Variable sensitivity of endothelial cells to epirubicin in xenografts of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells

Conventional anticancer drugs show non-specific vascular toxicity, and using anticancer drugs as angiogenesis inhibitors was suggested. However, our previous study suggested that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protected endothelial cells against chemotherapy drugs in vitro. To further test whether the vascular toxicity of anticancer drugs is active in vivo, epirubicin was i.p. injected into nude mice with s.c. xenografts of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 once (one-day schedule) or once a day from day 1 to day 7 (seven-day schedule). At 48 hours after the single injection or the 7th injection tumors were removed for detection of apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells vessels and the content of VEGF in tumor tissues. The results showed that epirubicin damaged tumor microvessels when the drug was given as a single dose, whereas epirubicin lost its vascular toxicity when the drug was given continuously for seven days, accompanied by higher levels of VEGF in tumor tissues. These results suggest the sensitivity of endothelial cells lining tumor vessels is variable during chemotherapy, and the protective effect of VEGF on endothelial cells might be related to the schedule of administration.