Effect of polypeptide extract from scorpion venom (PESV) with chemotherapy inhibited angiogenesis of Lewis lung carcinomas / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of polypeptide extract from scorpion venom (PESV) alliance with chemotherapy on angiogenesis of Lewis lung carcinomas (LLC) and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>LLC cells suspension (4 x 10(6) cells/mL) were subcutaneously injected into 54 C57BL/6J mice in right armpits. Then the tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into three groups the control group, the chemotherapy group and the PESV group. Cyclophosphamide was used to establish the model of cancer. Chemotherapy and PESV were added to the PESV group. Every 7 days, 6 mice of each group were executed, and the experiments were carried out for 28 days. The tumor volume and inhibitory rate were determined. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to determine the expression of factor VIII, alpha-SMA, Dll4 and Notch1 in tumor tissue. Correlation analysis was used to identify the relationship of factor VIII and calculate microvessel density (MVD), alpha-SMA and vascular maturity.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The inhibitory rate of PESV was 42.21%. Comparing with the chemotherapy group, the expression of tumor factor Dll4 and Notch1 in the PESV group were decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The expression of factor VIII and alpha-SMA in the chemotherapy group is lower than the control group (P < 0.05), while it's higher when compared with the PESV group (P < 0.01). Expression of Dll4 and Notch1 in the chemotherapy group at the 28th day were higher than the control group (P < 0.05), and the expression in the PESV group at the 21st day were significantly lower than the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PESV could inhibit the angiogenesis of LLC. It might be attained by decreasing the level of angiogenic factors, that are factor VIII, alpha-SMA, Dll4 and Notch1 in tumor microenvironment.</p>