PubMed HealthSearch

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Angiogenesis inhibitors”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Discovery of NAT-6-321056 as a novel modulator of VEGFR2 signaling to suppress tumor angiogenesis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) is a master regulator of angiogenesis and cancer progression. However, current VEGFR2 modulators face significant challenges, including off-target toxicity and acquired resistance, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic agents with improved efficacy and safety profiles. Here, we reported that virtual screening of 39,442 natural products from the ZINC natural products-derived library, coupled with molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to evaluate the binding stability of candidate compounds, identified NAT-6-321056 as a highly promising modulator of VEGFR2 signaling. Biological evaluations demonstrated that NAT-6-321056 exerted potent inhibition on the growth of a broad spectrum of cancer cells, including both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. In EA.hy 926 endothelial cells and SK-N-DZ neuroblast cells, the compound significantly suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) confirmed direct binding of NAT-6-321056 to VEGFR2 with favorable affinity. Kinase profiling against a panel of 33 kinases indicated that NAT-6-321056 exhibited a multi-kinase modulation profile. Mechanistic studies revealed that NAT-6-321056 suppressed the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and was associated with reduced VEGFR2 phosphorylation and attenuation of the downstream ERK/JNK/AKT signaling pathways. Moreover, NAT-6-321056 exhibited robust in vivo anti-angiogenic effects in both the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay and transgenic zebrafish vascular fluorescence imaging models. Computational absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) prediction suggested acceptable drug-like properties. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that NAT-6-321056 is a promising modulator of VEGFR2 signaling with potent anti-angiogenic activity and represents a viable candidate for cancer therapy.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2

Pharmacoproteomics in the development of personalised medicine in Age-related Macular Degeneration (PHARPRO-AMD) study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among people over 55 years of age globally, being neovascular AMD (nAMD) its most aggressive form. Its treatment consists of the use of drugs that block vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). Proteomics may allow the identification of differentially expressed proteins between responders and non-responders to each anti-VEGF drug. Thus, the objective of Pharmacoproteomics in the development of personalised medicine in Age-related Macular Degeneration (PHARPRO-AMD) is to find new proteomic biomarkers, predictive of response to antiangiogenic treatment in patients with nAMD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PHARPRO-AMD is a nationwide, multicentre, prospective, observational study. Treatment-naïve patients with nAMD starting anti-VEGF therapy will be enrolled and followed up for 2 years. During this period, clinical variables will be gathered to classify treatment response. In addition, blood, tear and vitreous and aqueous humour samples will be collected and will undergo a ZenoSWATH proteomic analysis. Relevant biomarkers identified and response classification will be used to perform a multivariate logistic regression and construct receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The study is expected to identify a panel of proteomic biomarkers predictive of anti-VEGF treatment response. Integrating data from invasive and non-invasive biological samples may enhance clinical applicability. Once validated, these biomarkers could support the design of future clinical trials on biomarker-guided therapies, helping to optimise treatment regimens and improve visual outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The PHARPRO-AMD study aims to provide proof-of-concept for biomarker-guided anti-VEGF therapy in nAMD, potentially improving vision outcomes. A notable limitation is the exclusion of patients with visual acuity above 73 Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters, a criterion chosen to reduce potential ceiling effects and improve response assessment accuracy. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approved by the Galician Network of Ethics Committees, with nationwide validity. Anonymised data will be deposited in open-access repositories and published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Spanish Clinical Studies Registry (REec) (0033-2024-OBS).

