Effect of antiangiogenic therapy on slowly growing, poorly vascularized tumors in mice.
BACKGROUND
Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and progression. Therefore, inhibition of angiogenesis is being studied as a new anticancer therapy. Because cytotoxic chemotherapy is more effective on rapidly growing tumors than on slowly growing tumors, it has been assumed that antiangiogenic therapy will also be effective only on rapidly growing, highly vascularized tumors. We compared the effects of two angiogenesis inhibitors, TNP-470 and angiostatin, on slowly growing, poorly vascularized and rapidly growing, highly vascularized human tumors in mice.


METHODS
Slowly growing (RT-4) and rapidly growing (MGH-U1) human bladder carcinoma cell lines were grown in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Established tumors were treated with one of the two angiogenesis inhibitors. Tumor volumes, vascularity, and proliferation indices were determined. The in vitro effects of TNP-470 and of angiostatin on the proliferation of RT-4 and MGH-U1 cells were also investigated. All statistical tests were two-sided.


RESULTS
RT-4 and MGH-U1 tumor growth was statistically significantly inhibited by both angiogenesis inhibitors (P<.001). Both inhibitors decreased the blood vessel density in both tumor types but did not alter the in vivo proliferation indices of the tumors. TNP-470, but not angiostatin, marginally decreased the in vitro proliferation of MGH-U1 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Slowly growing, poorly vascularized tumors in animal models respond as well as rapidly growing, highly vascularized tumors to therapy with the angiogenesis inhibitors TNP-470 and angiostatin.
Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
W D
WD
Beecken
A
A
Fernandez
A M
AM
Joussen
E G
EG
Achilles
E
E
Flynn
K M
KM
Lo
S D
SD
Gillies
K
K
Javaherian
J
J
Folkman
Y
Y
Shing
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043168:Angiostatins; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy; D003510:Cyclohexanes; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077609:O-(Chloroacetylcarbamoyl)fumagillol; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003510:Cyclohexanes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D043168:Angiostatins; D010958:Plasminogen; D000077609:O-(Chloroacetylcarbamoyl)fumagillol