Cortisone inhibition of tumor angiogenesis measured by a quantitative colorimetric assay in mice

A simple and quantitative angiogenesis assay was developed. Using this assay, the angiostatic effect of cortisone acetate (CA) on three murine tumors was studied. Tumor cells were inoculated i.d. into the syngeneic or heterogeneic hosts (day 0) and the degree of angiogenesis was quantitated on day 3 by measuring the tumor vascular volumes using an Evan's blue perfusion technique. CA treatment (250 mg/kg for 3 days) significantly suppressed tumor angiogenesis; however, the degree of angiostatic effect was influenced by the tumor types and by the mouse strain used. MBT-2 bladder cancer angiogenesis was suppressed by 77%-80% of controls in C3H/HeN and C57B1/6 mice, whereas MBT-2 angiogenesis in BALB/c mice was significantly less suppressed by CA (65% inhibition) as compared with values obtained for C3H mice. B16 melanoma or Line-1 lung-cell carcinoma-induced angiogenesis was suppressed by 57%-66% in their syngeneic or heterogeneic hosts. The combined administration of CA and heparin (Sigma; 1,000 units/ml in drinking water) did not influence the outcomes. The data suggest that host factor(s) and tumor factor(s) influenced the expression of CA angiostatic activity. This colorimetric assay enabled a quantitative estimation of the degree of angiogenesis in mammalian animals.