Endostatin specifically targets both tumor blood vessels and lymphatic vessels

Antitumor Properties of Matrikines of Different Origins: Prospects and Problems of Their Application

Matrikines (MKs) can be a rich source of functional nutrition components and additional therapy, thereby contributing to human health care and reducing the risk of developing serious diseases, including cancer. Currently, functionally active MKs as products of enzymatic transformation by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are used for various biomedical purposes. Due to the absence of toxic side effects, low species specificity, relatively small size, and presence of various targets at the cell membranes, MKs often exhibit antitumor properties and, therefore, are promising agents for antitumor combination therapy. This review summarizes and analyzes the current data on the antitumor activity of MKs of different origins, discusses the problems and prospects for their therapeutic use, and evaluates the experimental results of studying the antitumor properties of MKs from different echinoderm species generated with the help of a complex of proteolytic enzymes from red king crab Paralithodes camtschatica. Special attention is paid to the analysis of possible mechanisms of the antitumor action of various functionally active MKs, products of the enzymatic activity of various MMPs, and the existing problems for their use in antitumor therapy.

Synergy of Polydopamine Nanovaccine and Endostar Alginate Hydrogel for Improving Antitumor Immune Responses Against Colon Tumor

BACKGROUND

Tumor immunotherapy, a novel type of therapeutic treatment, has a wide range of applications with potentially prolonged benefits. However, current immunotherapy has a low overall response rate in treating a variety of tumors. Combination of immunotherapy with other therapies can improve the therapeutic response rates. The purpose of this work was to explore the potential of anti-angiogenic treatment in combination with tumor cell lysate loaded polydopamine nanoparticle vaccine as a therapeutic strategy for colon tumor.

METHODS

We grafted tumor cell lysate onto polydopamine nanoparticles as nano-vaccine (TCLN) and fabricated alginate hydrogel loaded with Endostar (EH), then detected characteristics of EH and TCLN. We also estimated the cytotoxicity of EH/TCLN in vitro. In the tumor-bearing mouse model, we evaluated the antitumor effect of EH/TCLN treatment, and developed the animal survival study. After performing the EH/TCLN treatment, we also analyzed T cells and DCs using flow cytometry, and determined T cell responses and tumor microenvironmental cytokines. At last, we assessed the effect of the EH/TCLN treatment on anti-angiogenesis further.

RESULTS

When applied in combination with TCLN in MC-38 tumor-bearing mice, EH/TCLN significantly suppressed tumor growth with more than half of the mice showing tumor regression. In addition, EH/TCLN treatment resulted in noticeable changes in the tumor microenvironment. As compared with the control group, EH/TCLN treatment led to significantly reduced tumor angiogenesis and expression of tumor microenvironment-related cytokines (TMCs), increased proportion of CD8⁺ T cells in the spleen, lymph node and tumor, elevated activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and tumor cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that the EH/TCLN treatment effectively created a favorable immune microenvironment for the induction of antitumor immunity and improved antitumor immune responses.

Matrix metalloproteinases participation in the metastatic process and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate from the initial phases of cancer onset to the settlement of a metastatic niche in a second organ. Their role in cancer progression is related to their involvement in the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and in the regulation and processing of adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins, growth factors, chemokines and cytokines. MMPs participation in cancer progression makes them an attractive target for cancer therapy. MMPs have also been used for theranostic purposes in the detection of primary tumor and metastatic tissue in which a particular MMP is overexpressed, to follow up on therapy responses, and in the activation of cancer cytotoxic pro-drugs as part of nano-delivery-systems that increase drug concentration in a specific tumor target. Herein, we review MMPs molecular characteristics, their synthesis regulation and enzymatic activity, their participation in the metastatic process, and how their functions have been used to improve cancer treatment.

Effect of VEGF-C siRNA and endostatin on ring formation and proliferation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma lymphatic endothelial cells

Objective

To study the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor C small interfering RNA and endostatin on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-related ring formation in vitro and proliferation of lymphatic endothelial cells.

Materials and methods

KYSE150 cells were subjected to analysis of cell transfection and endostatin operation. The groups were as follows: negative group, blank group, negative plus endostatin group, endostatin group, SG1 group, SG2 group, SG1 plus endostatin group, and SG2 plus endostatin group. The esophageal cancer-related microlymphatic endothelial cells were three-dimensionally cultured. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was employed to detect cell proliferation.

