Cellular and Molecular Characterization of Anti-VEGF and IL-6 Therapy in Experimental Glioma

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin 6 (IL6) play central roles in various angiogenesis-dependent diseases, including malignant brain tumors. VEGF-blocking agents are increasingly used against glioblastoma, but the potential of IL6 pathway inhibition is little explored in this pathology. Here we resume recent work performed in our recently developed experimental glioma model grown on the chick chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) showing that (1) VEGF-inhibition leads to avascular tumors which up-regulate genes associated with poor survival in glioblastoma patients, (2) single inhibition of VEGF or IL6 is equally effective in regard to angiogenesis inhibition, activates different molecular responses in tumor cells but increases invasion and (3) combined inhibition of IL6 and VEGF prevents tumor development without inducing invasion. Different treatment and transcriptomic profiling strategies are discussed with emphasis to alternative tumor models such as the chicken CAM experimental glioma.