Anti-angiogenic activity of selected receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, PD166285 and PD173074: Implications for combination treatment with photodynamic therapy

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from an existing vasculature, is requisite for tumor growth. It entails intercellular coordination of endothelial and tumor cells through angiogenic growth factor signaling. Interruption of these events has implications in the suppression of tumor growth. PD166285, a broad-spectrum receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor, and PD173074, a selective FGFR(1)TK inhibitor, were evaluated for their anti-angiogenic activity and anti-tumor efficacy in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT). To evaluate the anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activities of these compounds, RTK assays, in vitro tumor cell growth and microcapillary formation assays, in vivo murine angiogenesis and anti-tumor efficacy studies utilizing RTK inhibitors in combination with photodynamic therapy were performed. PD166285 inhibited PDGFR-beta-, EGFR-, and FGFR(1)TKs and c-src TK by 50% (IC50) at concentrations between 7-85nM. PD173074 displayed selective inhibitory activity towards FGFR(1)TK at 26nM. PD173074 demonstrated (> 100 fold) selective growth inhibitory action towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells compared with a panel of tumor cell lines. Both PD166285 and PD173074 (at 10nM) inhibited the formation of microcapillaries on Matrigel-coated plastic. In vivo anti-angiogenesis studies in mice revealed that oral administration (p.o.) of either PD166285 (1-25 mg/kg) or PD173074 (25-100 mg/kg) generated dose dependent inhibition of angiogenesis. Against a murine mammary 16c tumor, significantly prolonged tumor regressions were achieved with daily p.o. doses of PD166285 (5-10 mg/kg) or PD173074 (30-60 mg/kg) following PDT compared with PDT alone (p < 0.001). Many long-term survivors were also noted in combination treatment groups. PD166285 and PD173074 displayed potent anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activity and prolonged the duration of anti-tumor response to PDT. Interference in membrane signal transduction by inhibitors of specific RTKs (e.g. FGFR(1)TK) should result in new chemotherapeutic agents having the ability to limit tumor angiogenesis and regrowth following cytoreductive treatments such as PDT.