Cross-species vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-blocking antibodies completely inhibit the growth of human tumor xenografts and measure the contribution of stromal VEGF

J Biol Chem. 2006 Jan 13;281(2):951-61. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M508199200. Epub 2005 Nov 7.

Abstract

To fully assess the role of VEGF-A in tumor angiogenesis, antibodies that can block all sources of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are desired. Selectively targeting tumor-derived VEGF overlooks the contribution of host stromal VEGF. Other strategies, such as targeting VEGF receptors directly or using receptor decoys, result in inhibiting not only VEGF-A but also VEGF homologues (e.g. placental growth factor, VEGF-B, and VEGF-C), which may play a role in angiogenesis. Here we report the identification of novel anti-VEGF antibodies, B20 and G6, from synthetic antibody phage libraries, which block both human and murine VEGF action in vitro. Their affinity-improved variants completely inhibit three human tumor xenografts in mice of skeletal muscle, colorectal, and pancreatic origins (A673, HM-7, and HPAC). Avastin, which only inhibits the tumor-derived human VEGF, is approximately 90% effective at inhibiting HM-7 and A673 growth but is <50% effective at inhibiting HPAC growth. Indeed, HPAC tumors contain more host stroma invasion and stroma-derived VEGF than other tumors. Thus, the functional contribution of stromal VEGF varies greatly among tumors, and systemic blockade of both tumor and stroma-derived VEGF is sufficient for inhibiting the growth of tumor xenografts.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Bevacizumab
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Progression
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Peptide Library
  • Protein Binding
  • Species Specificity
  • Umbilical Veins / cytology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / immunology
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Peptide Library
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Bevacizumab