zd-6126 and Adenocarcinoma

ZD6126 is a vascular-disrupting agent that affects the endothelial tubulin cytoskeleton causing selective occlusion of tumor vasculature and extensive tumor cell necrosis. The present study evaluated the antitumor and antivascular activities of ZD6126 in the clinically relevant murine renal cell carcinoma (RENCA) model and also evaluated biological response to therapy using color Doppler imaging as biomarker. Mice were implanted with RENCA tumor cells (day 0) and established tumors were treated with ZD6126 (100 mg/kg i.p.) or vehicle with repeated intermittent doses on day 10, 14 and 18. ZD6126 treatment led to a significant reduction in tumor size and was associated with extensive tumor necrosis and a reduction in tumor blood flow versus controls. MVD increased with intermittent treatment (day 10, 14 and 18). In an additional study, animals were treated at day 19 and quantitative three-dimensional microvascular corrosion casting was performed to enable detailed assessment of the tumor vascular architecture. Corrosion casting showed that tumor vessel architecture is affected by treatment, whereas pre-existing vessels in control tissues are practically not affected. Inter-vessel and inter-branch distances as well as vessel diameters are influenced by treatment. In conclusion, ZD6126 showed potent antitumor efficacy in the RENCA model and our data suggest that decrease in tumor blood flow may be a useful surrogate marker of treatment effect.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Kidney Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Organophosphorus Compounds

Endostatin is an anti-angiogenic agent that blocks endothelial cell proliferation, tumor growth, and metastasis. Several lines of direct evidence show that gliomas express high levels of endostatin. However, the anti-angiogenic activity and cellular mechanisms of endostatin from tumor cells have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we established C6 glioblastoma (GBM) xenografts in nude mice by subcutaneously injecting glioma cell lines, C6-null cells, and stable transfected-C6 cells overexpressing mock vector (C6-mock) and endostatin (C6-endo). We found that overexpression of endostatin in C6-endo cells significantly suppressed the expression of VEGF in tumor cells in vivo as well as in vitro. Furthermore, the tumor growth derived from C6-endo cells was inhibited. Our data demonstrate that endostatin could play a direct role in inhibiting tumor cells, and suggest that enhancing endostatin expression in gliomas could be an effective treatment strategy.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Disease Models, Animal; Down-Regulation; Endostatins; Gene Expression; Genetic Vectors; Glioblastoma; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Organophosphorus Compounds; Rats; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Tumours derived from DLD-1 colon adenocarcinoma cells, transfected to either overexpress inducible nitric oxide synthase (clone iNOS-19) or with empty vector (pBAN2R), were utilised to test the hypothesis that tumour expression of iNOS (a) increases tumour angiogenesis and (b) modulates the anti-tumour activity of the vascular disrupting agent ZD6126. Overexpression of iNOS by clone iNOS-19 cells and murine xenografts was confirmed by the Griess assay and western blot analysis respectively. Clone iNOS-19 tumours grew more rapidly than pBAN2R tumours. Tumour perfusion, assessed by Hoechst 33342 uptake, was significantly greater in the clone iNOS-19 tumours (P < 0.001). A significant reduction in the perfusion of only the pBAN2R tumours, compared with control, was obtained 24 h after treatment with an intermediate dose of 100 mg/kg ZD6126 (P < 0.001), whereas 200 mg/kg significantly reduced the perfusion of both tumour types (P < 0.001). Whilst pBAN2R tumour necrosis increased in a dose-dependent manner, significant at 100 and 200 mg/kg ZD6126 (P < 0.05), intermediate doses did not induce a similar degree of necrosis in clone iNOS-19 tumours. A significant reduction in splenic perfusion was found 24 h after treatment with 100 mg/kg ZD6126, primarily associated with the red pulp. Overexpression of iNOS increases tumour growth, the degree of functionally perfused vasculature and angiogenesis, and also confers resistance to the vascular disrupting agent ZD6126.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line, Tumor; Colonic Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance; Humans; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Mice, Nude; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Organophosphorus Compounds; Time Factors; Transplantation, Heterologous

