Vascular targeting tumor therapy: non-invasive contrast enhanced ultrasound for quantitative assessment of tumor microcirculation.

The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess tumor microcirculation upon vascular targeting tumor therapy by non-destructive contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and to validate this technology by correlation with high-resolution intravital fluorescence microscopy (IVM). Subcutaneous Lewis Lung carcinomas (LLC-1) carcinomas were established in mice. A-MEL-3 melanomas were grown in dorsal skinfold chambers of hamsters to permit bimodal imaging of tumor microcirculation by CEUS and IVM.

Vascular targeting by EndoTAG-1 enhances therapeutic efficacy of conventional chemotherapy in lung and pancreatic cancer.

Cationic lipid complexed paclitaxel (EndoTAG-1) is a novel vascular targeting agent for the treatment of cancer. Here, the aim was to investigate intratumoral drug distribution after EndoTAG-1 therapy and analyze the impact of EndoTAG-1 scheduling on antitumoral efficacy. The therapeutic effect of EndoTAG-1 in combination with conventional gemcitabine or cisplatin therapy was evaluated in L3.

Static magnetic fields impair angiogenesis and growth of solid tumors in vivo.

Exposure to static magnetic fields (SMFs) results in a reduced blood flow in tumor vessels as well as in activation and adherence of platelets. Whether this phenomenon may have a significant functional impact on tumors has not been investigated as yet. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of prolonged exposure to SMFs on tumor angiogenesis and growth.

Contrast enhanced MRI and intravital fluorescence microscopy indicate improved tumor microcirculation in highly vascularized melanomas upon short-term anti-VEGFR treatment.

Anti-angiogenic therapy by blocking VEGF signalling combined with standard chemotherapy is a novel strategy for clinical cancer treatment. The mechanisms for enhanced antitumoral effects are still a matter of controversial debate. Tumor vessel "normalization" upon anti-angiogenic therapy leading to improved drug delivery has been proposed as possible mechanism.

Static magnetic fields induce blood flow decrease and platelet adherence in tumor microvessels.

Red blood cell flow in capillaries is reduced during exposure to strong static magnetic fields (SMFs). Intratumoral microcirculation is characterized by tortuous microvessels with chaotic architecture and by irregular, sluggish blood flow with unstable rheology. It was the aim of this study to analyze SMF exposure effects on tumor microcirculation with regard to interactions of corpuscular blood components with tumor microvessel walls.

Cationic lipid complexed camptothecin (EndoTAG-2) improves antitumoral efficacy by tumor vascular targeting.

Neo-vascular targeting by cationic colloidal carriers enables to realize an innovative approach for tumor therapy. EndoTag-2 is a novel vascular targeting agent, comprising the mammalian topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin in its carboxylate form complexed to cationic lipid (cationic lipid complexed camptothecin). Here we studied tumor vascular targeting properties, antitumoral effects and mode of action of EndoTag-2.

Cooperative signaling between cytokine receptors and the glucocorticoid receptor in the expansion of erythroid progenitors: molecular analysis by expression profiling.

Erythroid progenitors undergo renewal (proliferation without apparent differentiation) in response to erythropoietin (Epo), stem cell factor (SCF), and glucocorticoids (dexamethasone) (Dex). SCF and Dex cooperate with Epo to promote proliferation and inhibit differentiation of erythroid progenitors, while Epo alone is required to protect erythroid cells from apoptosis during terminal red cell maturation. To examine the mechanism of the synergistic interactions of Epo, SCF, and Dex, we analyzed gene expression patterns using DNA chip-based large-scale comparative gene profiling using microarrays enriched in hematopoietic transcripts or containing randomly selected genes.

Induction of short interspersed nuclear repeat-containing transcripts in epithelial cells upon infection with a chicken adenovirus.

Chicken embryo lethal orphan adenovirus (CELO) is used as a vector for expression of exogenous genes in mammalian cells. Here, we analyzed transcriptional alterations in mouse epithelial host cells following infection with CELO using cDNA microarray analysis. Sequence data characterization revealed that a major portion of CELO-induced genes contained short interspersed nuclear elements of the B2 subclass (B2 SINEs).