Despite multiple changes in the chemotherapeutic approach for Ewing's sarcoma, the 2 year disease-free survival remains at 40-50% depending on disease site. Better understanding of the tumor biology may uncover therapeutic approaches. Using a nude mouse model, we demonstrated that Ewing's sarcoma cells overexpress VEGF and that bone marrow stem cells contribute to the development of new tumor vasculature as the tumor grows (a process known as vasculogenesis as opposed to angiogenesis). Approximately 10% of the new tumor vessels could be attributed to vasculogenesis. We further demonstrated the chemotactic capability of VEGF for bone marrow cells both in vitro (using Boyden Chambers) and in vivo (using matrigel-VEGF plugs). Together these data suggest that bone marrow cells travel to the tumor area in response to VEGF and subsequently contribute to the expansion of the tumor vasculature that is required to support the growing tumor. Our goal is to determine whether VEGF is the chemotactic stimulus, if suppressing VEGF has an impact on bone marrow cell migration and subsequent tumor vasculogenesis, and finally whether these bone marrow cells can be modified to deliver genes to the tumor area. We propose to (1) define the bone marrow cell subpopulations that contribute to this vasculogenesis process. (2) Determine whether cell division of migrated bone marrow cells contributes to vasculogenesis. (3) Determine whether tumor VEGF165 production influences tumor vasculogenesis. This will be done by inhibiting VEGF165 by siRNA. (4) Determine whether CD34+ (or mesenchymal cells as an alternative) can be used to deliver genes to the tumor area. Understanding the biology and the role that vasculogenesis plays in the development of Ewing's sarcoma may provide new therapeutic targets. Our goal is to identify whether VEGF165 is the chemotactic signal, to determine whether interfering with VEGF165 has an impact on the migration of bone marrow cells and explore whether these cells can be used to deliver genes to the tumor area.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA103986-03
Application #
7079330
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-ONC-A (03))
Program Officer
Jhappan, Chamelli
Project Start
2004-07-01
Project End
2007-08-31
Budget Start
2006-07-01
Budget End
2007-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$241,820
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
800772139
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Hamdan, Randala; Zhou, Zhichao; Kleinerman, Eugenie S (2014) Blocking SDF-1?/CXCR4 downregulates PDGF-B and inhibits bone marrow-derived pericyte differentiation and tumor vascular expansion in Ewing tumors. Mol Cancer Ther 13:483-91
Zhou, Zhichao; Yu, Ling; Kleinerman, Eugenie S (2014) EWS-FLI-1 regulates the neuronal repressor gene REST, which controls Ewing sarcoma growth and vascular morphology. Cancer 120:579-88
Huang, Gangxiong; Zhou, Zhichao; Wang, Hua et al. (2012) CAPER-? alternative splicing regulates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor??? in Ewing sarcoma cells. Cancer 118:2106-16
Stewart, Keri S; Kleinerman, Eugenie S (2011) Tumor Vessel Development and Expansion in Ewing's Sarcoma: A Review of the Vasculogenesis Process and Clinical Trials with Vascular-Targeting Agents. Sarcoma 2011:165837
Hamdan, Randala; Zhou, Zhichao; Kleinerman, Eugenie S (2011) SDF-1? induces PDGF-B expression and the differentiation of bone marrow cells into pericytes. Mol Cancer Res 9:1462-70
Stewart, Keri Schadler; Zhou, Zhichao; Zweidler-McKay, Patrick et al. (2011) Delta-like ligand 4-Notch signaling regulates bone marrow-derived pericyte/vascular smooth muscle cell formation. Blood 117:719-26
Zhou, Zhichao; Stewart, Keri Schadler; Yu, Ling et al. (2011) Bone marrow cells participate in tumor vessel formation that supports the growth of Ewing's sarcoma in the lung. Angiogenesis 14:125-33
Yu, Ling; Su, Bing; Hollomon, Mario et al. (2010) Vasculogenesis driven by bone marrow-derived cells is essential for growth of Ewing's sarcomas. Cancer Res 70:1334-43
Schadler, Keri L; Zweidler-McKay, Patrick A; Guan, Hui et al. (2010) Delta-like ligand 4 plays a critical role in pericyte/vascular smooth muscle cell formation during vasculogenesis and tumor vessel expansion in Ewing's sarcoma. Clin Cancer Res 16:848-56
Guan, Hui; Zhou, Zhichao; Cao, Ying et al. (2009) VEGF165 promotes the osteolytic bone destruction of ewing's sarcoma tumors by upregulating RANKL. Oncol Res 18:117-25

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