title: Angiopoietin-1 inhibits tumour growth and ascites formation in a murine model of peritoneal carcinomatosis.
abstract: Angiopoietin-1 is an important regulator of endothelial cell survival. Angiopoietin-1 also reduces vascular permeability mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor. The effects of angiopoietin-1 on tumour growth and angiogenesis are controversial. We hypothesised that angiopoietin-1 would decrease tumour growth and ascites formation in peritoneal carcinomatosis. Human colon cancer cells (KM12L4) were transfected with vector (pcDNA) alone (control) or vector containing angiopoietin-1 and injected into the peritoneal cavities of mice. After 30 days, the following parameters were measured: number of peritoneal nodules, ascites volume, and diameter of the largest tumour. Effects of angiopoietin-1 on vascular permeability were investigated using an intradermal Miles assay with conditioned media from transfected cells. Seven of the nine mice in the pcDNA group developed ascites (1.3+/-0.5 ml (mean+/-s.e.m.)), whereas no ascites was detectable in the angiopoietin-1 group (0 out of 10) (P<0.01). Number of peritoneal metastases (P<0.05), tumour volume, (P<0.05), vessel counts (P<0.01), and tumour cell proliferation (P<0.01) were significantly reduced in angiopoietin-1-expressing tumours. Conditioned medium from angiopoietin-1-transfected cells decreased vascular permeability more than did conditioned medium from control cells (P<0.05). Our results suggest that angiopoietin-1 is an important mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability and thus could theoretically serve as an anti-neoplastic agent for patients with carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stoeltzing
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: McCarty
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reinmuth
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bucana
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002455:Cell Division; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000556:secondary*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: C467630:ANGPT1 protein, human; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; C467628:Angpt1 protein, mouse; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors