OBJECTIVETo study the effects of murine angiostatin, which was transfected into the human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721, on the implant carcinoma of nude mouse.

METHODSThe human hepatocellular cancer cell line SMMC-7721, which could express murine angiostatin gene stably, was constructed. The animals were divided into three groups: SMMC-7721 cell was implanted into control group, SMMC-7721/pcDNA3.1 (+) cell was implanted into vector group, and SMMC-7721/pcDNA3.1-mAST cell was implanted into angiostatin group. The carcinoma volume, weight, and microvessel density (MVD) of each group were compared.

RESULTSThe implant carcinoma volume in 35 days was (3 538.1 +/- 643.3) mm(3), (3 128.5 +/- 546.6) mm(3), and (755.8 +/- 198.2) mm(3) in the control group, vector group, and angiostatin group. The carcinoma weight of the control group, vector group, and angiostatin group was (6.0 +/- 0.7) g, (5.9 +/- 0.5) g, (2.1 +/- 0.5) g, respectively. The carcinoma MVD was 52.2 +/- 6.6, 49.4 +/- 7.0, and 25.5 +/- 4.1 accordingly. The carcinoma volume, weight, and MVD of the angiostatin group were significantly smaller than those of the control group and vector group (P < 0.01). The inhibitory rate of carcinoma reached 78.6%.

CONCLUSIONSNude mouse experiments showed that the tumorigenic capacity of cells transfected had been reduced greatly, and that the carcinoma volume, weight and MVD were significantly lower than those of the control group. We conclude that angiostatin inhibits the growth of carcinoma by its inhibition of carcinoma angiogenesis.