Abstract
Opioids are effective analgesics for the management of moderate to severe cancer pain. Here we show that κ opioid receptor (KOR) agonists act as anti-angiogenic factors in tumors. Treatment with KOR agonists, U50,488H and TRK820, significantly inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and tube formation by suppressing VEGFR2 expression. In contrast, treatment with a μ opioid receptor agonist, DAMGO, or a δ opioid receptor agonist, SNC80, did not prevent angiogenesis in HUVECs. Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) or B16 melanoma grafted in KOR knockout mice showed increased proliferation and remarkably enhanced tumor angiogenesis compared with those in wild type mice. On the other hand, repeated intraperitoneal injection of TRK820 (0.1-10 μg/kg, b.i.d.) significantly inhibited tumor growth by suppressing tumor angiogenesis. These findings indicate that KOR agonists play an important role in tumor angiogenesis and this knowledge could lead to a novel strategy for cancer therapy.