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Evaluating the Angiogenetic Properties of Ovarian Cancer Stem-Like Cells using the Three-Dimensional Co-Culture System, NICO-1
Published on: December 5, 2020
Opioids Inhibit Angiogenesis in a Chorioallantoic Membrane Model
Haktan Karaman1, Adnan Tufek2, Evren Karaman3
1Dept. of Pain Management Center, Dicle University.
Background:
Angiogenesis is an important characteristic of cancer. Switching from the avascular phase to the vascular phase is a necessary process for tumor growth. Therefore, research in cancer treatment has focused on angiogenesis as a drug target. Despite the widespread use of opioids to treat pain in patients with cancer, little is known about the effect of these drugs on vascular endothelium and angiogenesis.
Objectives:
We aimed to investigate the efficacies of morphine, codeine, and tramadol in 3 different concentrations on angiogenesis in hens' eggs.
Study Design:
This is a prospective, observational, controlled, in-vivo animal study.
Setting:
Single academic medical center.
Methods:
This study was conducted on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of fertilized hens' eggs. The efficacies of morphine, codeine, and tramadol in 3 different concentrations were evaluated on angiogenesis in a total of 165 hens' eggs.
Results:
Statistically significant differences were found between drug-free agarose used as a negative control and concentrations of morphine of 10 µM and 1 µM, a concentration of tramadol of 10 µM, and concentrations of codeine of 10 µM and 1 µM. Concentrations of morphine of 10 µM and 1 µM showed strong antiangiogenic effects. While codeine had strong antiangiogenic effects at high concentrations, at 0.1 µM it was shown to have weak antiangiogenic effects. However, tramadol at a concentration of 10 µM had only weak antiangiogenic effects.
Limitations:
This is just a CAM model study.
Conclusion:
In this study, we tested the effects of 3 different opioid drugs on angiogenesis in 3 different concentrations, and we observed that morphine was a good anti-angiogenic agent, but tramadol and codeine only had anti-angiogenic effects at high doses.Key Words: Morphine, codeine, tramadol, opioid, bevacizumab, chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), angiogenesis.
Insights
Morphine demonstrated significant anti-angiogenic effects in a hen
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Angiogenesis is crucial for tumor growth, making it a key target in cancer treatment.
- Opioids are widely used for cancer pain, but their impact on angiogenesis is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of morphine, codeine, and tramadol.
- To evaluate these effects across three different concentrations in an in-vivo model.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model in fertilized hens' eggs.
- Tested morphine, codeine, and tramadol at 10 µM, 1 µM, and 0.1 µM concentrations.
- Compared drug effects against a drug-free agarose negative control.
Main Results:
- Morphine (10 µM and 1 µM) exhibited strong anti-angiogenic properties.
- Codeine showed strong anti-angiogenic effects at high concentrations (10 µM) but weak effects at 0.1 µM.
- Tramadol (10 µM) displayed only weak anti-angiogenic effects.
Conclusions:
- Morphine is a potent anti-angiogenic agent.
- Codeine and tramadol possess anti-angiogenic properties, but primarily at higher concentrations.
- Findings suggest potential for certain opioids in modulating tumor angiogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Mechanism of Angiogenesis

