NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Blockade of the insulin-like growth factor receptor I (IGF-Ir) inhibits tumor growth in human gastric cancer xenografts, Japanese and US researchers report in the May issue of Gut.
As co-investigator Dr. Yasushi Adachi of Sapporo Medical University told Reuters Health, the approach “is promising for gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric cancer.”
Dr. Adachi and colleagues note that IGF-Ir signaling is required for carcinogenicity and proliferation of many tumors, including those of colorectal and lung cancer, but it has not been studied in detail in gastric cancer.
Based on in vitro findings, the researchers developed a dominant negative (dn) form of IGF-Ir and used an adenovirus vector to deliver it to human gastric cancer xenografts in mice.
IGF-Ir/dn expression increased radiation and chemotherapy induced apoptosis. It also suppressed peritoneal tumor dissemination. In fact, in dissemination studies, the researchers found that after 5 days of treatment, median survival was 60 days compared with 39 days in controls.
The researchers conclude that IGF-Ir may be a good molecular therapeutic target in gastric cancer. And, added Dr. Adachi, should they be able to develop an appropriate vector method, the IGF-Ir/dn system could be tested in clinical trials.
Source: Gut 2005;54:591-600. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Animal Diseases: Biological Therapy: Disease Models, Animal: Genetic Engineering: Genetic Techniques: Membrane Proteins: Investigative Techniques: Receptors, Cell Surface: Therapeutics: Gene Therapy: Receptors, Somatomedin: Receptor, IGF Type 1: Receptors, Growth Factor: Receptors, Peptide: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: DiseasesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
