Chemotherapy and antiangiogenesis--drug-specific, dose-related effects

Acta Oncol. 2003;42(4):294-303. doi: 10.1080/02841860310001835.

Abstract

Dose-response effects of fluorouracil, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, cisplatin, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide and etoposide on VEGF165/164-mediated angiogenesis using the rat mesenteric-window angiogenesis assay are reported. VEGF is a pivotal pro-angiogenic factor in most tumors. Microvessel spatial extension, density, pattern formation and segment length were assessed quantitatively and objectively. A single i.v. injection of each drug was given at a low, intermediate or high dose, 7 days before sacrifice. All the drugs elicited significant responses in terms of one or more measured variables. Only paclitaxel, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide significantly suppressed the overall angiogenic response (p < or = 0.0001, p < or = 0.0002 and p < or = 0.05, respectively), however. Taking toxicity into account, paclitaxel was more potent in inhibition of angiogenesis than the other agents. No clear correlation was found between drug half-life, the degree of toxic effects (in terms ofbody weight changes) and the antiangiogenic effect. The antiangiogenic effects were distinctly drug specific.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
  • Cyclophosphamide / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Endothelial Growth Factors / pharmacology
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Etoposide / pharmacology
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / pharmacology
  • Lymphokines / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mesentery / blood supply*
  • Mesentery / drug effects
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage
  • Methotrexate / pharmacology
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects*
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Paclitaxel / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Weight Gain / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Lymphokines
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Paclitaxel
  • Cisplatin
  • Fluorouracil
  • Methotrexate