Antitumor effects of 2-oxoglutarate through inhibition of angiogenesis in a murine tumor model

Cancer Sci. 2009 Sep;100(9):1639-47. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2009.01249.x. Epub 2009 Jun 22.

Abstract

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) plays essential roles in tumor angiogenesis and growth by regulating the transcription of several key genes in response to hypoxic stress and growth factors. HIF-1 is a heterodimeric transcriptional activator consisting of inducible alpha and constitutive beta subunits. In oxygenated cells, proteins containing the prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) directly sense intracellular oxygen concentrations. PHDs tag HIF-1alpha subunits for polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation by prolyl hydroxylation using 2-oxoglutarate (2-OX) and dioxygen. Our recent studies showed that 2-OX reduces HIF-1alpha, erythropoietin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the hepatoma cell line Hep3B when under hypoxic conditions in vitro. Here, we report that similar results were obtained in Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells in in vitro studies. Furthermore, 2-OX showed potent antitumor effects in a mouse dorsal air sac assay and a murine tumor xenograft model. In the dorsal air sac assay, 2-OX reduced the numbers of newly formed vessels induced by LLC cells. In a murine tumor xenograft model, intraperitoneal injection of 2-OX significantly inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis in tumor tissues. Moreover, 5-fluorouracil combined with 2-OX significantly inhibited tumor growth in this model, which was accompanied by reduction of Vegf gene expression and inhibited angiogenesis in tumor tissues. These results suggest that 2-OX is a promising anti-angiogenic therapeutic agent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / blood supply*
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / pathology
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Ketoglutaric Acids / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Melanoma, Experimental / blood supply*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Hif1a protein, mouse
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Ketoglutaric Acids
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse
  • Fluorouracil