I-125-Labeled Anti-Bfgf Monoclonal Antibody Inhibits Growth Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory efficacy of I-125-labeled anti-basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) monoclonal antibody (mAb) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).METHODS: bFGF mAb was prepared by using the 1G9B9 hybridoma cell line with hybridization technology and extracted from ascites fluid through a Protein G Sepharose affinity column. After labeling with I-125 through the chloramine-T method, bFGF mAb was further purified by a Sephadex G-25 column. Gamma radiation counter GC-1200 detected radioactivity of I-125-bFGF mAb. The murine H22 HCC xenograft model was established and randomized to interventions with control (phosphate-buffered saline), I-125-bFGF mAb, I-125 plus bFGF mAb, bFGF mAb, or I-125. The ratios of tumor inhibition were then calculated. Expression of bFGF, fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), platelet-derived growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS: The purified bFGF mAb solution was 8.145 mg/mL with a titer of 1:2560000 and was stored at -20 degrees C. After coupling, I-125-bFGF mAb was used at a 1: 1280000 dilution, stored at 4., and its specific radioactivity was 37 MBq/mg. The corresponding tumor weight in the control, I-125, bFGF mAb, I-125 plus bFGF mAb, and I-125-bFGF mAb groups was 1.88 +/- 0.25, 1.625 +/- 0.21, 1.5 +/- 0.18, 1.41 +/- 0.16, and 0.98 +/- 0.11 g, respectively. The tumor inhibition ratio in the I-125, bFGF mAb, I-125 plus bFGF mAb, and I-125-bFGF mAb groups was 13.6%, 20.2%, 25.1%, and 47.9%, respectively. Growth of HCC xenografts was inhibited significantly more in the I-125-bFGF mAb group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Expression of bFGF and FGFR mRNA in the I-125-bFGF mAb group was significantly decreased in comparison with other groups (P < 0.05). Groups under interventions revealed increased expression of VEGF mRNA (except for I-125 group) compared with the control group.CONCLUSION: I-125-bFGF mAb inhibits growth of HCC xenografts. The coupling effect of I-125-bFGF mAb is more effective than the concomitant use of I-125 and bFGF mAb.