Blockade of her2/neu decreases VEGF expression but does not alter HIF-1 distribution in experimental Wilms tumor

Oncol Rep. 2003 Sep-Oct;10(5):1271-4.

Abstract

Her2/neu regulates angiogenesis in human breast cancer, in part by stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha), causing accumulation of the HIF-1 heterodimer and thus increasing expression of the proangiogenic cytokine VEGF. Her2/neu has recently been shown to be overexpressed in a subset of Wilms tumors. Using her2/neu (+) and her2/neu (-) Wilms tumor cell lines, we tested the effect of blocking anti-her2/neu antibody in vitro and in vivo. Blocking antibody did not alter VEGF expression in vitro, but decreased expression of VEGF in her2/neu (+) Wilms tumor xenografts. Tumor suppression was less marked than in parallel experiments using agents directly blocking VEGF. HIF-1alpha immunostaining was not altered in her2/neu (+) xenografts exposed to blocking antibody. These results suggest that her2/neu contributes to Wilms tumor angiogenesis in vivo by regulating VEGF, but other processes may act to rescue HIF-1alpha and thus to support tumor growth in this system.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / physiology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription Factors*
  • Trastuzumab
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / biosynthesis*
  • Wilms Tumor / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HIF1A protein, human
  • Hif1a protein, mouse
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab