FP3: a novel VEGF blocker with anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Vascular endothelial growth fac-tor (VEGF) serves as a logical target for antiangiogenic cancer therapy. This study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of FP3, a novel VEGF blocker, on angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo as well as anti-tumor effects ona liver cancer xenograft model in vivo.

METHODOLOGY: The inhibitory effects of FP3 on angiogenesis were assessed by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) in vitro and the chick embryo chorioallantoialc membrane (CAM) in viva. The inhibitory effect of FP3 on tumor growth in viva were evaluated in a human liver cancer cell line Hep-3B xenograft model in nude mice with the methods of tumor growth regression as-say.

RESULTS: In experiments with HUVECs, FP3 inhibit-ed cell survival and tube formation. In CAM assay, FP3 suppressed MCF-7 human breast cancer cell-induced angiogenesis. In tumor growth regression assay, FP3 significantly blocked the growth of Hep-3B tumor cellin subcutaneous tumor xenograft model in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS: FP3 has excellent inhibitory effects on angiogenesis both in vitro and in viva and antitumor effect on liver cancer xenograft model; therefore, it might be used as an effective antiangiogenic agent in treatment of liver cancer.