Humans

Genotypes of SNPs of key genes regulate susceptibility and drug sensitivity to neovascular AMD in the human population.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the genetic characteristics of the normal control group to those of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients and to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to the pathogenesis of neovascular AMD and the sensitivity to anti-VEGF drug, combercept. METHOD: This is a prospective case-controlled study. A total of 104 neovascular AMD patients were treated with combercept and 106 normal subjects were served as the control group. SNPs associated with neovascular AMD and disease susceptibility and drug sensitivity were analysed. RESULTS: Significant differences existed between neovascular AMD patients and normal subjects among genotypes of the SNPs of two genes, ARMS2 (rs10490924 T) and HTRA 1 (rs11200638 A). The T alleles in rs1065489 of CFH and the rs2230205 of C3 significantly promoted neovascular AMD in males while having no significant effect in females. Six SNPs of five genes, including C3 (rs2250656 G), CFB (rs2072633 G), CFH (rs2274700 A, rs3766405 T), KDR (rs6828477 A) and FZD 4 (rs10898563 T), had significant impact in reducing neovascular AMD. Two SNPs of the CFH gene (rs2274700 A and rs3766405 T) and one SNP of the CFB gene, rs2072633 G, were statistically significantly associated with good response to combercept. Conversely, the other two SNPs of the CFH gene, rs1065489 T and rs3753396 G, and the rs7412 T of the APOE gene were associated with a relatively poor patient response to drug action. Two sets of SNPs of CFB have a combined positive effect on disease. The two SNPs of CFH (rs1065489 T and rs3753396 G) and the combination of the two SNPs of CFH and rs7412T of APOE have negative effects on the drug effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: These genotype differences facilitate the selection of individualised treatment options towards obtaining the most efficacious clinical treatment. These findings need to be validated by studies with different ethnic populations and/or larger samples.

Humans

The role of adjunctive aqueous suppressants for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy: A systematic review.

Our goal is to determine whether adjunctive aqueous suppressants (topical β-blockers, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, or oral acetazolamide) enhance outcomes of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for diabetic macular edema (DME), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), focusing on retinal thickness, visual acuity, injection burden, intraocular pressure (IOP), and safety. DME, RVO, and nAMD are leading causes of vision loss treated with repeated intravitreal injections, yet many eyes show persistent fluid. Aqueous suppressants are inexpensive and widely available, with potential to prolong intravitreal drug residence and improve outcomes, but their clinical value remains uncertain. Following a registered protocol, we searched 4 databases (January, 2000 toMay, 2025) for randomized and comparative studies evaluating adjunct aqueous suppressants with anti-VEGF therapy. Primary outcome was change in retinal thickness; secondary outcomes included visual acuity, injection burden, IOP, and adverse events. Risk of bias was assessed and findings synthesized narratively. Twelve studies (7 randomized trials; 495 eyes) met inclusion criteria. In DME, 3 of 4 trials showed greater thickness reduction with adjunctive dorzolamide (±timolol), although visual gains were inconsistent. In RVO, 1 trial suggested transient anatomical benefit, whereas oral acetazolamide showed no added effect. In nAMD, adjunctive dorzolamide-timolol reduced residual fluid in refractory cases without visual or treatment-sparing benefit. Topical therapy produced modest IOP reductions without serious adverse events. Adjunct aqueous suppressants may provide limited short-term anatomical benefit, particularly in DME and refractory nAMD, but consistent functional or durability effects are not found in this study. Larger, longer-term randomized studies are needed.

Humans

Evolving treatments and prognosis in Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: 20 years of progress of novel therapies.

BACKGROUND: Advancements in pharmacotherapy, including molecular targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors, have revolutionized the treatment for Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) over the past two decades. However, differences in drug approval timelines across countries raise important questions about their impact on survival rates. This study investigates trends in overall survival (OS), patient characteristics, and the association between OS improvements and the introduction of new drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective review included patients with Stage IV NSCLC treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan from 2001 to 2021. Using data from the Department of Thoracic Oncology registries, 2,555 patients were identified and categorized into four time periods: 2001-2005 (Group A), 2006-2010 (Group B), 2011-2015 (Group C), and 2016-2021 (Group D). RESULTS: While baseline characteristics remained relatively consistent, Group D had an increased proportion of elderly patients (≥ 75 years) and those with brain metastases. Additionally, the gender ratio became more balanced over time. Notably, Group D patients with EGFR mutations or ALK fusion positivity and older age demonstrated significantly longer OS. Analysis revealed steady and substantial improvements in OS across time periods (median OS: Group A, 10.68 months; Group B, 14.12 months; Group C, 16.49 months; and Group D, 25.46 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates marked improvements in survival for patients with Stage IV NSCLC, particularly in the last six years, despite the increase in brain metastases and elderly patients. This finding suggests the crucial role of novel therapies in enhancing survival outcomes.

