Work

Antiangiogenic cancer drug sunitinib exhibits unexpected proangiogenic effects on endothelial cells

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is an essential step for cancer progression, but antiangiogenic therapies have shown limited success. Therefore, a better understanding of the effects of antiangiogenic treatments on endothelial cells is necessary. In this study, we evaluate the changes in cell surface vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) expression on endothelial cells in culture treated with the antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug sunitinib, using quantitative flow cytometry. We find that proangiogenic VEGFR2 cell surface receptor numbers are increased with sunitinib treatment. This proangiogenic effect might account for the limited effects of sunitinib as a cancer therapy. We also find that this increase is inhibited by brefeldin A, an inhibitor of protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus. The complex dynamics of cell surface VEGFRs may be important for successful treatment of cancer with antiangiogenic therapeutics.

Source: OncoTargets and Therapy

DOI: 10.2147/ott.s65055

Authors: Kerri-Ann Norton, Niranjan Pandey, Zheyi Han, Aleksander Popel

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,836