Phenotypic knockout of VEGF-R2 and Tie-2 with an intradiabody reduces tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jun 7;102(23):8293-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0503168102. Epub 2005 May 31.

Abstract

The endothelial cell receptor-tyrosine kinases, VEGF receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) and Tie-2, and their ligands, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietins 1 and 2, respectively, play key roles in tumor angiogenesis. Several studies suggest that the VEGF receptor pathway and the Tie-2 pathway are independent and essential mediators of angiogenesis, leading to the hypothesis that simultaneous interference with both pathways should result in additive effects on tumor growth. In this study, a human melanoma xenograft model (M21) was used to analyze the effects of simultaneous intradiabody depletion of vascular endothelial growth receptor-R2 and Tie-2 on tumor angiogenesis and tumor xenograft growth. The intradiabodies were expressed from recombinant adenovirus delivered through subtumoral injection. Blockade of both VEGF-R2 and Tie-2 pathways simultaneously or the VEGF receptor pathway alone resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis (92.2% and 74.4%, respectively). In addition, immunohistochemical staining of intradiabody-treated tumors demonstrated a decreased number of tumor-associated blood vessels versus control treatment. Previous studies with intrabodies had demonstrated that the Tie-2 receptor pathway was essential for tumor growth. The simultaneous blockade of the VEGF and Tie-2 pathways resulted in effective inhibition of tumor growth and demonstrated the potential of simultaneous targeting of multiple pathways as a therapeutic strategy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / pharmacology
  • Melanoma / blood supply*
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Melanoma / therapy
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic*
  • Phenotype
  • Rabbits
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / deficiency*
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / immunology
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / deficiency*
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / immunology
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
  • Receptor, TIE-2
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor