Inhibition of Hedgehog signaling enhances delivery of chemotherapy in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Science. 2009 Jun 12;324(5933):1457-61. doi: 10.1126/science.1171362. Epub 2009 May 21.

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is among the most lethal human cancers in part because it is insensitive to many chemotherapeutic drugs. Studying a mouse model of PDA that is refractory to the clinically used drug gemcitabine, we found that the tumors in this model were poorly perfused and poorly vascularized, properties that are shared with human PDA. We tested whether the delivery and efficacy of gemcitabine in the mice could be improved by coadministration of IPI-926, a drug that depletes tumor-associated stromal tissue by inhibition of the Hedgehog cellular signaling pathway. The combination therapy produced a transient increase in intratumoral vascular density and intratumoral concentration of gemcitabine, leading to transient stabilization of disease. Thus, inefficient drug delivery may be an important contributor to chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / blood supply
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / metabolism
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Gemcitabine
  • Hedgehog Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Smoothened Receptor
  • Stromal Cells / drug effects
  • Stromal Cells / pathology
  • Veratrum Alkaloids / administration & dosage*
  • Veratrum Alkaloids / pharmacokinetics
  • Veratrum Alkaloids / therapeutic use
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Gli1 protein, mouse
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • IPI-926
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Smo protein, mouse
  • Smoothened Receptor
  • Veratrum Alkaloids
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Gemcitabine