Tum-1, a tumstatin fragment, gene delivery into hepatocellular carcinoma suppresses tumor growth through inhibiting angiogenesis

Int J Oncol. 2008 Jul;33(1):33-40.

Abstract

Since hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a hypervascular cancer, anti-angiogenic therapy is a promising approach to treat HCC. In the present study, we investigated the antiangiogenic and antitumor effects of tum-1, a fragment of tumstatin, gene transduction into HCC in vitro and in vivo. Tum-1 gene was cloned into a pSecTag2B mammalian expression vehicle to construct pSecTag2B-tum-1. pSecTag2B-tum-1 or vehicle were transfected into human HCC cells, PLC/PRF/5 cells stably and Huh-7 cells tran-siently. pSecTag2B-tum-1 transfection slightly repressed the proliferation of both PLC/PRF/5 and Huh-7 cells in vitro. Addition of conditioned media (CM) from tum-1 expressing PLC/PRF/5 cells significantly inhibited the spontaneous and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro with diminishing the VEGF-induced phosphorylation of both Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) that are known to mediate VEGF-induced proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. In in vivo experiments, intratumoral injection of pSecTag2B-tum-1 significantly repressed the growth of pre-established Huh-7 tumors in athymic mouse models accompanying the decreased density of CD34 positive vessels in tumors. In conclusion, our results suggest that antiangiogenic gene therapy using tum-1 gene may be an efficient strategy for the treatment of HCC.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoantigens / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood supply
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Collagen Type IV / genetics*
  • Endothelial Cells / physiology
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control*
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / physiology
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / physiology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / pharmacology

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • Collagen Type IV
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • type IV collagen alpha3 chain
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt