru; He Wenjie; Hong Poda; Yu, Dah-Shyong; Domb, Abraham J.

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to engineer novel targeted delivery system composed of magnetic DNA nanoparticles to be effective as an efficient targeted gene therapy vehicle for tumor therapy. A polysaccharide, dextran, was chosen as the vector of plasmid DNA-encoded NK4 that acts as an HGF-antagonist and anti-angiogenic regulator for inhibitions of tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Spermine (Sm) was chemically introduced to the hydroxyl groups of dextran to obtain dextran-Sm. When Fe 2+ solution was added to the mixture of dextran-Sm and a plasmid DNA, homogenous DNA nanoparticles were formed via chemical metal coordination bonding with average size of 230 nm. Characterization of DNA nanoparticles was performed via dynamic light scattering measurement, electrophoretic light scattering measurement, as well as transmission electron microscope. DNA nanoparticles effectively condensed plasmid DNA into nanoparticles and enhanced the stability of DNA, while significantly improved transfection efficiency in vitro and tumor accumulation in vivo. In addition, magnetic DNA nanoparticles exhibited high efficiency in antitumor therapy with regards to tumor growth as well as survival of animals evaluated in the presence of external magnetic field. We conclude that the magnetic properties of these DNA nanoparticles would enhance the tracking of non-viral gene delivery systems when administrated in vivo in a test model. These findings suggest that DNA nanoparticles effectively deliver DNA to tumor and thereby inhibiting tumor growth.

  14. Engineering of magnetic DNA nanoparticles for tumor-targeted therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hosseinkhani, Hossein, E-mail: hosseinkhani@yahoo.com [Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) (China); Chen Yiru [National Yang-Ming University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (China); He Wenjie; Hong Poda [Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) (China); Yu, Dah-Shyong [Nanomedicine Research Center, National Defense Medical Center (China); Domb, Abraham J. [Institute of Drug Research, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)

    2013-01-15

    This study aims to engineer novel targeted delivery system composed of magnetic DNA nanoparticles to be effective as an efficient targeted gene therapy vehicle for tumor therapy. A polysaccharide, dextran, was chosen as the vector of plasmid DNA-encoded NK4 that acts as an HGF-antagonist and anti-angiogenic regulator for inhibitions of tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Spermine (Sm) was chemically introduced to the hydroxyl groups of dextran to obtain dextran-Sm. When Fe{sup 2+} solution was added to the mixture of dextran-Sm and a plasmid DNA, homogenous DNA nanoparticles were formed via chemical metal coordination bonding with average size of 230 nm. Characterization of DNA nanoparticles was performed via dynamic light scattering measurement, electrophoretic light scattering measurement, as well as transmission electron microscope. DNA nanoparticles effectively condensed plasmid DNA into nanoparticles and enhanced the stability of DNA, while significantly improved transfection efficiency in vitro and tumor accumulation in vivo. In addition, magnetic DNA nanoparticles exhibited high efficiency in antitumor therapy with regards to tumor growth as well as survival of animals evaluated in the presence of external magnetic field. We conclude that the magnetic properties of these DNA nanoparticles would enhance the tracking of non-viral gene delivery systems when administrated in vivo in a test model. These findings suggest that DNA nanoparticles effectively deliver DNA to tumor and thereby inhibiting tumor growth.

  15. Protein kinase D1 signaling in angiogenic gene expression and VEGF-mediated angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin eRen MD, Phd, FAHA

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Protein kinase D 1 (PKD-1 is a signaling kinase important in fundamental cell functions including migration, proliferation and differentiation. PKD-1 is also a key regulator of gene expression and angiogenesis that is essential for cardiovascular development and tumor progression. Further understanding molecular aspects of PKD-1 signaling in the regulation of angiogenesis may have translational implications in obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The author will summarize and provide the insights into molecular mechanisms by which PKD-1 regulates transcriptional expression of angiogenic genes, focusing on the transcriptional regulation of CD36 by PKD-1-FoxO1 signaling axis along with the potential implications of this axis in arterial differentiation and morphogenesis. He will also discuss a new concept of dynamic balance between proangiogenic and antiangiogenic signaling in determining angiogenic switch, and stress how PKD-1 signaling regulates VEGF signaling-mediated angiogenesis.

  16. Curcumin targets fibroblast–tumor cell interactions in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dudás, József; Fullár, Alexandra; Romani, Angela; Pritz, Christian; Kovalszky, Ilona; Hans Schartinger, Volker; Mathias Sprinzl, Georg; Riechelmann, Herbert

    2013-01-01

    Co-culture of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLs) and SCC-25 oral squamous carcinoma cells (OSCC) results in conversion of PDLs into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and induces epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of OSCC tumor cells. We hypothesized that Curcumin targets this dynamic mutual interaction between CAFs and tumor cells. Normal and 2 μM Curcumin-treated co-culture were performed for 4 days, followed by analysis of tumor cell invasivity, mRNA/protein expression of EMT-markers and mediators, activity measure of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and western blot analysis of signal transduction in tumor cells and fibroblasts. In Curcumin-treated co-culture, in tumor cells, the levels of nuclear factor κB (NFκBα) and early response kinase (ERK)—decreased, in fibroblasts, integrin αv protein synthesis decreased compared to corresponding cells in normal co-culture. The signal modulatory changes induced by Curcumin caused decreased release of EMT-mediators in CAFs and reversal of EMT in tumor cells, which was associated with decreased invasion. These data confirm the palliative potential of Curcumin in clinical application. - Graphical abstract: Co-culture of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLs) and SCC-25 oral squamous carcinoma cells (OSCC) results in conversion of PDLs into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and induces epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells. Curcumin targets this dynamic mutual interaction between CAFs and tumor cells by inhibiting the production of EMT mediators in CAFs and by modification of intracellular signaling in tumor cells. This causes less invasivity and reversal of EMT in tumor cells. Highlights: ► Curcumin targets tumor–fibroblast interaction in head and neck cancer. ► Curcumin suppresses mediators of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. ► Curcumin decreases the invasivity of tumor cells

  17. Curcumin targets fibroblast–tumor cell interactions in oral squamous cell carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dudás, József, E-mail: jozsef.dudas@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Fullár, Alexandra, E-mail: fullarsz@gmail.com [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, 1085 Budapest (Hungary); Romani, Angela, E-mail: angela.romani@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Pritz, Christian, E-mail: christian.pritz@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Kovalszky, Ilona, E-mail: koval@korb1.sote.hu [1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, 1085 Budapest (Hungary); Hans Schartinger, Volker, E-mail: volker.schartinger@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Mathias Sprinzl, Georg, E-mail: georg.sprinzl@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Riechelmann, Herbert, E-mail: herbert.riechelmann@i-med.ac.at [Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck (Austria)

    2013-04-01

    Co-culture of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLs) and SCC-25 oral squamous carcinoma cells (OSCC) results in conversion of PDLs into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and induces epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of OSCC tumor cells. We hypothesized that Curcumin targets this dynamic mutual interaction between CAFs and tumor cells. Normal and 2 μM Curcumin-treated co-culture were performed for 4 days, followed by analysis of tumor cell invasivity, mRNA/protein expression of EMT-markers and mediators, activity measure of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and western blot analysis of signal transduction in tumor cells and fibroblasts. In Curcumin-treated co-culture, in tumor cells, the levels of nuclear factor κB (NFκBα) and early response kinase (ERK)—decreased, in fibroblasts, integrin αv protein synthesis decreased compared to corresponding cells in normal co-culture. The signal modulatory changes induced by Curcumin caused decreased release of EMT-mediators in CAFs and reversal of EMT in tumor cells, which was associated with decreased invasion. These data confirm the palliative potential of Curcumin in clinical application. - Graphical abstract: Co-culture of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLs) and SCC-25 oral squamous carcinoma cells (OSCC) results in conversion of PDLs into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and induces epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells. Curcumin targets this dynamic mutual interaction between CAFs and tumor cells by inhibiting the production of EMT mediators in CAFs and by modification of intracellular signaling in tumor cells. This causes less invasivity and reversal of EMT in tumor cells. Highlights: ► Curcumin targets tumor–fibroblast interaction in head and neck cancer. ► Curcumin suppresses mediators of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. ► Curcumin decreases the invasivity of tumor cells.

  18. Correlative study of dynamic MRI and tumor angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Qunfeng; Shen Junkang; Feng Yizhong; Qian Minghui; Chai Yuhai

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the correlation between the dynamic MRI enhancement characteristics and tumor angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma. Methods: Histopathological slides of 30 patients underwent CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunohistochemical staining. Microvessel density (MVD) and VEGF protein expression were analyzed with their relationship to pathological features. The dynamic MRI characteristics, including the maximum contrast enhancement ratio (CERmax), were correlatively studied with MVD and VEGF expression. Results: In 30 cases, MVD was 13.00 to 68.25 per vision field with an average of 42.95 ±14.79. The low expression rate of VEGF was 30% (9/30), while the high expression rate of VEGF was 70% (21/30). MVD and VEGF expression correlated with lymph node metastasis (P>0.05), but their relationships to the degree of differentiation and depth of invasion were not significant (P>0.05). MVD was related to TNM-staging of gastric carcinoma (P>0.05). The expression of VEGF between the stage I and IV had significant differences (P>0.05). MVD was higher in VEGF-high expression than in VEGF-low expression [(47.30 ± 14.16) per vision versus (32.81 ± 11.25) per vision]. CERmax was significantly correlated with MVD (r=0.556, P=0.0014). The distribution features and shape of microvessels within gastric carcinoma were related to the enhancement characteristics such as irregular enhancement and delaminated enhancement. The correlation between CERmax and expression of VEGF was not significant (t=-0.847, P=0.404). Conclusion: The manifestations on dynamic MR images can reflect the distribution features and shape of microvessels within gastric carcinoma. Dynamic MR imaging may prove to be a valuable means in estimating the MVD of gastric carcinoma noninvasively, and further predicting the biological behavior of gastric carcinoma and judging the prognosis. (authors)

  19. A PAUF-neutralizing antibody targets both carcinoma and endothelial cells to impede pancreatic tumor progression and metastasis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Su Jin [Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); New Drug Development Center, Osong Medical Innovation Foundation, Cheongwon, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Suhwan [Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yangsoon; Kim, Na Young; Hwang, Yeonsil; Min, Hye Jin; Yoo, Kyung-Sook; Park, Eun Hye; Kim, Seokho [Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Young-Hwa [BK21-plus, Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Young Woo [Aging Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Koh, Sang Seok, E-mail: sskoh@dau.ac.kr [Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-11-07

    Highlights: • PMAb83, a human monoclonal antibody against PAUF, impaired tumor progression in vivo. • PMAb83 attenuated aggressiveness of tumor cells and suppressed angiogenesis. • PMAb83 in combination with gemcitabine conferred improved survival of mouse model. - Abstract: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma up-regulated factor (PAUF) is expressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Here we evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of a human monoclonal antibody against PAUF, PMAb83, to provide a therapeutic intervention to treat the disease. PMAb83 reduced tumor growth and distant metastasis in orthotopically xenografted mice of human PDAC cells. PMAb83 treatment retarded proliferation along with weakened aggressiveness traits of the carcinoma cells. AKT/β-catenin signaling played a role in the carcinoma cell proliferation and the treated xenograft tumors exhibited reduced levels of β-catenin and cyclin D1. Moreover PMAb83 abrogated the PAUF-induced angiogenic responses of endothelial cells, reducing the density of CD31{sup +} vessels in the treated tumors. In combination with gemcitabine, PMAb83 conferred enhanced survival of xenografted mice by about twofold compared to gemcitabine alone. Taken together, our findings show that PMAb83 treatment decreases the aggressiveness of carcinoma cells and suppresses tumor vascularization, which culminates in mitigated tumor growth and metastasis with improved survival in PDAC mouse models.

  20. A PAUF-neutralizing antibody targets both carcinoma and endothelial cells to impede pancreatic tumor progression and metastasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Su Jin; Chang, Suhwan; Lee, Yangsoon; Kim, Na Young; Hwang, Yeonsil; Min, Hye Jin; Yoo, Kyung-Sook; Park, Eun Hye; Kim, Seokho; Chung, Young-Hwa; Park, Young Woo; Koh, Sang Seok

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • PMAb83, a human monoclonal antibody against PAUF, impaired tumor progression in vivo. • PMAb83 attenuated aggressiveness of tumor cells and suppressed angiogenesis. • PMAb83 in combination with gemcitabine conferred improved survival of mouse model. - Abstract: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma up-regulated factor (PAUF) is expressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Here we evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of a human monoclonal antibody against PAUF, PMAb83, to provide a therapeutic intervention to treat the disease. PMAb83 reduced tumor growth and distant metastasis in orthotopically xenografted mice of human PDAC cells. PMAb83 treatment retarded proliferation along with weakened aggressiveness traits of the carcinoma cells. AKT/β-catenin signaling played a role in the carcinoma cell proliferation and the treated xenograft tumors exhibited reduced levels of β-catenin and cyclin D1. Moreover PMAb83 abrogated the PAUF-induced angiogenic responses of endothelial cells, reducing the density of CD31 + vessels in the treated tumors. In combination with gemcitabine, PMAb83 conferred enhanced survival of xenografted mice by about twofold compared to gemcitabine alone. Taken together, our findings show that PMAb83 treatment decreases the aggressiveness of carcinoma cells and suppresses tumor vascularization, which culminates in mitigated tumor growth and metastasis with improved survival in PDAC mouse models

  1. Targeting brain tumor cAMP: the case for sex-specific therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole M Warrington

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available A relationship between cyclic adenosine 3’, 5’-monophosphate (cAMP levels and brain tumor biology has been evident for nearly as long as cAMP and its synthetase, adenylate cyclase (ADCY have been known. The importance of the pathway in brain tumorigenesis has been demonstrated in vitro and in multiple animal models. Recently, we provided human validation for a cooperating oncogenic role for cAMP in brain tumorigenesis when we found that SNPs in ADCY8 were correlated with glioma (brain tumor risk in individuals with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1. Together, these studies provide a strong rationale for targeting cAMP in brain tumor therapy. However, the cAMP pathway is well known to be sexually dimorphic, and SNPs in ADCY8 affected glioma risk in a sex-specific fashion, elevating the risk for females while protecting males. The cAMP pathway can be targeted at multiple levels in the regulation of its synthesis and degradation. Sex differences in response to drugs that target cAMP regulators indicate that successful targeting of the cAMP pathway for brain tumor patients is likely to require matching specific mechanisms of drug action with patient sex.

  2. NMR of 19F emulsions: methodological developments and application to evaluation of oxi-metry and dynamic biodistribution in the liver and spleen and to detection of tumor angiogenesis in the rodent brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giraudeau, C.

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed at developing a method for detection of brain tumors at 7 tesla thanks to 19 F MRI contrast agents. We particularly assessed the potential of this method to highlight tumor angiogenesis with RGD-functionalized contrast agents targeting αvβ3integrin, a bio-marker over-expressed at the surface of new capillary blood vessels. Owing to low local concentrations in contrast agent, the first step consisted in optimizing a multi spin echo sequence dedicated to a well-known biocompatible per-fluorocarbon, perfluoro-octylbromide (PFOB). We show that careful adjustment of sequence parameters allows cancellation of J-modulation and T2 enhancement, and yields an excellent sensitivity in vitro. Our sequence was then tested for oxygenation measurements in the mouse liver and spleen after injection of a PFOB emulsion. The results demonstrate very good accuracy of the measurements after one single infusion of emulsion. We also perform a dynamic biodistribution study in order to monitor emulsion nano-particle uptake in the liver and spleen. Moreover, we show that stealth of emulsions grafted with different quantities of polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be assessed by fitting experimental data with a pharmacokinetic empirical model. Our sequence was finally used to visualize αvβ3-targeted nano-particles in a U87 glioblastoma mouse model. Concentrations found in tumors after injection of an RGD-functionalized emulsion and a control emulsion are compared. Concentrations are found to be significantly higher with the RGD emulsion than with the control emulsion, suggesting specific binding of functionalized nano-particles with αvβ3 integrin. The last part is dedicated to a new diffusion-weighted 19 F NMR spectroscopy sequence. This method aims at suppressing vascular signal coming from circulating PFOB nano-particles in order to evaluate signal coming from bound nano-particles only. (author) [fr

  3. Target Coverage in Image-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy of Liver Tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wunderink, Wouter; Romero, Alejandra Mendez; Osorio, Eliana M. Vasquez; Boer, Hans C.J. de; Brandwijk, Rene P.; Levendag, Peter C.; Heijmen, Ben

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the effect of image-guided procedures (with computed tomography [CT] and electronic portal images before each treatment fraction) on target coverage in stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver patients using a stereotactic body frame (SBF) and abdominal compression. CT guidance was used to correct for day-to-day variations in the tumor's mean position in the SBF. Methods and Materials: By retrospectively evaluating 57 treatment sessions, tumor coverage, as obtained with the clinically applied CT-guided protocol, was compared with that of alternative procedures. The internal target volume-plus (ITV + ) was introduced to explicitly include uncertainties in tumor delineations resulting from CT-imaging artifacts caused by residual respiratory motion. Tumor coverage was defined as the volume overlap of the ITV + , derived from a tumor delineated in a treatment CT scan, and the planning target volume. Patient stability in the SBF, after acquisition of the treatment CT scan, was evaluated by measuring the displacement of the bony anatomy in the electronic portal images relative to CT. Results: Application of our clinical protocol (with setup corrections following from manual measurements of the distances between the contours of the planning target volume and the daily clinical target volume in three orthogonal planes, multiple two-dimensional) increased the frequency of nearly full (≥99%) ITV + coverage to 77% compared with 63% without setup correction. An automated three-dimensional method further improved the frequency to 96%. Patient displacements in the SBF were generally small (≤2 mm, 1 standard deviation), but large craniocaudal displacements (maximal 7.2 mm) were occasionally observed. Conclusion: Daily, CT-assisted patient setup may substantially improve tumor coverage, especially with the automated three-dimensional procedure. In the present treatment design, patient stability in the SBF should be verified with portal imaging

  4. Target coverage in image-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy of liver tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wunderink, Wouter; Méndez Romero, Alejandra; Vásquez Osorio, Eliana M; de Boer, Hans C J; Brandwijk, René P; Levendag, Peter C; Heijmen, Ben J M

    2007-05-01

    To determine the effect of image-guided procedures (with computed tomography [CT] and electronic portal images before each treatment fraction) on target coverage in stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver patients using a stereotactic body frame (SBF) and abdominal compression. CT guidance was used to correct for day-to-day variations in the tumor's mean position in the SBF. By retrospectively evaluating 57 treatment sessions, tumor coverage, as obtained with the clinically applied CT-guided protocol, was compared with that of alternative procedures. The internal target volume-plus (ITV(+)) was introduced to explicitly include uncertainties in tumor delineations resulting from CT-imaging artifacts caused by residual respiratory motion. Tumor coverage was defined as the volume overlap of the ITV(+), derived from a tumor delineated in a treatment CT scan, and the planning target volume. Patient stability in the SBF, after acquisition of the treatment CT scan, was evaluated by measuring the displacement of the bony anatomy in the electronic portal images relative to CT. Application of our clinical protocol (with setup corrections following from manual measurements of the distances between the contours of the planning target volume and the daily clinical target volume in three orthogonal planes, multiple two-dimensional) increased the frequency of nearly full (> or = 99%) ITV(+) coverage to 77% compared with 63% without setup correction. An automated three-dimensional method further improved the frequency to 96%. Patient displacements in the SBF were generally small (design, patient stability in the SBF should be verified with portal imaging.

  5. A Multi-targeted Approach to Suppress Tumor-Promoting Inflammation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samadi, Abbas K.; Georgakilas, Alexandros G.; Amedei, Amedeo; Amin, Amr; Bishayee, Anupam; Lokeshwar, Bal L.; Grue, Brendan; Panis, Carolina; Boosani, Chandra S.; Poudyal, Deepak; Stafforini, Diana M.; Bhakta, Dipita; Niccolai, Elena; Guha, Gunjan; Rupasinghe, H.P. Vasantha; Fujii, Hiromasa; Honoki, Kanya; Mehta, Kapil; Aquilano, Katia; Lowe, Leroy; Hofseth, Lorne J.; Ricciardiello, Luigi; Ciriolo, Maria Rosa; Singh, Neetu; Whelan, Richard L.; Chaturvedi, Rupesh; Ashraf, S. Salman; Kumara, HMC Shantha; Nowsheen, Somaira; Mohammed, Sulma I.; Helferich, William G.; Yang, Xujuan

    2015-01-01

    Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes. PMID:25951989

  6. D-Amino acid oxidase-induced oxidative stress, 3-bromopyruvate and citrate inhibit angiogenesis, exhibiting potent anticancer effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Sayed, S M; El-Magd, R M Abou; Shishido, Y; Yorita, K; Chung, S P; Tran, D H; Sakai, T; Watanabe, H; Kagami, S; Fukui, K

    2012-10-01

    Angiogenesis is critical for cancer growth and metastasis. Steps of angiogenesis are energy consuming, while vascular endothelial cells are highly glycolytic. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly vascular tumor and this enhances its aggressiveness. D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) is a promising therapeutic protein that induces oxidative stress upon acting on its substrates. Oxidative stress-energy depletion (OSED) therapy was recently reported (El Sayed et al., Cancer Gene Ther, 19, 1-18, 2012). OSED combines DAO-induced oxidative stress with energy depletion caused by glycolytic inhibitors such as 3-bromopyruvate (3BP), a hexokinase II inhibitor that depleted ATP in cancer cells and induced production of hydrogen peroxide. 3BP disturbs the Warburg effect and antagonizes effects of lactate and pyruvate (El Sayed et al., J Bioenerg Biomembr, 44, 61-79, 2012). Citrate is a natural organic acid capable of inhibiting glycolysis by targeting phosphofructokinase. Here, we report that DAO, 3BP and citrate significantly inhibited angiogenesis, decreased the number of vascular branching points and shortened the length of vascular tubules. OSED delayed the growth of C6/DAO glioma cells. 3BP combined with citrate delayed the growth of C6 glioma cells and decreased significantly the number and size of C6 glioma colonies in soft agar. Human GBM cells (U373MG) were resistant to chemotherapy e.g. cisplatin and cytosine arabinoside, while 3BP was effective in decreasing the viability and disturbing the morphology of U373MG cells.

  7. Exploring the role of CHI3L1 in pre-metastatic lungs of mammary tumor-bearing mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephania eLibreros

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Elevated levels of chitinase-3-like-1 (CHI3L1 are associated with poor prognosis, shorter recurrence-free intervals and low survival in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer often metastasizes to the lung. We hypothesized that molecules expressed in the pre-metastatic lung microenvironment could support the newly immigrant tumor cells by providing growth and angiogenic factors. Macrophages are known to play an important role in tumor growth by releasing pro-angiogenic molecules. Using mouse mammary tumor models, we have previously shown that during neoplastic progression both the mammary tumor cells and splenic macrophages from tumor-bearing mice express higher levels of CHI3L1 compared to normal control mice. However, the role of CHI3L1 in inducing angiogenesis by macrophages at the pulmonary microenvironment to support newly arriving breast cancer cells is not yet known. In this study, we determined the expression of CHI3L1 in bronchoalveolar lavage macrophages and interstitial macrophages in regulating angiogenesis that could support the growth of newly immigrant mammary tumor cells into the lung. Here we show that in vitro treatment of pulmonary macrophages with recombinant murine CHI3L1 resulted in enhanced expression of pro-angiogenic molecules including CCL2, CXCL2 and MMP-9. We and others have previously shown that inhibition of CHI3L1 decreases the production of angiogenic molecules. In this study, we explored if in vivo administration of chitin microparticles has an effect on the expression of CHI3L1 and pro-angiogenic molecules in the lungs of mammary tumor-bearing mice. We show that treatment with chitin microparticles decreases the expression of CHI3L1 and pro-angiogenic molecules in the metastatic lung. These studies suggest that targeting CHI3L1 may serve as a potential therapeutic agent to inhibit angiogenesis and thus possibly tumor growth and metastasis.

