Thalidomide promotes metastasis of prostate adenocarcinoma cells (PA-III) in L-W rats.
Two contradictory actions have been ascribed to thalidomide relative to tumor metastasis: immunosuppression and anti-angiogenesis. The latter effect was determined with basic fibroblast growth factor in a rabbit cornea micropocket assay system. The prostate adenocarcinoma (PA-III) transplanted tumor line in Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats produces a tumor at the subcutaneous implant site from which tumor cells metastasize uniformly only through lymphatic channels through the heart to the lungs in which secondary tumors develop. L-W rats were implanted with PA-III cells and administered, by gavage, thalidomide (50 mg/kg body wt per day) in corn oil. Control rats with PA-III cells were administered corn oil. Autopsy examinations on day 30 revealed that the thalidomide-treated rats developed more metastatic tumor foci in the lungs than in the controls.
Pollard
M
M
Lobund Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary*; D000818:Animals; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide