INFLUENCE OF CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC-AGENTS ON THE PROLIFERATION OF CAPILLARY ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS AND TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS IN MURINE BLADDER-CANCER

The current studies investigated the potential of conventional chemoth erapeutic agents to inhibit the proliferation of capillary endothelial cells and to affect tumor angiogenesis using a murine bladder cancer model. Endothelial cell lines were established from the skin and used for an in vitro target. The anti-angiogenesis activity was assessed by an i.d. assay. Among the eight agents examined, adriamycin, 4-hydrope roxycyclophosphamide, and methotrexate preferentially inhibited the ce ll proliferation. However, these agents showed no influence on tumor a ngiogenesis. In contrast, mitomycin C, which was less cytotoxic to end othelial cells in vitro, showed a significant anti-angiogenesis activi ty. The data suggest that certain chemotherapeutic agents had anti-ang iogenesis activity distinct from cytotoxicity.