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Updated: May 13, 2026

Experimental Metastasis Assay
08:28

Experimental Metastasis Assay

Published on: August 24, 2010

CTGF is a therapeutic target for metastatic melanoma

E C Finger1, C-F Cheng1, T R Williams1

  • 1Division of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Oncogene
|February 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a promising therapeutic target for metastatic melanoma. Inhibiting CTGF significantly reduced tumor growth and metastasis in preclinical models, validating anti-CTGF therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Medicine

Background:

  • Metastatic melanoma has a poor prognosis, with limited durable responses to current targeted therapies.
  • There is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies to treat advanced melanoma.
  • Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is implicated in tumor progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as a potential therapeutic target for metastatic melanoma.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of inhibiting CTGF in preclinical models of melanoma.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed CTGF expression correlation with tumor progression and hypoxia-induced mechanisms (HIF-1, HIF-2).
  • Utilized genetic inhibition of CTGF in human melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo (SCID mice).
  • Administered anti-CTGF antibody (FG-3019) to established metastatic melanoma models.

Main Results:

  • CTGF expression correlated with melanoma progression and was induced by hypoxia.
  • Genetic CTGF inhibition significantly reduced orthotopic and lung metastatic tumor growth in mice.
  • CTGF inhibition decreased melanoma cell invasion and migration, linked to reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9).
  • The anti-CTGF antibody FG-3019 profoundly inhibited the progression of established metastatic melanoma.

Conclusions:

  • CTGF is a validated therapeutic target for metastatic melanoma.
  • Targeting CTGF, particularly with antibodies like FG-3019, shows significant preclinical efficacy.
  • Tumor hypoxia plays a crucial role in melanoma progression, mediated partly by CTGF.

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