Sensitivity of MRI tumor biomarkers to VEGFR inhibitor therapy in an orthotopic mouse glioma model.

Abstract

MRI biomarkers of tumor edema, vascular permeability, blood volume, and average vessel caliber are increasingly being employed to assess the efficacy of tumor therapies. However, the dependence of these biomarkers on a number of physiological factors can compromise their sensitivity and complicate the assessment of therapeutic efficacy. Here we examine the response of these MRI tumor biomarkers to cediranib, a potent vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor, in an orthotopic mouse glioma model. A significant increase in the tumor volume and relative vessel caliber index (rVCI) and a slight decrease in the water apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were observed for both control and cediranib treated animals. This contrasts with a clinical study that observed a significant decrease in tumor rVCI, ADC and volume with cediranib therapy. While the lack of a difference between control and cediranib treated animals in these biomarker responses might suggest that cediranib has no therapeutic benefit, cediranib treated mice had a significantly increased survival. The increased survival benefit of cediranib treated animals is consistent with the significant decrease observed for cediranib treated animals in the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), relative microvascular blood volume (rMBV), transverse relaxation time (T2), blood vessel permeability (K(trans)), and extravascular-extracellular space (ν(e)). The differential response of pre-clinical and clinical tumors to cediranib therapy, along with the lack of a positive response for some biomarkers, indicates the importance of evaluating the whole spectrum of different tumor biomarkers to properly assess the therapeutic response and identify and interpret the therapy-induced changes in the tumor physiology.

• Authors: Christian T Farrar, Walid S Kamoun, Carsten D Ley, Young R Kim, Ciprian Catana, Seon J Kwon, Bruce R Rosen, Rakesh K Jain, A Gregory Sorensen
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 6 Issue 3 Pg. e17228 (Mar 03 2011) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21390238 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors
• Quinazolines
• Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
• cediranib

Topics

• Animals
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Capillary Permeability (drug effects)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Diffusion (drug effects)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Extracellular Space (drug effects, metabolism)
• Glioma (blood supply, drug therapy, pathology, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Mice
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Quinazolines (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)