Humans

Randomized phase-II trial of surufatinib plus FOLFOX/FOLFIRI versus FOLFOXIRI as second-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) typically involves oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based doublet chemotherapy with or without anti-angiogenic antibodies. Triplet regimens such as FOLFOXIRI have demonstrated synergy and improved efficacy as first-line therapy. Surufatinib, an oral multi-kinase inhibitor targeting VEGFR1-3, FGFR1, and CSF-1R, may enhance chemotherapy efficacy. We evaluated surufatinib combined with doublet (FOLFOX/FOLFIRI) versus triplet (FOLFOXIRI) chemotherapy as second-line treatment for mCRC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, randomized phase-II trial used Simon's minimax two-stage design. Eligible patients had mCRC progressing on or within 6 months after first-line doublet chemotherapy. Patients were randomized 1:1 to surufatinib 250 mg once daily plus either mFOLFOX6/FOLFIRI (doublet cohort, selected based on prior regimen) or FOLFOXIRI (triplet cohort). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS: From September 2021 to November 2023, 57 patients were randomized (28 per cohort after one withdrawal). In the doublet cohort, ORR was 35.7% (95% CI: 18.6-55.9), median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.4 months (95% CI: 3.8-7.0), and median overall survival (OS) was 19.0 months (95% CI: 9.2-28.8). In the triplet cohort, ORR was 39.3% (95% CI: 21.5-59.4), median PFS was 5.8 months (95% CI: 3.3-8.2), and median OS was 10.9 months (95% CI: 6.0-15.8). Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred more frequently in the triplet (71.4%) versus doublet (57.1%) cohort, with higher rates of treatment delays (89.3% versus 72.0%) and discontinuations (25.0% versus 14.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Surufatinib plus doublet chemotherapy showed encouraging antitumor activity and acceptable tolerability in second-line mCRC, warranting further evaluation in a larger randomized trial. In contrast, surufatinib plus triplet chemotherapy was associated with increased toxicity, more frequent treatment delays or discontinuations, and shorter overall survival; this combination is not recommended for further investigation in this setting.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04734249Date of registration: January 31, 2021.

Humans

Association of the Charlson Comorbidity Index With 1-Year Outcomes in Patients With Macular Edema Secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive value of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) for outcomes in patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. SUBJECTS: Patients seen between 2013 and 2023 at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, were included. All patients were >18, diagnosed with RVO (International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and 10 codes), had a complete CCI score, and had at least 1 year of ophthalmic follow-up data after their first intravitreal injection (baseline). Patients with ocular surgery, trauma, or panretinal photocoagulation were excluded. METHODS: Age-adjusted CCI scores were calculated for each patient from chart review. For patients with bilateral RVO, one eye was selected randomly. Patients were stratified into tertiles by CCI distribution: tertile 1 (CCI 0-5; mean 3.4), tertile 2 (age-CCI 4.1-6; mean 4.9), and tertile 3 (CCI &#x2265; 8; mean 9.6). Multivariable linear regression was performed to determine the predictive value of CCI and other covariates on visual and anatomical outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 972 patients met all criteria, with an average age-adjusted CCI score of 6.2. Each one-point increase in CCI predicted 0.38 fewer letters in BCVA at follow-up (P < .001). Baseline BCVA was a significant predictor of follow-up BCVA in all tertiles (P < .001). In the third tertile, each one-point increase in CCI was associated with a 0.72 letter reduction in follow-up BCVA (P < .001). For CST, baseline CST was strongly predictive of final CST (P < .001), while CCI was only significant in the first tertile, where each point increase in CCI predicted a 13.7 &#xb5;m increase in CST (P = .02). In RVO subtype interaction models, the age-adjusted CCI &#xd7; CRVO interaction was not statistically significant for either 1-year BCVA (P = .269) or 1-year CST (P = .695). CONCLUSIONS: Higher CCI scores are significantly associated with worse visual outcomes in patients with RVO, particularly in the combined population and most comorbid patients (tertile 3). CCI was significantly associated with higher (thicker) CST only among the least comorbid patients (tertile 1).

Humans

Rates, Timing, and Predictors of Retreatment Across Risk-Cohorts in Retinopathy of Prematurity: Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection Versus Laser.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize rates, timing, and predictors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) retreatment among infants treated with primary laser or intravitreal bevacizumab injection. DESIGN: Retrospective consecutive, comparative clinical study. PARTICIPANTS: Infants who underwent initial treatment for treatment-warranted ROP (TW-ROP) with either intravitreal bevacizumab or laser photocoagulation between 2017 and 2023. METHODS: Patients were stratified into two treatment groups: primary laser group vs primary bevacizumab group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Retreatment within the first 3 months (0-90 days) was assessed and classified as early (&#x2264;30 days) or late (31-90 days). RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty eight eyes of 122 infants were treated for ROP; of those, 181 (76.1%) eyes of 93 (76.2%) patients were included. There were 116 (64.1%) eyes in the bevacizumab group, and 65 (35.9%) eyes in the laser group. Thirty-three (18.2%) eyes-all micro- or nano-premature (<27 weeks GA and/or <800 grams)-required retreatment for TW-ROP. Sixteen (8.8%) required early retreatment at a median postmenstrual age (PMA) of 40.4 weeks (IQR, 38.44-43.3). There were differences in the proportion of early retreated infants (21.5% for laser vs 1.7% for injection, P < .001). Seventeen (9.4%) eyes required late retreatment. The median PMA at late retreatment was 45.6 weeks (IQR, 43.7-47.4). Infants in the bevacizumab group had lower odds of retreatment within three months than those with laser (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06-0.82). Similarly, patients in the bevacizumab group had lower odds of requiring early retreatment compared to those with laser (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.04-0.18). Within eyes with retreatment, infants in the bevacizumab group had a later PMA at retreatment than those in the laser group (B = 6.81; 95% CI: 4.68-8.93). AROP was associated with earlier PMA at retreatment (B = -7.72; 95% CI, -9.36 to -6.10). CONCLUSION: In this study, early retreatment was low (8.8%), with most eyes initially treated with laser (21.5%) rather than bevacizumab (1.7%). Aggressive ROP was associated with earlier retreatment, highlighting its role as a marker of more severe disease. Compared to laser, bevacizumab was associated with lower overall and early retreatment, and delayed need for additional intervention when necessary. All retreatments occurred in micro- or nano-premature infants, suggesting that medium-to-low risk infants may require less strict post-treatment monitoring.

Humans

Aflibercept With Versus Without Reduced-Fluence Photodynamic Therapy for Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: Optical Coherence Tomography Angiographic Changes From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To report the longitudinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) changes in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy or in combination with reduced-fluence PDT. DESIGN: Image analysis of a double-masked, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial. SUBJECTS: 55 eyes of 55 treatment-na&#xef;ve participants with symptomatic macular PCV completing 52 weeks of follow-up. METHODS: Participants underwent protocolized, multimodal imaging, including OCT, OCTA, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography at baseline, week 12, and week 52. Quantitative OCTA parameters included total lesion area, branching neovascular network (BNN) area, and BNN vessel density (VD). Qualitative features included trunk vessel presence and OCTA signal within the polypoidal lesion (PL). Eyes were categorized by treatment arm and PL closure at week 52. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Longitudinal OCTA changes and predictors of PL closure at week 52. RESULTS: We included 55 eyes (28 combination therapy and 27 monotherapy). Total lesion area decreased at week 12 but returned toward baseline at week 52 (combination: 3.72 &#xb1; 3.01mm2 at baseline, 2.86 &#xb1; 2.50mm2 at week 12, 3.59 &#xb1; 3.26mm2 at week 52; monotherapy: 3.77 &#xb1; 2.23mm2 at baseline, 3.27 &#xb1; 2.36mm2 at week 12, and 3.47 &#xb1; 2.58mm2 at week 52). BNN area decreased at week 12 and remained reduced at week 52 in both treatment arms (combination: 2.29 &#xb1; 2.08 mm2 at baseline, 1.46 &#xb1; 1.36mm2 at week 12, and 1.53 &#xb1; 1.32mm2 at week 52; monotherapy: 2.39 &#xb1; 1.85mm2 at baseline, 1.87 &#xb1; 1.68mm2 at week 12, and 1.82 &#xb1; 1.38mm2 at week 52). BNN VD reduction was greater in the combination arm at week 12 (-10 &#xb1; 15% vs - 3 &#xb1; 12%, P = .02). The proportion of eyes with trunk vessels increased over time in both arms (combination: 35.7% at baseline, 59.3% at week 12, and 67.8% at week 52; monotherapy: 25.9% at baseline, 44.4% at week 12, and 71.4% at week 52). In multivariable analysis, baseline BCVA predicted BCVA change at week 52 (&#x3b2;=-0.96 [-1.21 to -0.72], P < .01), and baseline CST predicted CST change (&#x3b2;=0.93 [0.75 to 1.10], P < .01). Greater reduction in BNN VD at week 12 was independently associated with PL closure at week 52 (OR 0.62 [0.39 to 0.97], P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Early reduction in BNN vessel density, rather than reduction in lesion size, was associated with subsequent PL closure. OCTA-derived vascular changes may serve as noninvasive biomarkers for predicting treatment response in PCV.

