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Antiangiogenic Treatment with the Three Thrombospondin-1 Type 1 Repeats Recombinant Protein in an Orthotopic Human Pancreatic Cancer Model

Departments of ¹ Surgery and ² Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Requests for reprints: Sareh Parangi, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Stoneman 934, Boston, MA 02215. Phone: 617-667-2442; Fax: 617-667-2978; E-mail: sparangi{at}bidmc.harvard.edu.

Purpose: This study investigates the antiangiogenesis and antitumor efficacy of a recombinant protein composed of the three type 1 repeats (3TSR) of thrombospondin-1 in an orthotopic human pancreatic cancer model and provides useful preclinical data for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Experimental Design: Human pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1) were injected into the pancreas of severe combined immunodeficient mice. The animals were treated with 3TSR (3 mg per kg per day) or PBS for 3 weeks. Subsequently, the effects of 3TSR on tumor growth, microvessel density, cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and endothelial cell apoptosis were analyzed. The in vitro effects of 3TSR on human pancreatic cancer cells were also studied.

Results: 3TSR treatment significantly reduced angiogenesis and tumor growth of orthotopic pancreatic cancer. 3TSR-treated mice had a 69% reduction in tumor volume (316.6 ± 79.3 versus 1,012.2 ± 364.5 mm³; P = 0.0001), and a significant increase in tumor necrotic area. After 3TSR treatment, both the vessel number and average microvessel size were significantly decreased, and microvessel density was decreased from 8.0% to 3.7% (P < 0.0001). The apoptotic rate of tumoral endothelial cells in 3TSR-treated tumors increased to 14.7% comparing to 4.2% in control tumors (P < 0.0001). 3TSR showed no direct effects on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation or apoptosis either in vivo or in vitro.

Conclusion: 3TSR, a domain of a natural occurring angiogenesis inhibitor, showed potent therapeutic effect in pancreatic cancer by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and may prove to be a promising agent for clinical pancreatic cancer treatment.

Key Words: angiogenesis • microvessel density • apoptosis

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