407-413The inhibition of tumor growth and tumor
induced angiogenesis by the glutamine antimetabolite acivicin was evaluated in
6-7 weeks old male Swiss albino mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) transplanted
by intraperitoneal (ip) injections of EAC cells. Treatment involving ip injections
with two different doses of acivicin (0.05 and 0.4μg/g body weight/day)
in saline revealed decrease in tumor volumes and reduced number of blood vessels
on peritoneal wall after 10 and 15 days of treatment when compared to control (i.e.
injected with saline only). Vascular hyperpermeability was found to be lesser in
the treated groups of mice than the control as indicated by the FITC-D and colloidal
carbon assay. Serum VEGF level was found to decrease in the drug treated groups
both after 10 and 15 days of treatment. The results thus suggest that acivicin may
suppress tumoral angiogenesis through regulation of VEGF level