Antiangiogenic properties of a nutrient mixture in a model of hemangioma

The pathogenesis of hemangiomas is still largely unknown and the current therapy, such as systemic corticosteroid, vincristine, and interferon-alpha, is toxic and remains unsatisfactory. A nutrient mixture (NM) containing lysine, proline, ascorbic acid and green tea extract has shown significant anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effect against a number of cancer cell lines.

Using a mouse hemangioendothelioma model, we investigated the efficacy of NM. We also tested the effect of NM in vitro, evaluating cell viability, MMP secretion, invasion, morphology and apoptosis.

Athymic nude mice, 5-6 weeks old, were inoculated with 3 x10(6) EOMA cells subcutaneously and randomly divided into two groups; group A was fed a regular diet and group B - a regular diet supplemented with 0.5% NM. Four weeks later, the mice were sacrificed and their tumors were excised, weighed and processed for histology. We also tested the effect of NM in vitro.

NM inhibited the growth of tumors by 50%. In vitro, NM exhibited dose response cytotoxicity with 10%, 30% and 55% at 10, 100 and 1000 microg/ml. Invasion through Matrigel was inhibited at 50, 100 and 500 microg/ml by 25%, 30% and 100% respectively. NM induced dose-dependent apoptosis of EOMA cells.

These results suggest that NM may have therapeutic potential in treating infantile hemangioendotheliomas and, perhaps, other cutaneous vascular tumors.