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The antiangiogenic effect of thalidomide on occult liver metastases: An in vivo study in mice
Author(s) -
Liu Yi,
Li Hui,
Matsui Osamu
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2008.05748.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thalidomide , angiogenesis , cd34 , pathology , immunohistochemistry , in vivo , occult , stem cell , biology , alternative medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , multiple myeloma , genetics
Aim: To investigate the morphological changes of intratumoral microvessels after administration of thalidomide in occult hepatic metastases. Methods: Twenty mice with hepatic metastases created by injection of colon‐26 tumor cells into the spleen were enrolled. Ten mice were treated with thalidomide (200 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection daily from the first day after inoculation of tumor cells, and the other 10 with saline only. Fifteen days after tumor cell inoculation, the intratumoral microvessels of hepatic metastases in both groups were studied by intravital microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Results: For the control group, although the intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) and CD34 positive microvessel density (MVD‐CD34) of larger metastases (> 400 µm in diameter) were more than those of small metastases respectively ( P < 0.01), the intratumoral branch density (BD) was similar to that of small metastases ( P > 0.05). For the thalidomide treated group, despite the fact that MVD‐CD34 of larger metastases was more than that of small metastases ( P < 0.01), the MVD and BD were similar to those of small metastases respectively ( P > 0.05). The MVD, BD and MVD‐CD34 of small metastases of both groups were similar ( P > 0.05); however, those of large metastases in the thalidomide treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P < 0.01). Conclusions: Thalidomide exerts an antiangiogenic effect on occult hepatic metastases with angiogenesis only, and the different vascular components in the tumor vasculature demonstrate various responses to antiangiogenic therapy.