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To investigate the antiangiogenic effect of sustained-release poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres containing docetaxel (PMCD) in human hepatoma xenograft. PMCD were prepared by solvent evaporation method with an encapsulation efficiency of 98.7% and a release period of about 3 weeks in vitro. PMCD were intratumorally injected once for mice bearing a human hepatocellular carcinoma. On day 21 post-treatment, the inhibition rate of tumor growth was 72.7% in the high-dose group, indicating a significant antitumor activity. Meanwhile, excellent antiangiogenic effect was observed based on the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography as well as microvessel density determination. Additionally, the real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR revealed that the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) genes were down-regulated significantly. Interstitial chemotherapy using PMCD was highly effective and safe for the treatment of the human hepatoma xenograft and that decreasing angiogenesis could be one of the most important mechanisms involved in the antitumor activity.

To explore the effect of ricin temperature response gel on breast cancer and its regulatory effect on immune function in rats. Ricin was purified by chromatography and identified by immunoblotting. The rat subcutaneously transplanted breast cancer model was established. Forty model rats with a tumor diameter of about 3.0 cm were subjected to the study. They were randomized into four groups equally: the model group and three treated groups (blank gel, ricin, ricin-gel) were administered with blank gel, ricin, and ricin temperature response gel via percutaneous intratumor injection, respectively. The tumor was isolated 10 days later for the estimation of tumor inhibition rate (TIR) by weighing, pathologic examination, and detection of tumor apoptosis-associated genes bcl-2 and bax with semiquantitative RT-PCR. Also, peripheral blood was obtained to test T-lymphocyte subsets, the killing function of lymphocytes, and the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The outcomes were compared between groups. The TIR in the ricin-gel group was 61.8%, with the pathologic examination showing extensive tumor tissue necrosis. Compared with the model group, after ricin temperature response gel treatment, bcl-2 expression was down-regulated, bax expression was up-regulated, CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8 /CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood were increased, the killing function of lymphocytes was enhanced, and the contents of TNF-α and IL-2 were elevated (P