[Antitumor effect of recombinant immunotoxin EGF-TCS in nude mice bearing human hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the anti-tumor effect of recombinant toxin EGF-TCS against transplanted human hepatocellular carcinoma in nude mice.


METHODS
Human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7,402 cells were inoculated subcutaneously in the right axillary region of nude mice, and 6 days later, EGF-TCS was injected intravenously at 100, 50, and 25 microg/kg. The mice were executed on the next day of drug withdrawal and the tumors were weighed and the tumor inhibition rate calculated. Immunohistochemistry was also performed on the tumor tissues to provide clue for the possible pathways of tumor inhibition.


RESULTS
EGF-TCS markedly inhibited the tumor growth in nude mice, with a tumor inhibition rate of 71.3%, 60.87% and 45.22% corresponding to EGF-TCS dosage of 100, 50, and 25 microg/kg, respectively. Variance analysis suggested that EGF-Linker-TCS could significantly inhibit the tumor growth in the mice (F=8.712, P=0.006), and immunohistochemistry showed significantly inhibited angiogenesis in the tumors by EGF-TCS. No blood vessels were found in the tumor tissues in high dosage group, and there were also reduced blood vessels in the other two smaller dose groups in comparison with the untreated model group, indicating that EGF-TCS inhibited tumor growth and migration by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.


CONCLUSIONS
EGF-TCS can inhibit the growth of solid tumors in nude mice, suggesting the potential value of this preparation in cancer therapy.
Yang
Hai-Wen
HW
Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Yang
Hai-Wen
HW
Li
Yong-Mei
YM
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011897:Random Allocation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015978:Trichosanthin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015978:Trichosanthin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor