Antiangiogenic agents increase breast cancer stem cells via the generation of tumor hypoxia

Sarah J. Conley, Elizabeth Gheordunescu, Pramod Kakarala, Bryan Newman, Hasan Korkaya, Amber N. Heath, Shawn G. Clouthier, Max S. Wicha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

541 Scopus citations

Abstract

Antiangiogenic therapy has been thought to hold significant potential for the treatment of cancer. However, the efficacy of such treatments, especially in breast cancer patients, has been called into question, as recent clinical trials reveal only limited effectiveness of antiangiogenic agents in prolonging patient survival. New research using preclinical models further suggests that antiangiogenic agents actually increase invasive and metastatic properties of breast cancer cells. We demonstrate that by generating intratumoral hypoxia in human breast cancer xenografts, the antiangiogenic agents sunitinib and bevacizumab increase the population of cancer stem cells. In vitro studies revealed that hypoxia-driven stem/progenitor cell enrichment is primarily mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. We further show that the Akt/β-catenin cancer stem cell regulatory pathway is activated in breast cancer cells under hypoxic conditions in vitro and in sunitinib-treated mouse xenografts. These studies demonstrate that hypoxia-driven cancer stem cell stimulation limits the effectiveness of antiangiogenic agents, and suggest that to improve patient outcome, these agents might have to be combined with cancer stem cell-targeting drugs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2784-2789
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume109
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 21 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antiangiogenesis
  • HIF-1α

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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