ANTICANCER THERAPY BY TRANSPLANTING VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS

• US 20100143311A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University Corporation Asahikawa Medical University
• Original Assignee: National University Corporation Asahikawa Medical College
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazumasa, Mizukami, Yusuke, Kohgo, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,491,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/93.700
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/44 Vessels; Vascular smooth muscle cells; Endothelial cells; Endothelial progenitor cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/04 specific for metastasis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

It is intended to provide anticancer therapy using autologous cells or the like, which induces the regression of cancer or has favorable drug delivery effects and brings about reduction or withdrawal of a hypoxic region(s) in tumor. Transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells, via intravenously or other methods leads to tumor growth inhibition, an increase of the vascular density with an enlargement of the vascular diameter, and reduction of a hypoxic region(s) in the tumor. Allogeneic transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells may be achieved to secure the cells for the therapy, however, autologous transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells from cancer patients would be desirable in order to evade rejection. When the autologous cells are used, mononuclear cells are separated from the peripheral blood or bone marrow of the patient and cultured using an endothelial differentiation medium containing cytokines such as VEGF to obtain adherent cells, which can then be collected and advantageously used as endothelial progenitor cells.

Claims

1. A method for preventing or treating tumor, comprising administering endothelial progenitor cells to a mammal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein administered endothelial progenitor cells inhibit tumor growth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein administered endothelial progenitor cells reduce a hypoxic region(s) in tumor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein administered endothelial progenitor cells induce remodeling of tumor vessels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the endothelial progenitor cells are administered transvenously.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the tumor is selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer, esophagus cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, parotid cancer, head and neck cancer, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, ureter cancer, bladder cancer, uterine cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine tube cancer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tumor is pancreatic cancer.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising administering an anticancer agent(s) to the mammal, wherein activity of said anticancer agent(s) is enhanced by the administered endothelial progenitor cells.

13. The method of claim 1 which is combined with radiotherapy, wherein effect of said radiotherapy is enhanced by the administered endothelial progenitor cells.

5. A method for enhancing activity of an anticancer agent(s) comprising administering endothelial progenitor cells to a mammal.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the endothelial progenitor cells are administered transvenously.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the tumor is selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer, esophagus cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, parotid cancer, head and neck cancer, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, ureter cancer, bladder cancer, uterine cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine tube cancer.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein the tumor is pancreatic cancer.

6. A method for enhancing effect of radiotherapy, comprising administering endothelial progenitor cells to a mammal.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein the endothelial progenitor cells are administered transvenously.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the tumor is selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer, esophagus cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, parotid cancer, head and neck cancer, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, ureter cancer, bladder cancer, uterine cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine tube cancer.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the tumor is pancreatic cancer.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)