Ewelina Kluza1, Marieke Heisen2,
Sophie Schmid1, Daisy W. J. van Der Schaft3, Raymond M
Schiffelers4, Gert Storm4, Bart M. ter Haar Romeny2, Gustav J.
Strijkers1, Klaas Nicolay1
1Biomedical NMR, Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven,
Netherlands; 2Biomedical Image Analysis, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands; 3Biomechanics
& Tissue Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven
University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands; 4Department of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
Liposome-incorporated glucocorticoids (GC) are known for their tumor growth inhibitory effects. The mechanism by which this occurs is largely unknown. The present study sought to test the hypothesis that liposomal GC activity involves inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. To that aim, dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI was used to probe vascular function in B16F10 tumors, grown s.c. in C57BL/6 mice. DCE-MRI data were fitted with the two-compartment Tofts model. In addition, T2- and DW-MRI and histopathology were used. GC treatment caused a significant reduction in Ktrans from day 2 post-therapy and prevented the ADC reduction seen in non-treated tumors.