title: Immunotherapy of hepatoma with a monoclonal antibody against murine endoglin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the capability of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against murine endoglin to inhibit tumor angiogenesis and suppression of hepatoma growth in murine models.
  
  
  METHODS
  A monoclonal antibody against murine endoglin was purified by affinity chromatography and passively transfused through tail veins in two murine hepatoma models. Tumor volume and survival time were observed at three-day intervals for 48 d. Microvessels in tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry against CD31, and angiogenesis in vivo was determined by alginate encapsulated assay. In addition, tumor cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Passive immunotherapy with anti-endoglin mAb could effectively suppress tumor growth, and prolonged the survival time of hepatoma-bearing mice. Angiogenesis was apparently inhibited within the tumor tissues, and the vascularization of alginate beads was also reduced in the mice passively transfused with anti-endoglin mAb. In addition, increased apoptotic cells were observed within the tumor tissues from the mice passively transfused with anti-endoglin mAb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Passive immunotherapy with anti-endoglin mAb effectively inhibits tumor growth via inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and increasing tumor cell apoptosis, which may be highly correlated with the blockage of endoglin-related signal pathway induced by anti-endoglin mAb.
authors.affiliation: Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571101, Hainan Province, China. tanhoho@163.com
authors.forename: Guang-Hong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Feng-Ying
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yue-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000071063:Endoglin; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008863:Microspheres; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000071063:Endoglin; C502004:Eng protein, mouse; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020723:Glucuronic Acid