Downregulation of angiogenic factors in Ewing tumor xenografts by the combination of human interferon-alpha or interferon-beta with ifosfamide

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec:1030:170-8. doi: 10.1196/annals.1329.022.

Abstract

Ewing sarcoma is the second most common bone tumor in childhood. Despite aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the prognosis of metastatic disease remains poor. In a nude mouse model of Ewing tumor xenografts, we recently showed that human type I interferons (IFNs) inhibit the growth of established xenografts. Combined therapy with human IFNs and ifosfamide (IFO), an alkylating agent widely used in high-dose chemotherapy of Ewing tumors, results in a strong synergistic antitumor effect. We have investigated the effect of IFNs/IFO treatment on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), three key mediators of tumor growth and angiogenesis, in tumor xenografts generated either from a primary tumor (EW7) or from a metastatic tumor (COH). COH tumors expressed 5-fold higher levels of VEGF than EW7 tumors. IFNs/IFO treatment reduced by >70% the amount of VEGF in COH and EW7 tumors. We did not detect constitutive MMP-9 activity in EW7 tumors. In contrast, the metastasis-derived COH tumor expressed very high levels of active MMP-9. Although the total amount of MMP-9 remained unchanged, active MMP-9 was reduced by up to 75% in IFNs/IFO-treated COH tumors. IFNs/IFO treatment triggered in both COH and EW7 tumors the downregulation of uPAR expression, a molecule involved in vascularization and endothelial cell migration. Our results partly explain the mechanism of tumor growth inhibition by IFNs/IFO therapy and provide a rational foundation for the development of a new therapeutic approach to Ewing tumors resistant to conventional chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ifosfamide / administration & dosage
  • Ifosfamide / pharmacology*
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
  • Interferon-alpha / pharmacology*
  • Interferon-beta / administration & dosage
  • Interferon-beta / pharmacology*
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / genetics
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / enzymology
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / metabolism*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / pathology
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
  • DNA Primers
  • Interferon-alpha
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Interferon-beta
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
  • Ifosfamide