Humans

Inhibitor of DNA binding-1 is a key regulator of cancer cell vasculogenic mimicry.

Solid tumours routinely access the blood supply by promoting endothelium-dependent angiogenesis; but tumour vasculature can also be formed by cancer cells themselves via vasculogenic mimicry (VM). Investigation of the gene expression profile during the early stages of VM formation by MDA-MB-231-LM2 breast cancer cells identified the transcriptional regulator inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1) to be elevated ~&#x2009;10-fold within the first 2&#x2009;hours. This role for ID1 in promoting VM was supported by ID1 genetic knockdown or chemical inhibition interrupting VM formation by MDA-MB-231-LM2 (breast) and BxPC-3 (pancreatic) cancer cells. More specifically, reducing ID1 lowered cancer cell expression of endothelial cell genes (e.g. CDH5, TIE2) and production of pro-angiogenic proteins (e.g. VEGF, CD31, MMP9 and IL-8). In silico analysis of MDA-MB-231 cells engrafted into mice identified elevated ID1 expression in cancer cells that had metastasised to the lungs or liver, and an enrichment of pro-angiogenic genes. Additionally, Id1 knockdown in 4T1.13 murine breast cancer cells demonstrated reduced tumour growth and metastasis in&#xa0;vivo. Taken together, this study further implicates ID1 in a vascular program within cancer cells that supports disease progression.

Humans

[Tumor angiogenesis factor and its possible utilization].

A brief survey of the literature data on tumor angiogenic factor stimulating intratumor growth of new vessels is given. Under consideration is the possibility to use inhibitors of the factor, in particular antibodies against it, to suppress tumor growth. Also, it is suggested to use tumor angiogenic factor for revascularization of infarction and ischemic tissues, especially in myocardial ischemia.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents

Inhibition of lymphocyte-induced angiogenesis by enzymatically isolated rabbit cornea cells.

Corneal and kidney cells were isolated from adult rabbits by enzymatic digestion. The were tested for anti-angiogeneic activity by the lymphocyte-induced angiogenesis assay. In this assay an intradermal injection of semi-allogeneic lymphocytes resulted in a new blood vessel formation visible after three days at the injection site. Isolated rabbit cells were mixed in 1:10 ratio with murine lymphocytes and injected into 600 R X-ray irradiated mice. Number of newly formed blood vessels evoked by lymphocytes injected alone or with rabbit cells added was counted. Corneal cells but not kidney cells decreased angiogenesis evoked by lymphocytes. This finding is discussed in view of corneal avascularity and pathological neo-vascularization.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents

WNK1-OSR1 Signaling Regulates Angiogenesis-Mediated Metastasis towards Developing a Combinatorial Anti-Cancer Strategy.

