New therapies in cancer treatment are focusing on multifaceted approaches to starve and kill tumors utilizing both antiangiogenic and chemotherapeutic compounds. Antineoplastic Urinary Protein (ANUP), a 32k Da protein normally secreted in human urine, has been previously described as a molecule possessing both antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. Two synthetic peptides complimentary to the N-terminus of ANUP were designed to test their ability to reproduce these beneficial effects but ultimately to provide a more useful small molecule therapeutic. The results show that the peptides reduced tumor burden by up to 70% in a nude mouse model and demonstrated the ability to inhibit blood vessel formation in a chick chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM).
Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.