The VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, ZD6474, inhibits angiogenesis and affects microvascular architecture within an orthotopically implanted renal cell carcinoma

The proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is essential for the development of new tumor vessels. ZD6474 is a novel inhibitor of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) tyrosine kinase activity, which also has additional activity against epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor tyrosine kinase. The antitumor activity of different schedules of ZD6474 in a clinically relevant, metastasizing, murine renal cell carcinoma (RENCA) model was evaluated in this study. RENCA cells were inoculated into the left kidney of 24 mice (day 0). Daily ZD6474 (50 mg/kg p.o.) treatment was initiated 1 day or 10 days after tumor cell inoculation and continued until day 21. Following treatment, kidney weight and volume were assessed and blood vessel density determined by CD31 staining. Visible metastases in the lungs, spleen, and lymph nodes were quantified using a dissection microscope. In an additional study, animals were treated according to the same regimen and quantitative three-dimensional microvascular corrosion casting was performed to enable detailed assessment of the tumor vascular architecture. Therapy initiated on day 1 or day 10 resulted in a 79% and 59% reduction in primary tumor volume, a 79% and 60% reduction in the number of lung metastases, and a 58% and 59% reduction in vessel density of primary tumors compared with the control group, respectively. Corrosion casting proved a 5.4- and 3.2-fold lower vascular volume compared with untreated tumors, observations that paralleled with significant architectural alterations. In this RENCA model, ZD6474 was a highly active inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis, primary tumor growth and tumor metastasis.