Purpose: Chemically modified heparin-DOCA was prepared and found to have markedly lower anticoagulant activity than heparin. In the present study, we elucidated the antiangiogenic and antitumoral activities of heparin-DOCA derivative.
Methods: To evaluate the antiangiogenic and antitumoral effects of heparin-DOCA, capillary-like tube formation assay, Matrigel plug assay in vivo, western blotting for FGFR phosphorylation, ERK and p38 MAPK activities, tumor growth of SCC in vivo and immunostaining of blood vessels in tumor tissues were performed.
Results: Heparin-DOCA inhibited capillary-like tubular structures of endothelial cells and bFGF-induced neovascularizations in Matrigel plug assays. Signaling experiments showed that heparin-DOCA significantly inhibited angiogenesis by suppressing the phosphorylation of FGFR and its downstream signal pathways (ERK and p38 MAPK activities). The antiangiogenic activity of this heparin derivative was found to be closely associated with antitumoral activity in a mouse model. In addition, histological evaluations supported the inhibitory effect of heparin-DOCA on blood vessel formation in tumor tissues.
Conclusion: Heparin-DOCA derivative exerted a significant antitumoral effect by inhibiting angiogenesis resulting from the disruption of FGF/FGFR and its downstream signal pathways, and could be applied to treat various angiogenic diseases.