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ZD6126, a novel vascular-targeting agent, on tumour growth and angiogenesis in an orthotopic model of gastric cancer. TMK-1 human gastric adenocarcinoma cells were injected into the gastric wall of nude mice. After the tumours were established (day 14), therapy was initiated. Mice (n=11-12/group) received (a). vehicle, (b). ZD6126 at 100 mg x kg day(-1) i.p. one time per week or (c) ZD6126 at 100 mg x kg day(-1) i.p. five times per week. Tumour mass, volume and the presence or absence of peritoneal carcinomatosis were determined at sacrifice on day 38. Tumours from each group were stained for markers of blood vessels, proliferation and apoptosis. To further define the time frame of the vascular-targeting effects of chronic therapy with ZD6126, TMK-1 cells were again injected into the gastric wall of mice in a second experiment. On day 14, a single i.p. injection of ZD6126 100 mg x kg(-1) mouse(-1) or vehicle was delivered. Groups of three mice each were killed and the tumours harvested at days 1, 3 and 5 post-ZD6126 injection. Tumours were processed and stained for endothelial and tumour cell apoptosis and proliferation. No overt toxicity was observed with ZD6126 therapy. ZD6126 led to a marked inhibition of tumour growth (82% decrease vs control (P<0.001)). ZD6126 also led to a significant decrease in the incidence of peritoneal carcinomatosis (10 out of 12 controls, vs one out of 12 ZD6126) (P<0.01). Histological analysis of tumours revealed large regions of central necrosis in the treated group, as well as a dramatic increase in tumour cell apoptosis (7.4-fold increase (P<0.001)), consistent with the vascular-targeting activity of ZD6126. Mice treated with ZD6126 demonstrated a 59% decrease in PCNA-positive cells (P< 0.02), indicating reduced tumour cell proliferation. In addition, tumours treated with ZD6126 exhibited a 40% decrease in microvessel density (P<0.05). Results from mice treated with a single injection of ZD6126 demonstrated the acute effects this agent has on the tumour vasculature. The ratio of endothelial cell apoptosis to endothelial cell proliferation was increased within 24 h of a single injection. In conclusion, ZD6126 significantly inhibited tumour growth and metastasis in an orthotopic model of human gastric adenocarcinoma, without detectable problematic adverse effects. These data suggest that ZD6126 may be worthy of investigation in the treatment of primary gastric adenocar

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Apoptosis; Cell Division; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Endothelial Cells; Humans; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Organophosphorus Compounds; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Stomach Neoplasms; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Physiological differences between tumor and normal vasculature provide a target for drug discovery. In particular, the immature nature of tumor vasculature may render it intrinsically sensitive to disruption by agents affecting the endothelial cell cytoskeleton, including tubulin-binding agents. In this article, we report the synthesis of a water-soluble phosphate prodrug, ZD6126, of the tubulin-binding agent N-acetylcolchinol. In vitro studies demonstrate the comparative tubulin-binding properties of the prodrug and active drug, and show the induction of pronounced, reversible changes in endothelial cell morphology at subcytotoxic doses. Neither ZD6126 nor N-acetylcolchinol showed effects on the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells at concentrations below 100 micro M. In contrast, changes in endothelial cell morphology were seen at much lower, noncytotoxic concentrations (0.1 micro M) of ZD6126 and more pronounced effects were seen in proliferating versus confluent endothelial cell cultures. In vivo studies were carried out using a murine tumor model (CaNT) with single administration of a dose well below the maximum tolerated dose. These studies showed a large reduction in vascular volume, induction of extensive necrosis in tumors, and a reduced tumor cell yield in a clonal excision assay, consistent with vascular rather than cytotoxic effects. A viable rim of tumor remained after single-dose administration and minimal growth delay was observed. However, well-tolerated, multiple administration regimens led to pronounced tumor-growth delay. In the human xenograft FaDu, the growth delay given by a single dose of paclitaxel was enhanced by combination with a single dose of ZD6126, and the growth delay given by the combination was greater than the sum of the growth delays from the individual treatments. These findings show that ZD6126 is a promising antivascular agent for the treatment of solid tumors.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Cattle; Cell Survival; Colchicine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelium, Vascular; Female; Humans; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, SCID; Necrosis; Neoplasms, Experimental; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Organophosphorus Compounds; Pharyngeal Neoplasms; Prodrugs; Protein Binding; Tubulin; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

ZD6126 (ANG453) is a novel vascular targeting agent that selectively disrupts the cytoskeleton of endothelial cells in tumor. In mouse s.c. xenograft models, ZD6126 was found to induce selective occlusion of tumor blood vessels, cessation of tumor blood flow, and death of tumor cells because of the starvation of oxygen and nutrition. Here, we investigated whether ZD6126 inhibited the metastatic formation of human non-small cell lung cancer cells. PC14PE6 (adenocarcinoma) and H226 (squamous cell carcinoma) cells were injected into the tail vein of nude mice, and lung metastases were estimated. ZD6126 treatment involved either a single dose on 24 h before killing or daily doses from day 14 until the end of the experiment. Single treatment with i.p. injection of 200 mg/kg ZD6126 caused bleeding and necrotic changes in the tumor by 24 h. Histological analysis revealed that apoptotic tumor cells were markedly increased in the ZD6126-treated group. Moreover, ZD6126 induced the apoptosis of CD31-positive vascular endothelial cells in tumors but not in the normal lung parenchyma. When mice were treated daily with 100 mg/kg ZD6126 from day 14 until the end of the experiment, the lung weight was significantly less in the ZD6126-treated group than that of the control group, despite no difference in the number of metastatic nodules. These data suggest that ZD6126 could demonstrate its antitumor activity against both already established and early phase of lung cancer metastasis by causing the selective apoptosis of tumor endothelial cells and destruction of the tumor vasculature.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Apoptosis; Cell Division; Endothelium, Vascular; Growth Inhibitors; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Organophosphorus Compounds