Human menopausal and pregnant mare serum gonadotrophins in murine superovulation regimens for transgenic applications.

Superovulation is a fundamental procedure for generating transgenic rodents. While various methods exist, zygote yield/quality remain suboptimal, making these techniques open to refinement. All require a follicle stimulating and a luteinising effect. The former can be induced by pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) or other compounds like human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG). While HMG can double zygote yield compared to PMSG, no study has compared their effects on embryo quality. Embryo yield could also be increased with PMSG: timing administration at estrus may further improve follicular recruitment. This study compared: (i) the efficacy of HMG/PMSG for producing viable embryos for microinjection; and (ii) the effect of HMG/PMSG administration at estrus on embryo yield. Whitten effect-induced estrous C57/Bl6xCBA F(1) hybrid mice were superovulated as follows: PMSG (day 1; 5 IU intraperitoneally) or HMG (days 1 and 2; 1 IU intramuscularly); all received human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on day 3 (5 IU, intraperitoneally). Zygotes were retrieved following mating, morphologically assessed and microinjected with innocuous ZhAT1R construct (expressing LacZ reporter and human angiotensin II type 1 receptor) before transfer to pseudopregnant recipients. Pups were tested for the transgene by Southern blot. Neither HMG nor PMSG proved superior in improving embryo yield, morphology and short-term post-microinjection survival. However, HMG group micromanipulated embryos all failed to establish a pregnancy/generate transgenic pups, unlike their PMSG counterparts. While HMG can be used for superovulation, it appears to increase embryo vulnerability to the long-term effects of microinjection. Furthermore, the embryo yields associated with HMG can be replicated by timing PMSG injection to coincide with Whitten effect-induced estrus.

Combretastatin A-1 phosphate a novel tubulin-binding agent with in vivo anti vascular effects in experimental tumours.

In view of the clinical potential of a number of natural products, Combretastatin A-1 phosphate was developed as a water-soluble derivative of combretastatin A-1. This study examined the anti-tumour activity of this compound against an experimental colon tumour (MAC29) in mice. A comparison was made with the clinically active combretastatin A-4 phosphate. The new compound was well-tolerated up to a dose of 250 mg/kg and was more effective at producing tumour growth delays than the A-4 analogue. Significant growth delays were seen at a dose of 50 mg/kg whereas the A-4 phosphate produced no measurable growth delay until a dose of 150 mg/kg was administered. Histological examination of treated tumours indicated that combretastatin A-1 phosphate caused very severe haemorrhagic necrosis in the tumour tissue and analysis of the sections indicated that almost 94 percent of the tumour was dead within 24 hours of treatment. The mechanism of action of combretastatin A-1 phosphate appears to be similar to the A-4 phosphate in that tumour vascular shutdown occurs within 4 hours of treatment. In summary combretastatin A-1 phosphate, the water-soluble analogue of combretastatin A-1, is more potent against a well-vascularised murine colon tumour than its predecessor, combretastatin A-4 phosphate. These data suggest this compound may have potential for clinical development.

Anti-tumor and anti-vascular effects of the novel tubulin-binding agent combretastatin A-1 phosphate.

The combretastatins are derived from an African medicinal plant Combretum caffrum (Combretaceae). They have previously been shown to be potent inhibitors of microtubule assembly that cause marked haemorrhagic necrosis in murine subcutaneous tumors. Promising clinical trial results with combretastatin A-4 phosphate led to this investigation of the anti-tumor and anti-vascular effects of a close structural analog, combretastatin A-1 phosphate. This compound caused identical disruption of the tubulin cytoskeleton in HUVECs in vitro at similar concentrations and duration of exposure as combretastatin A-4 phosphate. Treatment of a well-vascularised murine colon adenocarcinoma (MAC 29) with an effective dose (150 mg/kg) of combretastatin A-1 phosphate resulted in a dramatic decrease in functional vascular volume 2 hours after administration. Vascular shutdown was complete within 4 hours after treatment apart from in small areas of the tumor periphery. Morphological examination of hepatic deposits of HT29 and DLD-1 human colon tumors in nude mice demonstrated that combretastatin A-1 phosphate displays greater anti-tumor effects than the A-4 analog at the same dose and this order of activity (A-1 > A-4) is mirrored in the subcutaneous site with the same tumor type. In summary, combretastatin A-1 phosphate can exert its anti-tumor action via an anti-vascular mechanism. The results indicate that, despite having similar in vitro anti-tubulin properties, combretastatin A-1 phosphate seems to have greater in vivo anti-tumor activity than combretastatin A-4 phosphate at the same doses and may therefore be more successful in the clinic.

