Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
A Syngeneic Murine Model of Endometriosis using Naturally Cycling Mice
Published on: November 24, 2020
Vascular disrupting effects of combretastatin A4 phosphate on murine endometriotic lesions
Dilu Feng1, Michael D Menger, Matthias W Laschke
1Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
Objective:
To study the effect of combretastatin A4 phosphate (CA4P) on the vascularization of endometriotic lesions.
Design:
Intravital microscopic, histologic, and immunohistochemical study.
Setting:
University institute.
Animal(S):
BALB/c mice.
Intervention(S):
Murine endometriotic lesions were induced by syngeneic transplantation of endometrium into dorsal skinfold chambers. After 6 days, the mice received an intraperitoneal injection of 80 mg/kg CA4P or vehicle.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Vascularization of the lesions and the surrounding tissue was analyzed by intravital fluorescence microscopy over 8 days. Lesion morphology, vessel maturation, viability, and proliferation of endometrial glands and stroma were assessed by histology and immunohistochemistry.
Result(S):
All lesions were initially well vascularized, containing immature and mature microvessels. Injection of CA4P induced a selective vessel collapse in the lesions without affecting the surrounding microvasculature. This resulted in a decreased functional capillary density and blood perfusion of CA4P-treated lesions after 2 hours when compared with controls. However, the vascularization of the lesions progressively normalized, and their numbers of proliferating and apoptotic cells did not differ from those of controls.
Conclusion(S):
This study demonstrates a selective vascular disrupting effect of CA4P on endometriotic lesions, indicating that vascular disrupting agents may be suitable for endometriosis therapy.
