Brachytherapy Using Elastin-Like Polypeptides with (131)I Inhibit Tumor Growth in Rabbits with VX2 Liver Tumor

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences 2016-10, Vol.61 (10), p.2921-2927
• Main Authors: Liu, Xinpei, Shen, Yiming, Zhang, Xuqian, Lin, Rui, Jia, Qiang, Chang, Yixiang, Liu, Wenge, Liu, Wentian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brachytherapy - methods; Disease Models, Animal; Elastin - ultrastructure; Feasibility Studies; Iodine Radioisotopes - therapeutic use; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - radiotherapy; Male; Neoplasm Transplantation; Peptides - therapeutic use; Rabbits; Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography
• ISSN: 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-016-4212-4

Brachytherapy is a targeted type of radiotherapy utilized in the treatment of cancers. Elastin-like polypeptides are a unique class of genetically engineered peptide polymers that have several attractive properties for brachytherapy. To explore the feasibility and application of brachytherapy for VX2 liver tumor using elastin-like polypeptides with (131)I so as to provide reliable experimental evidence for a new promising treatment of liver cancer. Elastin-like polypeptide as carrier was labeled with (131)I using the iodogen method. Ten eligible rabbits with VX2 liver tumor were randomly divided into the treatment group (n = 5) and control group (n = 5). The treatment group received brachytherapy using elastin-like polypeptide with (131)I, and in the control group, elastin-like polypeptide was injected into the VX2 liver tumor as a control. Periodic biochemical and imaging surveillances were required to assess treatment efficacy. The stability of elastin-like polypeptide with (131)I in vitro was maintained at over 96.8 % for 96 h. Biochemistry and imaging indicated brachytherapy using elastin-like polypeptide with (131)I for liver tumor can improve liver function and inhibit tumor growth (P