Regulation of stromal cell cyclooxygenase-2 in the ApcMin/+ mouse model of intestinal tumorigenesis.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is expressed predominantly by stromal cells in intestinal adenomas from the Apc(Min/+) mouse model of familial adenomatous polyposis. We investigated the mechanistic basis of stromal cell Cox-2 expression in Apc(Min/+) mouse adenomas, as well as Cox-2 expression and activity in histologically normal (HN) Apc(Min/+) mouse intestine, in order to gain further insights into regulation of Cox-2 as a potential chemoprevention target. Upregulation of Cox-2 in intestinal tumours is not an intrinsic feature of Apc(Min/+) macrophages as bone marrow-derived Apc(Min/+) macrophages did not exhibit an abnormality in Cox-2 expression or activity. Intestinal permeability to lactulose or mannitol was similar in Apc(Min/+) mice and wild-type littermates, implying that macrophage activation by luminal antigen is unlikely to explain stromal cell Cox-2 induction. Moreover, stromal cells exhibited differential expression of Cox-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, suggesting 'alternative' (M2) rather than 'classical' (M1) macrophage activation. Flow cytometric sorting of isolated stromal mononuclear cells (SMNCs), on the basis of M-lysozyme and specific macrophage marker expression, demonstrated that macrophages, neutrophils and non-myelomonocytic cells all contributed to lamina propria prostaglandin (PG) E(2) synthesis. However, the majority of PGE(2) synthesis by macrophages was via a Cox-2-dependent pathway compared with predominant Cox-1-derived PGE(2) production by non-myelomonocytic cells. SMNCs from HN Apc(Min/+) intestinal mucosa exhibited similar levels of Cox-2 mRNA and protein, but produced more Cox-2-derived PGE(2) than wild-type cells at 70 days of age. There was an age-dependent decline in PGE(2) synthesis by Apc(Min/+) SMNCs, despite tumour progression. These data suggest that other Cox-2-independent factors also control PGE(2) levels during Apc(Min/+) mouse intestinal tumorigenesis. Regulation of macrophage Cox-2 expression and other steps in PGE(2) synthesis (e.g. PGE synthase) are valid targets for novel chemoprevention strategies that could minimize or avoid systemic COX-2 inhibition.

Anti-vascular effects of vinflunine in the MAC 15A transplantable adenocarcinoma model.

Anti-vascular effects of the novel Vinca alkaloid, vinflunine have been investigated in the MAC 15A transplantable murine colon adenocarcinoma model and compared with those induced by the most recently identified clinically useful third generation Vinca. Administration of the maximum tolerated dose of either vinflunine (50 mg kg(-1)) or vinorelbine (8 mg kg(-1)) resulted in significant tumour growth delay with subsequent histological analysis revealing substantial haemorrhagic necrosis. This suggested possible anti-vascular effects and these were confirmed by Hoechst 33342 perfusion studies. Vinflunine, currently undergoing Phase I trials in Europe, was found to be at least as effective as the clinically active vincristine and vinorelbine in this model and, remarkably, produced anti-vascular effects at doses much lower than the maximum tolerated dose. Although vinflunine caused apoptosis in HUVEC monolayer cultures this event did not occur within the first 8 hours of exposure whereas vascular shutdown in vivo was observed within the first 4 hours.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of combretastatin A-4 and its sodium phosphate prodrug.

The anti-tumour effects and mechanism of action of combretastatin A-4 and its prodrug, combretastatin A-4 disodium phosphate, were examined in subcutaneous and orthotopically transplanted experimental colon tumour models. Additionally, the ability of these compounds to directly interfere with endothelial cell behaviour was also examined in HUVEC cultures. Combretastatin A-4 (150 mg kg(-1), intraperitoneally (i.p.)) and its water-soluble prodrug (100 mg kg(-1), i.p.) caused almost complete vascular shutdown (at 4 h), extensive haemorrhagic necrosis which started at 1 h after treatment and significant tumour growth delay in MAC 15A subcutaneous (s.c.) colon tumours. Similar vascular effects were obtained in MAC 15 orthotopic tumours and SW620 human colon tumour xenografts treated with the prodrug. More importantly, in the orthotopic models, necrosis was seen in vascularized metastatic deposits but not in avascular secondary deposits. The possible mechanism giving rise to these effects was examined in HUVEC cells. Here cellular networks formed in type I calf-skin collagen layers and these networks were completely disrupted when incubated with a non-cytotoxic concentration of combretastatin A-4 or its prodrug. This effect started at 4 h and was complete by 24 h. The same non-cytotoxic concentrations resulted in disorganization of F-actin and beta-tubulin at 1 h after treatment. In conclusion, combretastatin A-4 and its prodrug caused extensive necrosis in MAC 15A s.c. and orthotopic colon cancer and metastases, resulting in anti-tumour effects. Necrosis was not seen in avascular tumour nodules, suggesting a vascular mechanism of action.