  8. Glucosylated polyethylenimine as a tumor-targeting gene carrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, In-Kyu; Cook, Seung-Eun; Kim, You-Kyoung; Kim, Hyun-Woo; Cho, Myung-Haing; Jeong, Hwan-Jeong; Kim, Eun-Mi; Nah, Jae-Woon; Bom, Hee-Seung; Cho, Chong-Su

    2005-11-01

    Glucosylated polyethylenimine (GPEI) was synthesized as a tumor-targeting gene carrier through facilitative glucose metabolism by tumor glucose transporter. Particle sizes of GPEI/DNA complex increased in proportion to glucose content of GPEI, whereas surface charge of the complex was not dependent on glucosylation, partially due to inefficient shielding of the short hydrophilic group introduced. GPEI with higher glucosylation (36 mol-%) had no cytotoxic effect on cells even at polymer concentrations higher than 200 microg/mL. Compared to unglucosylated PEI, glucosylation induced less than one-order decrease of transfection efficiency. Transfection of GPEI/DNA complex into tumor cells possibly occurred through specific interaction between glucose-related cell receptors and glucose moiety of GPEI. Gamma imaging technique revealed GPEI/DNA complex was distributed in liver, spleen, and tumors.

  9. Glycosaminoglycan-based hydrogels to modulate heterocellular communication in in vitro angiogenesis models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chwalek, Karolina; Tsurkan, Mikhail V.; Freudenberg, Uwe; Werner, Carsten

    2014-03-01

    Angiogenesis, the outgrowth of blood vessels, is crucial in development, disease and regeneration. Studying angiogenesis in vitro remains challenging because the capillary morphogenesis of endothelial cells (ECs) is controlled by multiple exogenous signals. Therefore, a set of in situ-forming starPEG-heparin hydrogels was used to identify matrix parameters and cellular interactions that best support EC morphogenesis. We showed that a particular type of soft, matrix metalloproteinase-degradable hydrogel containing covalently bound integrin ligands and reversibly conjugated pro-angiogenic growth factors could boost the development of highly branched, interconnected, and lumenized endothelial capillary networks. Using these effective matrix conditions, 3D heterocellular interactions of ECs with different mural cells were demonstrated that enabled EC network modulation and maintenance of stable vascular capillaries over periods of about one month in vitro. The approach was also shown to permit in vitro tumor vascularization experiments with unprecedented levels of control over both ECs and tumor cells. In total, the introduced 3D hydrogel co-culture system could offer unique options for dissecting and adjusting biochemical, biophysical, and cell-cell triggers in tissue-related vascularization models.

  10. Conjugation of gold nanoparticles and recombinant human endostatin modulates vascular normalization via interruption of anterior gradient 2-mediated angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Fan; Yang, Wende; Li, Wei; Yang, Xiao-Yan; Liu, Shuhao; Li, Xin; Zhao, Xiaoxu; Ding, Hui; Qin, Li; Pan, Yunlong

    2017-07-01

    Several studies have revealed the potential of normalizing tumor vessels in anti-angiogenic treatment. Recombinant human endostatin is an anti-angiogenic agent which has been applied in clinical tumor treatment. Our previous research indicated that gold nanoparticles could be a nanoparticle carrier for recombinant human endostatin delivery. The recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticle conjugates normalized vessels, which improved chemotherapy. However, the mechanism of recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticle-induced vascular normalization has not been explored. Anterior gradient 2 has been reported to be over-expressed in many malignant tumors and involved in tumor angiogenesis. To date, the precise efficacy of recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles on anterior gradient 2-mediated angiogenesis or anterior gradient 2-related signaling cohort remained unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore whether recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles could normalize vessels in metastatic colorectal cancer xenografts, and we further elucidated whether recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles could interrupt anterior gradient 2-induced angiogenesis. In vivo, it was indicated that recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles increased pericyte expression while inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and anterior gradient 2 expression in metastatic colorectal cancer xenografts. In vitro, we uncovered that recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles reduced cell migration and tube formation induced by anterior gradient 2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Treatment with recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles attenuated anterior gradient 2-mediated activation of MMP2, cMyc, VE-cadherin, phosphorylation of p38, and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Our findings demonstrated recombinant human endostatin-gold nanoparticles might normalize

  11. HER2-Targeted Polyinosine/Polycytosine Therapy Inhibits Tumor Growth and Modulates the Tumor Immune Microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zigler, Maya; Shir, Alexei; Joubran, Salim; Sagalov, Anna; Klein, Shoshana; Edinger, Nufar; Lau, Jeffrey; Yu, Shang-Fan; Mizraji, Gabriel; Globerson Levin, Anat; Sliwkowski, Mark X; Levitzki, Alexander

    2016-08-01

    The development of targeted therapies that affect multiple signaling pathways and stimulate antitumor immunity is greatly needed. About 20% of patients with breast cancer overexpress HER2. Small molecules and antibodies targeting HER2 convey some survival benefits; however, patients with advanced disease succumb to the disease under these treatment regimens, possibly because HER2 is not completely necessary for the survival of the targeted cancer cells. In the present study, we show that a polyinosine/polycytosine (pIC) HER2-homing chemical vector induced the demise of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells, including trastuzumab-resistant cells. Targeting pIC to the tumor evoked a number of cell-killing mechanisms, as well as strong bystander effects. These bystander mechanisms included type I IFN induction, immune cell recruitment, and activation. The HER2-targeted pIC strongly inhibited the growth of HER2-overexpressing tumors in immunocompetent mice. The data presented here could open additional avenues in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(8); 688-97. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. [Anti-angiogenic drugs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Yasufumi

    2010-06-01

    Angiogenesis or neovascularization, the formation of neo-vessels, is a physiological phenomenon endued in vasculature, but is involved in various pathological conditions. Angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and metastasis, and thus constitutes an important target for the control of tumor progression. Indeed, the recent development of bevacizumab, a neutralizing anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody as the first anti-angiogenic drug, legalized the clinical merit of anti-angiogenesis in cancers. Thereafter, various drugs targeting VEGF-mediated signals have been developed to control tumor angiogenesis. Thus, anti-angiogenic drugs are now recognized in the clinic as a major step forward for the treatment of cancers. This review focuses on the current status of antiangiogenesis treatment in cancers.

