Abstract
Paclitaxel (Taxol), a promoter of microtubule polymerization and a radiosensitizing agent, is one of the more active anticancer drugs in the current treatment of solid tumors. In this study, we show that paclitaxel possesses an antiangiogenic property associated with a down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a highly-vascularized transgenic murine breast cancer (Met-1). Paclitaxel, at non-cytotoxic doses of 0, 3 and 6 mg/kg/day, was administered intraperitoneally for 5 days to nude mice bearing the Met-1 breast tumor. Extent of intratumoral angiogenesis, as indicated by microvessel tortuosity and microvessel density, was significantly reduced by paclitaxel in a dose-dependent manner. Paclitaxel also suppressed expression of VEGF in the Met-1 cells transplanted in nude mice or maintained in cell culture. These results indicate that antiangiogenesis associated with a down-regulation of VEGF is an additional mode of action of paclitaxel.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 31-36 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 1999 |
Keywords
- Anti-angiogenesis
- Breast cancer
- Paclitaxel
- VEGF
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cancer Research
- Pharmacology
- Oncology