Lysine-deficient protein kinase-1 (WNK1) is critical for both embryonic angiogenesis and tumor-induced angiogenesis. However, the downstream effectors of WNK1 during these processes remain ambiguous. In this study, we identified that oxidative stress responsive 1b (osr1b) is upregulated in endothelial cells in both embryonic and tumor-induced angiogenesis in zebrafish, accompanied by downregulation of protein phosphatase 2A (pp2a) subunit ppp2r1bb. In addition, wnk1a and osr1b are upregulated in two liver cancer transgenic fish models: [tert x p53-/-] and [HBx,src,p53-/-,RPIA], while ppp2r1bb is downregulated in [tert x p53-/-]. Furthermore, using HUVEC endothelial cells co-cultured with HepG2 hepatoma cells, we confirmed that WNK1 plays a critical role in the induction of hepatoma cell migration in both endothelial cells and hepatoma cells. Moreover, overexpression of OSR1 can rescue the reduced cell migration caused by shWNK1 knockdown in HUVEC cells, indicating OSR1 is downstream of WNK1 in endothelial cells promoting hepatoma cell migration. Overexpression of PPP2R1A can rescue the increased cell migration caused by WNK1 overexpression in HepG2, indicating that PPP2R1A is a downstream effector in hepatoma. The combinatorial treatment with WNK1 inhibitor (WNK463) and OSR1 inhibitor (Rafoxanide) plus oligo-fucoidan via oral gavage to feed [HBx,src,p53-/-,RPIA] transgenic fish exhibits much more significant anticancer efficacy than Regorafenib for advanced HCC. Importantly, oligo-fucoidan can reduce the cell senescence marker-IL-1&#x3b2; expression. Furthermore, oligo-fucoidan reduces the increased cell senescence-associated &#x3b2;-galactosidase activity in tert transgenic fish treated with WNK1-OSR1 inhibitors. Our results reveal the WNK1-OSR1-PPP2R1A axis plays a critical role in both endothelial and hepatoma cells during tumor-induced angiogenesis promoting cancer cell migration. By in vitro and in vivo experiments, we further uncover the molecular mechanisms of WNK1 and its downstream effectors during tumor-induced angiogenesis. Targeting WNK1-OSR1-mediated anti-angiogenesis and anti-cancer activity, the undesired inflammation response caused by inhibiting WNK1-OSR1 can be attenuated by the combination therapy with oligo-fucoidan and may improve the efficacy.

Animals

Tumour angiogenesis factor (TAF) and its neutralisation by a xenogeneic antiserum.

Tumour angiogenesis factor (TAF) has been extracted from a variety of animal and human tumours. Its ability to induce neovascularization in two bioassays, viz. rat air-sac and chick chorioallantoic membrane, is demonstrated. Similar extracts from normal tissues fail to induce angiogenesis. TAF extracts have been used to raise a xenogeneic antiserum, the specificity of which was investigated using classical immunological methods. Its ability to neutralize the biological activity of TAF using the two in vivo assays, was also demonstrated.

Allantois

A 3D in vitro co-culture model to investigate tumor-endothelial interactions in Neurofibromatosis type 2-associated meningiomas.

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2)-associated meningiomas and schwannomas are vascular tumors, and while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition with bevacizumab has benefited some NF2-related schwannomas, most NF2-associated meningiomas remain nonresponsive. METHODS: Leveraging our transcriptomic data, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) analysis comparing NF2-deficient meningioma cells with NF2-expressing arachnoid cells (ACs). We then established a 3D in vitro angiogenesis model by co-culturing NF2-null meningioma cells with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Endothelial sprouting was assessed by CD31/PECAM immunostaining. Effects of third-generation mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-selective inhibitor RMC-6272 as well as APLN knock-out using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing were also examined. RESULTS: GO analysis identified vascular development among the top significantly upregulated pathways in NF2-deficient cells. In 3D co-culture, ECs formed radially sprouting tube-like networks from the spheroid surface, and our data supports an angiogenesis phenotype driven by meningioma cells. Given these results along with hyperactivation of mTORC1 upon NF2-deficiency, we examined whether RMC-6272 disrupts meningioma-driven angiogenesis. RMC-6272 potently suppressed EC sprouting. Cross-referencing baseline transcriptomic data, we identified Apelin (APLN), the ligand for APLN receptor (APLNR), as a basally upregulated angiogenic factor in NF2-deficient meningiomas. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed increased APLN expression in NF2-null immortalized and patient-derived meningioma lines, with reduced expression upon mTORC1 inhibition. Apelin-13 stimulation enhanced sprouting, whereas APLN deletion reduced endothelial sprouting. CONCLUSIONS: Here we establish a 3D-tumoroid model and implicate tumor-derived Apelin as an important contributor to NF2-associated meningioma angiogenesis. Our data also suggest that APLN expression is regulated, at least in part, by mTORC1. Together, these results provide a preclinical platform for investigating angiogenic vulnerabilities beyond VEGF in NF2-deficient meningiomas.

3D tumoroid model