  13. An IP-10 (CXCL10)-Derived Peptide Inhibits Angiogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates-Binder, Cecelia C.; Rodgers, Margaret; Jaynes, Jesse; Wells, Alan; Bodnar, Richard J.; Turner, Timothy

    2012-01-01

    Angiogenesis plays a critical role in processes such as organ development, wound healing, and tumor growth. It requires well-orchestrated integration of soluble and matrix factors and timely recognition of such signals to regulate this process. Previous work has shown that newly forming vessels express the chemokine receptor CXC receptor 3 (CXCR3) and, activation by its ligand IP-10 (CXCL10), both inhibits development of new vasculature and causes regression of newly formed vessels. To identify and develop new therapeutic agents to limit or reverse pathological angiogenesis, we identified a 21 amino acid fragment of IP-10, spanning the α-helical domain residues 77–98, that mimic the actions of the whole IP-10 molecule on endothelial cells. Treatment of the endothelial cells with the 22 amino acid fragment referred to as IP-10p significantly inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial motility and tube formation in vitro, properties critical for angiogenesis. Using a Matrigel plug assay in vivo, we demonstrate that IP-10p both prevented vessel formation and induced involution of nascent vessels. CXCR3 neutralizing antibody was able to block the inhibitory effects of the IP-10p, demonstrating specificity of the peptide. Inhibition of endothelial function by IP-10p was similar to that described for IP-10, secondary to CXCR3-mediated increase in cAMP production, activation of PKA inhibiting cell migration, and inhibition of VEGF-mediated m-calpain activation. IP-10p provides a novel therapeutic agent that inhibits endothelial cell function thus, allowing for the modulation of angiogenesis. PMID:22815829

  14. Inhibitory Effect of Endostar on Specific Angiogenesis Induced by Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Ye

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available To investigate the effect of endostar on specific angiogenesis induced by human hepatocellular carcinoma, this research systematically elucidated the inhibitory effect on HepG2-induced angiogenesis by endostar from 50 ng/mL to 50000 ng/mL. We employed fluorescence quantitative Boyden chamber analysis, wound-healing assay, flow cytometry examination using a coculture system, quantitative analysis of tube formation, and in vivo Matrigel plug assay induced by HCC conditioned media (HCM and HepG2 compared with normal hepatocyte conditioned media (NCM and L02. Then, we found that endostar as a tumor angiogenesis inhibitor could potently inhibit human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC migration in response to HCM after four- to six-hour action, inhibit HCM-induced HUVEC migration to the lesion part in a dose-dependent manner between 50 ng/mL and 5000 ng/mL at 24 hours, and reduce HUVEC proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion. Endostar inhibited HepG2-induced tube formation of HUVECs which peaked at 50 ng/mL. In vivo Matrigel plug formation was also significantly reduced by endostar in HepG2 inducing system rather than in L02 inducing system. It could be concluded that, at cell level, endostar inhibited the angiogenesis-related biological behaviors of HUVEC in response to HCC, including migration, adhesion proliferation, and tube formation. At animal level, endostar inhibited the angiogenesis in response to HCC in Matrigel matrix.

  15. Leptin signaling molecular actions and drug target in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang N

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Nan Jiang,1,* Rongtong Sun,2,* Qing Sun3 1Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Weihai Municipal Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pathology, QianFoShan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Previous reports indicate that over 13 different tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, are related to obesity. Obesity-associated inflammatory, metabolic, and endocrine mediators, as well as the functioning of the gut microbiota, are suspected to contribute to tumorigenesis. In obese people, proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL-1 and IL-6, insulin and insulin-like growth factors, adipokines, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, adiponectin, and leptin are found to play crucial roles in the initiation and development of cancer. The cytokines induced by leptin in adipose tissue or tumor cells have been intensely studied. Leptin-induced signaling pathways are critical for biological functions such as adiposity, energy balance, endocrine function, immune reaction, and angiogenesis as well as oncogenesis. Leptin is an activator of cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis in several cell types, and an inducer of cancer stem cells; its critical roles in tumorigenesis are based on its oncogenic, mitogenic, proinflammatory, and pro-angiogenic actions. This review provides an update of the pathological effects of leptin signaling with special emphasis on potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targeting, which could potentially be used in future clinical settings. In addition, leptin-induced angiogenic ability and molecular mechanisms in HCC are discussed. The stringent binding affinity of leptin and its receptor Ob-R, as well as the highly upregulated expression of both

  16. Bevacizumab Inhibits Breast Cancer-Induced Osteolysis, Surrounding Soft Tissue Metastasis, and Angiogenesis in Rats as Visualized by VCT and MRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tobias Bäuerle

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an antiangiogenic treatment with the vascular endothelial growth factor antibody bevacizumab in an experimental model of breast cancer bone metastasis and to monitor osteolysis, soft tissue tumor, and angiogenesis in bone metastasis noninvasively by volumetric computed tomography (VCT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. After inoculation of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells into nude rats, bone metastasis was monitored with contrast-enhanced VCT and MRI from day 30 to day 70 after tumor cell inoculation, respectively. Thereby, animals of the treatment group (10 mg/kg bevacizumab IV weekly, n = 15 were compared with sham-treated animals (n = 17. Treatment with bevacizumab resulted in a significant difference versus control in osteolytic as well as soft tissue lesion sizes (days 50 to 70 and 40 to 70 after tumor cell inoculation, respectively; P < .05. This observation was paralleled with significantly reduced vascularization in the treatment group as shown by reduced increase in relative signal intensity in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI from days 40 to 70 (P < .05. Contrast-enhanced VCT and histology confirmed decreased angiogenesis as well as new bone formation after application of bevacizumab. In conclusion, bevacizumab significantly inhibited osteolysis, surrounding soft tissue tumor growth, and angiogenesis in an experimental model of breast cancer bone metastasis as visualized by VCT and MRI.

  17. Tumor Microenvironment Gene Signature as a Prognostic Classifier and Therapeutic Target

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0107 TITLE: Tumor Microenvironment Gene Signature as a Prognostic Classifier and Therapeutic Target PRINCIPAL...AND SUBTITLE Tumor Microenvironment Gene Signature as a 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0107 Prognostic Classifier and Therapeutic Target 5b...gene signature that correlates with poor survival in ovarian cancer patients. We are refining this gene signature to develop biomarkers for the

  18. Antibody or Antibody Fragments: Implications for Molecular Imaging and Targeted Therapy of Solid Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  19. Pharmacogenomics and the Yin/Yang actions of ginseng: anti-tumor, angiomodulating and steroid-like activities of ginsenosides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeung Hin

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In Chinese medicine, ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has long been used as a general tonic or an adaptogen to promote longevity and enhance bodily functions. It has also been claimed to be effective in combating stress, fatigue, oxidants, cancer and diabetes mellitus. Most of the pharmacological actions of ginseng are attributed to one type of its constituents, namely the ginsenosides. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in the study of ginsenosides on angiogenesis which is related to many pathological conditions including tumor progression and cardiovascular dysfunctions. Angiogenesis in the human body is regulated by two sets of counteracting factors, angiogenic stimulators and inhibitors. The 'Yin and Yang' action of ginseng on angiomodulation was paralleled by the experimental data showing angiogenesis was indeed related to the compositional ratio between ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1. Rg1 was later found to stimulate angiogenesis through augmenting the production of nitric oxide (NO and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF. Mechanistic studies revealed that such responses were mediated through the PI3K→Akt pathway. By means of DNA microarray, a group of genes related to cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton were found to be up-regulated in endothelial cells. These gene products may interact in a hierarchical cascade pattern to modulate cell architectural dynamics which is concomitant to the observed phenomena in angiogenesis. By contrast, the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects of ginsenosides (e.g. Rg3 and Rh2 have been demonstrated in various models of tumor and endothelial cells, indicating that ginsenosides with opposing activities are present in ginseng. Ginsenosides and Panax ginseng extracts have been shown to exert protective effects on vascular dysfunctions, such as hypertension, atherosclerotic disorders and ischemic injury. Recent work has demonstrates the target molecules of ginsenosides to be a

  20. MRI after magnetic drug targeting in patients with advanced solid malignant tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemke, A.-J.; Senfft von Pilsach, M.-I.; Felix, R.; Luebbe, A.; Bergemann, C.; Riess, H.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRI to detect magnetic particle uptake into advanced solid malignant tumors and to document the extension of these tumors, carried out in the context of magnetic drug targeting. In a prospective phase I trial, 11 patients were examined with MRI before and after magnetic drug targeting. The sequence protocol included T1-WI and T2-WI in several planes, followed by quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the signal intensities and tumor extensions. In nine patients, a signal decrease was observed in the early follow-up (2-7 days after therapy) on the T2-weighted images; two patients did not show a signal change. The signal changes in T1-WI were less distinct. In late follow-up (4-6 weeks after therapy), signal within nine tumors reached their initially normal level on both T1-WI and T2-WI; two tumors showed a slight signal decrease on T2-WI and a slight signal increase on T1-WI. Within the surveillance period, tumor remission in 3 out of 11 patients was observed, and in 5 patients tumor growth had stopped. The remaining three patients showed significant tumor growth. There was no statistically significant correlation between signal change and response. MRI is a suitable method to detect magnetite particles, deposited at the tumor site via magnetic drug targeting. MRI is therefore eligible to control the success of MDT and to assess the tumor size after the end of therapy. (orig.)