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Fighting Cancer with Angiogenesis Inhibitors

Once a nest of cancer cells reaches a certain size (1–2 mm in diameter), it must develop a blood supply in order to grow larger. Diffusion is no longer adequate to supply the cells with oxygen and nutrients and to take away wastes.

Cancer cells (probably like all tissues) secrete substances that promote the formation of new blood vessels - a process called angiogenesis.

Over a dozen substances have been identified that promote angiogenesis. A few examples are: Curiously, some tumors also secrete substances that inhibit angiogenesis. This explains a clinical phenomenon that has been known for decades:

This phenomenon caused Dr. Judah Folkman of Children's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School in Boston to hypothesize that a large primary tumor secretes not only stimulators of its own angiogenesis but angiogenesis inhibitors that are released into the circulation and inhibit angiogenesis - and thus further growth - of any metastases of the primary tumor.

A number of inhibitors of angiogenesis have been discovered.

Angiostatin

Angiostatin is a polypeptide of approximately 200 amino acids. It is produced by the cleavage of plasminogen, a plasma protein that is important for dissolving blood clots. Angiostatin binds to subunits of ATP synthase exposed at the surface of the cell embedded in the plasma membrane. (Before this recent discovery, ATP synthase was known only as a mitochondrial protein.)

Endostatin

Endostatin is a polypeptide of 184 amino acids. It is the globular domain found at the C-terminal of Type XVIII (18) collagen (a collagen found in blood vessels) cut off from the parent molecule.

Biological effects of angiostatin and endostatin in mice

In mice,

Other Angiogenesis Inhibitors

Epithelial cells express transmembrane proteins on their surface — called integrins — by which they anchor themselves to the extracellular matrix.

It turns out that the new blood vessels in tumors express a vascular integrin — designated alpha-v/beta-3 — that is not found on the old blood vessels of normal tissues.

Vitaxin®, a monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha-v/beta-3 vascular integrin, shrinks tumors in mice without harming them. In Phase II clinical trials in humans, Vitaxin has shown some promise in shrinking solid tumors without harmful side effects.

What does the future hold for angiogenesis inhibitors?

Although Phase II clinical trials of endostatin have begun (manufactured by recombinant DNA technology), there is some doubt whether any company is willing to invest in its continued development.

Phase I and Phase II trials are now complete for Vitaxin®, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the vascular integrin anb3 (see section above). It has shown some promise at shrinking solid tumors and only minor side effects.

Bevacizumab (Avastin®). This is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to VEGF thus keeping it from binding to its receptors. Approved by the US FDA in February 2004 for the treatment of colorectal cancers.

Trials are also scheduled to begin on a synthetic ribozyme that blocks synthesis of the VEGF receptor.

These are only a few examples of the ~60 antiangiogenesis drugs now in clinical trials.

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12 July 2005