Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Synthetic analogues of fumagillin that inhibit angiogenesis and suppress tumour growth

Abstract

NEOVASCULARIZATION is critical for the growth of tumours1–3 and is a dominant feature in a variety of angiogenic diseases4 such as diabetic retinopathy, haemangiomas, arthritis and psoriasis. Recognition of the potential therapeutic benefit of controlling unabated capillary growth5 has led to a search for safe and effective angiogenesis inhibitors. We report here the synthesis of a family of novel inhibitors that are analogues of fumagillin, a naturally secreted antibiotic6 of Aspergillus fumigatus fresenius. We first isolated this fungus from a contaminated culture of capillary endothelial cells. Purified fumagillin inhibited endothelial cell proliferation in vitro and tumour-induced angiogenesis in vivo; it also inhibited tumour growth in mice, but prolonged administration was limited because it caused severe weight loss. Synthesis of fumagillin analogues yielded potent angiogenesis inhibitors ('angioinhibins') which suppress the growth of a wide variety of tumours with relatively few side-effects.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Folkman, J. Ann. Int. Med. 82, 96–100 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Folkman, J., Watson, K., Ingber, D. & Hanahan, D. Nature 339, 58–61 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Folkman, J. J. natn. Canc. Inst. 82, 4–6 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Folkman, J. & Ingber, D. E. Ann. Surg. 206, 374–383 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Folkman, J. New Engl. J. Med. 285, 1182–1186 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  6. McCowen, M. C., Callender, M. E. & Lawlis, Jr J. F. Science 113, 202–203 (1951).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Folkman, J. & Moscona, A. Nature 273, 345–350 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ingber, D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 3579–3583 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ingber, D., Madri, J. A. & Folkman, J. Endocrinology 119, 1768–1773 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Killough, J. H., Magill, G. B. & Smith, R. C. Science 115, 71–72 (1952).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. DiPaolo, J. A., Tarbell, D. S. & Moore, G. E. Antibiotics Annual 541–546 (1958–1959).

  12. Crum, R., Szabo, S. & Folkman, J. Science 230, 1375–1377 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Folkman, J., Langer, R., Lindhart, R., Haudenschild, C. & Taylor, S. Science 221, 719–725 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Folkman, J., Weisz, P. B., Joullie, M. M., Li, W. W. & Ewing, W. R. Science 243, 1490–1493 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ingber, D. E. & Folkman, J. Lab. Invest. 59, 44–50 (1988).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Maione, T. E. et al. Science 247, 77–79 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Moses, M. A., Sudhalter, J. & Langer, R. Science 248, 1408–1410 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Tanaka, N. G. et al. Canc. Res. 49, 6727–6730 (1989).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Oikawa, T., Hirotani, K., Shimamura, M., Ashino-Fuse, H. & Iwaguchi, T. J. Antibiotics 42, 1202–1204 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. White, C. W., Sondheimer, H. M., Crouch, E. C., Wilson, H. & Fanll, L. L. New Engl. J. Med. 320, 1197–1200 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ingber, D., Fujita, T., Kishimoto, S. et al. Synthetic analogues of fumagillin that inhibit angiogenesis and suppress tumour growth. Nature 348, 555–557 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/348555a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/348555a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing