Anti-neovascular therapy using novel peptides homing to angiogenic vessels

Oncogene. 2002 Apr 18;21(17):2662-9. doi: 10.1038/sj.onc.1205347.

Abstract

Cancer chemotherapy targeted to angiogenic vessels is expected to cause indirect tumor regression through the damage of the neovasculature without the induction of drug resistance. To develop a tool for neovasculature-specific drug delivery, we isolated novel peptides homing to angiogenic vessels formed by a dorsal air sac method from a phage-displayed peptide library. Three distinct phage clones that markedly accumulated in murine tumor xenografts presented PRPGAPLAGSWPGTS-, DRWRPALPVVLFPLH- or ASSSYPLIHWRPWAR-peptide respectively. After the determination of the epitope sequences of these peptides, we modified liposomes with epitope penta-peptides. Liposome modified with APRPG-peptide showed high accumulation in murine tumor xenografts, and APRPG-modified liposome encapsulating adriamycin effectively suppressed experimental tumor growth. Finally, specific binding of APRPG-modified liposome to human umbilical endothelial cells, and that of PRP-containing peptide to angiogenic vessels in human tumors, i.e., islet cell tumor and glioblastoma, were demonstrated. The present study indicates the usefulness of APRPG-peptide as a tool for anti-neovascular therapy, a novel modality of cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Liposomes / metabolism
  • Lymphokines / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Melanoma, Experimental / blood supply*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides / therapeutic use*
  • Sarcoma, Experimental / blood supply*
  • Sarcoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Liposomes
  • Lymphokines
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides
  • Doxorubicin