Survival of Human Neurofibroma in Immunodeficient Mice and Initial Results of Therapy With Pirfenidone

Overview

Journal J Biomed Biotechnol

Specialty Biology

Date 2004 Jul 9

PMID 15240917

Citations 5

Authors

Dusica Babovic-Vuksanovic

Lydia Petrovic

Bruce E Knudsen

Timothy B Plummer

Joseph E Parisi

Srdan Babovic

Jeffrey L Platt

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Neurofibromatosis type I is a common tumor predisposing disease in humans. Surgical therapy can be applied only in selected patients with resectable masses. Hence, development of new therapies for this disease is urgent. We used human neurofibroma implants in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) as a model to test the toxicity and potential efficacy of pirfenidone, a new therapeutic agent. Two hundred twelve human neurofibromas were transplanted into various locations in 59 experimental animals, and 30 mice with implants received oral pirfenidone for up to six weeks. Survival of neurofibromas in animals treated with pirfenidone was lower than in the control group $(P=.02)$. Tumors did not change histologic appearance or vascularization in response to pirfenidone. Treatment with pirfenidone, a new antifibrotic agent, inhibits survival of some tumors without causing toxicity in animals.

Citing Articles

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Pirfenidone Attenuates Microglial Reactivity and Reduces Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase mRNA Expression After Kainic Acid-Mediated Excitotoxicity in Pubescent Rat Hippocampus.

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