Fenbendazole inhibited the growth and angiogenesis of transplanted breast tumor, and increased antitumor immune responses in the tumor microenvironment
Description
Fenbendazole, as a benzimidazole veterinary insecticide, has been found to have good antitumor efficacy in recent years. Our research group has previously confirmed that fenbendazole can inhibit the proliferation of the mouse breast cancer cell EMT6, but its effect in vivo is not clear. The purpose of our experiment is to study the effects of oral fenbendazole on the tumor microenvironment (TME) of transplanted breast tumors in mice. We established a transplanted breast tumor model to clarify the effect of fenbendazole on the growth of transplanted tumors and the changes in angiogenesis and the immune microenvironment in tumors. The results indicated that fenbendazole treatment significantly reduced tumor mass and volume, and the tumor inhibition rate was 69.54%; significantly reduced the microvessel density (MVD) in tumors and the levels of VEGFA and HIF-1α in the tissues; changed the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, CSF-1, TGF-β, IL-10, and CCL2; changed the proportion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), helper T cells (Ths), and natural killer cells (NKs) in peripheral blood, spleens, and tissues; and induced tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to become M1-type polarized. Together, fenbendazole significantly inhibited the growth and angiogenesis of EMT6 transplanted breast tumors and increased antitumor immune responses. The finding provides a supporting theory for the treatment and drug screening of tumors in the future.