2-Deoxy-D-glucose combined with Taxol inhibits VEGF expression and induces apoptosis in orthotopically transplanted breast cancer in C3H mice / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the antineoplastic effects of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) combined with Taxol on orthotopically transplanted breast cancer in C3H mice and explore the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>C3H mice bearing orthotopically transplanted breast cancer xenograft were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely the control group, 2-DG group, Taxol group, and 2-DG+Taxol group. The corresponding drugs were administered intraperitoneally every 3 days for 18 consecutive days, and the tumor volume was measured every 3 days to draw the tumor growth curve. The mice were then sacrificed to measure the tumor weight on day 19 and examine tumor cell apoptosis with TUNEL assay and VEGF expression using immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>2-DG combined with Taxol obviously suppressed the tumor growth with a tumor inhibition rate of 66.06% as compared to the rate of 36.97% in Taxol group. The combined treatment also caused more obvious cell apoptosis and significantly reduced VEGF expression in the tumor cells as compared with the other groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>2-DG can enhance the inhibitory effect of Taxol on orthotopically transplanted breast cancer xenograft in C3H mice probably by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and lowering VEGF expressions.</p>