INHIBITION OF TUMOR-GROWTH AND NEOVASCULARIZATION BY AN ANTIGASTRIC ULCER AGENT, IRSOGLADINE

Irsogladine used clinically as an anti-gastric ulcer agent, at 10(-6)- 10(-4) M, inhibited cell proliferation and tubular morphogenesis of va scular endothelial cells, but the proliferation of human epidermoid ca ncer or glioma cells was not inhibited by this drug, even at 10(-4) M. In vivo studies demonstrated that p.o. administration of irsogladine significantly inhibited tumor growth of human glioma cells in mice, an d histological analysis showed a dramatic decrease of the neovasculari zation in the tumors. In mice transplanted with chambers containing hu man glioma cells or hepatic cancer cells, irsogladine also inhibited a ngiogenesis. These lit vivo and in vitro assays demonstrate that irsog ladine may be a unique and potent inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis.