[Anti-tumor effects induced by the DNA vaccine coding human and mouse soluble VEGFR2]

To develop a novel anti-angiogenesis strategy based on a DNA vaccine coding both human and mouse soluble VEGFR2.

The gene fragments coding human and mouse sVEGFR2 were amplified with PCR and cloned into pVITRO2 to generate pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 recombinant. The in vitro VEGF blocking effect of the pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 expression products on HUVEC cells were evaluated. The anti-tumor effect of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 was studied in mouse B16 model. The microvessels were stained by using CD31 antibody.

The co-expressing vector pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 was constructed successfully, confirmed by the restriction endonuclease digestion and sequencing. The expressing products of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 could obviously block the function of VEGF on promoting the proliferation of HUVEC in vitro. The tumor growth in mice was also significantly inhibited by pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 expression. CD31 staining demonstrated that the microvessel density obviously decreased in tumor tissues treated with pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2. Both anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis effects of pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 were stronger than that of plasmids which coding only human or mouse sVEGFR2.

pVITRO2-hm-sVEGFR2 could be a novel DNA vaccine for the anti-tumor therapy by inhibiting angiogenesis.