Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor decoy receptor FP3 exerts potent antiangiogenic effects

Mol Ther. 2012 May;20(5):938-47. doi: 10.1038/mt.2011.285. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

Abstract

The binding of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to its receptors stimulates tumor growth; therefore, modulation of VEGF would be a viable approach for antiangiogenic therapy. We constructed a series of soluble decoy receptors containing different VEGF receptor 1 (FLT1) and VEGF receptor 2 (KDR) extracellular domains fused with the Fc region of human immunoglobulin (Ig) and evaluated their antiangiogenic effects and antitumor effects. Results of in vitro binding and cell proliferation assays revealed that decoy receptor FP3 had the highest affinity to VEGF-A and -B. Compared with bevacizumab, FP3 more effectively inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and vessel sprouting from rat aortic rings. FP3 significantly reduced phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2, critical proteins in the VEGF-mediated survival pathway in endothelial cells. Moreover, FP3 inhibited tumor growth in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), breast cancer (MCF-7), and colorectal cancer (LoVo) tumor models, and reduced microvessel density in tumor tissues. The FP3-mediated inhibition of tumor growth was significantly higher than that of bevacizumab at the same dose. FP3 also demonstrated synergistic antitumor effects when combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Taken together, FP3 shows a high affinity for VEGF and produced antiangiogenic effects, suggesting its potential for treating angiogenesis-related diseases such as cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta / drug effects
  • Aorta / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / genetics
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasms / blood supply*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Solubility
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / genetics
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • FP3 VEGF receptor Fc-fusion protein
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
  • Fluorouracil