Results

The negative group’s three-dimensional culture result was the highest, followed by the blank group, negative plus endostatin group, endostatin group, SG2 group, SG1 group, SG1 plus endostatin group, and SG2 plus endostatin group. The quantity of living cells in the blank group was the highest, followed by the negative control, endostatin, SG2, SG1, negative plus endostatin, SG1 plus endostatin, and SG2 plus endostatin groups.

Conclusion

Both vascular endothelial growth factor C small interfering RNA and endostatin could inhibit ring formation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and proliferation of lymphatic endothelial cells.

2,3,7,8 Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced RNA abundance changes identify Ackr3, Col18a1, Cyb5a and Glud1 as candidate mediators of toxicity

2,3,7,8 Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an aromatic, long-lived environmental contaminant. While the pathogenesis of TCDD-induced toxicity is poorly understood, it has been shown that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is required. However, the specific transcriptomic changes that lead to toxic outcomes have not yet been identified. We previously identified a panel of 33 genes that respond to TCDD treatment in two TCDD-sensitive rodent species. To identify genes involved in the onset of hepatic toxicity, we explored 25 of these in-depth using liver from two rat strains: the TCDD-resistant Han/Wistar (H/W) and the TCDD-sensitive Long–Evans (L–E). Time course and dose–response analyses of mRNA abundance following TCDD insult indicate that eight genes are similarly regulated in livers of both strains of rat, suggesting that they are not central to the severe L–E-specific TCDD-induced toxicities. The remaining 17 genes exhibited various divergent mRNA abundances between L–E and H/W strains after TCDD treatment. Several genes displayed a biphasic response where the initial response to TCDD treatment was followed by a secondary response, usually of larger magnitude in L–E liver. This secondary response was most often an exaggeration of the original TCDD-induced response. Only cytochrome b5 type A (microsomal) (Cyb5a) had equivalent TCDD sensitivity to the prototypic AHR-responsive cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily a, polypeptide 1 (Cyp1a1), while six genes were less sensitive. Four genes showed an early inter-strain difference that was sustained throughout most of the time course (atypical chemokine receptor 3 (Ackr3), collagen, type XVIII, alpha 1 (Col18a1), Cyb5a and glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1)), and of those genes examined in this study, are most likely to represent genes involved in the pathogenesis of TCDD-induced hepatotoxicity in L–E rats.

Inhibition of Corneal Neovascularization by Subconjunctival Injection of Fc-Endostatin, a Novel Inhibitor of Angiogenesis

We assessed the antiangiogenic effects of subconjunctival injection of Fc-endostatin (FcE) using a human vascular endothelial growth factor-induced rabbit corneal neovascularization model. Angiogenesis was induced in rabbit corneas through intrastromal implantations of VEGF polymer implanted 2 mm from the limbus. NZW rabbits were separated into groups receiving twice weekly subconjunctival injections of either saline; 25 mg/mL bevacizumab; 2 mg/mL FcE; or 20 mg/mL FcE. Corneas were digitally imaged at 5 time points. An angiogenesis index (AI) was calculated (vessel length (mm) × vessel number score) for each observation. All treatment groups showed a significant decrease in the vessel length and AI compared to saline on all observation days (P < 0.001). By day 15, FcE 2 inhibited angiogenesis significantly better than FcE 20 (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between FcE 2 and BV, although the values trended towards significantly increased inhibition by BV. BV was a significantly better inhibitor than FcE 20 by day 8 (P < 0.01). FcE was safe and significantly inhibited new vessel growth in a rabbit corneal neovascularization model. Lower concentration FcE 2 exhibited better inhibition than FcE 20, consistent with previous FcE studies referencing a biphasic dose-response curve. Additional studies are necessary to further elucidate the efficacy and clinical potential of this novel angiogenesis inhibitor.

Pharmacokinetics of PEGylated recombinant human endostatin (M2ES) in rats

AIM

M2ES is PEGylated recombinant human endostatin. In this study we investigated the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion of M2ES in rats.

METHODS

(125)I-radiolabeled M2ES was administered to rats by intravenous bolus injection at 3 mg/kg. The pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of M2ES were investigated using the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitation method.

RESULTS

The serum M2ES concentration-time curve after a single intravenous dose of 3 mg/kg in rats was fitted with a non-compartment model. The pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated as follows: Cmax=28.3 μg·equ/mL, t1/2=71.5 h, AUC(0-∞)=174.6 μg·equ·h/mL, Cl=17.2 mL·h(-1)·kg(-1), MRT=57.6 h, and Vss=989.8 mL/kg for the total radioactivity; Cmax=30.3 μg·equ/mL, t1/2=60.1 h, AUC(0-∞)=146.2 μg·equ·h/mL, Cl=20.6 mL·h(-1)·kg(-1), MRT=47.4 h, and Vss=974.6 mL/kg for the TCA precipitate radioactivity. M2ES was rapidly and widely distributed in various tissues and showed substantial deposition in kidney, adrenal gland, lung, spleen, bladder and liver. The radioactivity recovered in the urine and feces by 432 h post-dose was 71.3% and 8.3%, respectively. Only 0.98% of radioactivity was excreted in the bile by 24 h post-dose.

CONCLUSION

PEG modification substantially prolongs the circulation time of recombinant human endostatin and effectively improves its pharmacokinetic behavior. M2ES is extensively distributed in most tissues of rats, including kidney, adrenal gland, lung, spleen, bladder and liver. Urinary excretion was the major elimination route for M2ES.

Pleural synovial sarcoma patient treated with combined chemotherapy and Endostar, plus sunitinib maintenance therapy: A case report and review of the literature

Synovial sarcoma is a rare, highly malignant soft-tissue tumor that occurs primarily in the extremities. At present, there is no effective clinical treatment for this condition. The present study reports the case of a 49-year-old male who was diagnosed with pleural synovial sarcoma and treated with recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) combined with chemotherapy for a total of six cycles, followed by sunitinib maintenance therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported use of sunitinib for maintenance therapy in pleural synovial sarcoma. The patient survived for 25 months after the recurrence of the disease following surgery. The results indicate that this combination therapy was effective in the treatment of pleural synovial sarcoma. The present study also briefly reviews the literature on pleural synovial sarcoma, and the features and treatments for this rare case are discussed.

Correlation of serum levels of endostatin with tumor stage in gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the association between serum endostatin levels and gastric cancer (GC) progression. Method. We searched the MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Current Contents Index, and several Chinese databases for published studies relevant to our study topic. Carefully selected studies were pooled and SMD and its corresponding 95% CI were calculated. Version 12.0 STATA software was used for statistical analysis. Results. Serum endostatin levels were analyzed in 12 case-control studies (736 GC patients and 350 controls). Significant differences in serum endostatin levels were observed between GC patients and the healthy controls (SMD = 1.418, 95% CI = 1.079~1.757, P < 0.001). Importantly, significantly lower levels of serum endostatin were found in I-II grade patients compared to those with III-IV grade tumors (P < 0.001). Further, higher serum endostatin levels were observed in the LN invasion-positive GC subjects in comparison with LN invasion-negative subjects (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Patients with GC exhibited elevated levels of serum endostatin than controls and its level showed a statistical correlation with the more aggressive type of GC, exhibiting invasion and LN metastasis. Thus, serum levels of endostatin being a useful prognostic biomarker for GC patients warrants further investigation.

Prognostic role of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the relationship between clinicopathological features and lymph node metastasis and to propose the potential indications of lymph node metastasis for prognosis in early gastric cancer (EGC) patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively observed 226 EGC patients with lymph node resection, and analyzed the associations between lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological parameters using the chi-square test in univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis in multivariate analysis. Overall survival analysis was determined using the Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test. We conducted multivariate prognosis analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Of all the EGC patients, 7.5% (17/226) were histologically shown to have lymph node metastasis. The differentiation, lymphovascular invasion and depth of invasion were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in EGC. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were significantly lower in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without and the patients also had shorter progress-free survival time. Lymph node metastasis and tumor size were independent prognostic factors for EGC. The status of the lymph nodes was a significant factor in predicting recurrence or metastasis after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The undifferentiated carcinoma and lymphovascular and/or submucosal invasion were associated with a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis in EGC patients, whom need to perform subsequent D2 lymphadenectomy or laparoscopic lymph node dissection and more rigorous follow-up or additional chemotherapy/radiation after D2 gastrectomy for poor prognosis and high recurrence/metastasis rate.