Occurrence of hepatic metastasis (HM) is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer, making their prevention a major challenge. Tissue factor (TF), the principal initiator of coagulation after binding to its ligand, coagulation factor FVIIa, is expressed by most colorectal cancer cells, and has been demonstrated to be associated to tumor invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of inhibition of the TF pathway in a rat model of HM of colorectal cancer.

Methods DHDK12 Pro B cells (20.106 cells), a tumor cell line established from chemically induced colon carcinoma in BDIX rats, were injected in the portal vein of syngenic rats. Inhibition of TF was achieved in 19 rats (treat ment group) through intraperitoneal injection of active site-inactivated factor VIIa (FFR-FVIIa, Novo Nordisk, Denmark) (10μg/g, once a day from day 3 to day 8 after HM induction). Additionally, 18 rats underwent cancer cell infusion according to the same procedure, without FFR-FVIIa treatment (control group). Rats were sacrificed at day 14.

Results In the control group, infusion of cancer cells resulted in the development of macroscopical hepatic tumors in 17 out of 18 rats. In rats treated by FFR-FVIIa, no macroscopical or histological hepatic tumors were visible on the liver surface in 16 out of 19 rats (p=0.002, versus control group).

Conclusion These results suggest that blockage of TF with proteolytically inactive FFR-VIIa inhibits hepatic tumor development at an early stage of tumoral development and TF is a target for adjuvant therapy in the prevention of HM.

Topics:
colorectal cancer, liver neoplasms, thromboplastin, recombinant coagulation factor viia, infusion procedures, tumor cells, malignant, adjuvant therapy, blood coagulation factors, colon cancer, factor viia

Author notes

Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

2007, The American Society of Hematology
2007
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