ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is known to have potent anti-vascular activity and significantly suppress solid tumor growth. The present study was conducted to investigate the vascular shutdown effects of a novel arsenic compound, tetraasrsenic oxide (As4O6), in comparison with As2O3 using cervical cancer animal model. METHODS: Mice tumor challenge model was used C57BL/6 mice transplanted with TC-1 cells. After the growth of tumors was reached up 200~250 mm3, mice were divided into 3 groups randomly for control and treatment of either As2O3 or As4O6. As2O3 and As4O6 was treated by i.p. injection. The tumor size was caliperated in twice for weeks and anti-vascular effect were assessed by Evans blue extraction assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. In tumor tissue, histopathological feaure was obserevd by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. RESULTS: In mice treated with either As2O3 and As4O6 (i.p.), both of As2O3 and As4O6 was significantly suppressed the tumor growth compared with control group. Moreover, effect of As4O6 is more pronounced. These tumor growth inhibition is led to the massive necrosis and vacular shutdown in tumor tissue. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that As4O6 may have potential anticancer activity via vascular shutdown in C57BL/6 mice transplanted with TC-1 cells.