TGF-β blockade improves the distribution and efficacy of therapeutics in breast carcinoma by normalizing the tumor stroma

Although the role of TGF-beta in tumor progression has been studied extensively, its impact on drug delivery in tumors remains far from understood. In this study, we examined the effect of TGF-beta blockade on the delivery and efficacy of conventional therapeutics and nanotherapeutics in orthotopic mammary carcinoma mouse models. We used both genetic (overexpression of sT beta RII, a soluble TGF-beta type II receptor) and pharmacologic (1D11, a TGF-beta neutralizing antibody) approaches to block TGF-beta signaling. In two orthotopic mammary carcinoma models (human MDA-MB-231 and murine 4T1 cell lines), TGF-beta blockade significantly decreased tumor growth and metastasis. TGF-beta blockade also increased the recruitment and incorporation of perivascular cells into tumor blood vessels and increased the fraction of perfused vessels. Moreover, TGF-beta blockade normalized the tumor interstitial matrix by decreasing collagen I content. As a result of this vessel and interstitial matrix normalization, TGF-beta blockade improved the intratumoral penetration of both a low-molecular-weight conventional chemotherapeutic drug and a nanotherapeutic agent, leading to better control of tumor growth.