Radiation and Angiostatin Target the Tumor Vasculature: A New Paradigm for Prostate Cancer Treatment
Abstract
Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillaries from pre-existing vessels, is essential for tumor progression. This tumor endothelium is derived from normal host tissue and is genetically stable. One tumor vessel may supply as many as 10(exp 6) tumor cells. Angiostatin, a proteolytic fragment of plasminogen, inhibits angiogenesis and thereby growth of primary and metastatic tumors. Radiotherapy is important in the treatment of human cancers, but is often unsuccessful due to tumor cell radioresistance. We are investigating the effects of combined treatment of angiostatin and ionizing radiation (IR) in human prostate cancer xenografts. We increase in tumor regression and delayed regrowth in PC-3 prostate cancer cell xenografts. We also show that effect of this combined treatment is directed to the endothelial cells and not to the PC-3 cancer cells. As a beginning to understanding the mechanism of this interaction, we investigated whether the effect of angiostatin, IR, and angiostatin+IR in vitro. We conclude, therefore, that the interaction of angiostatin and IR is not mediated by apoptosis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA385342
Entities
People
- Ralph Weichselbaum
Organizations
- University of Chicago