Proapoptotic Activation of Death Receptor 5 on Tumor Endothelial Cells Disrupts the Vasculature and Reduces Tumor Growth

SummaryThe proapoptotic death receptor DR5 has been studied extensively in cancer cells, but its action in the tumor microenvironment is not well defined. Here, we uncover a role for DR5 signaling in tumor endothelial cells (ECs). We detected DR5 expression in ECs within tumors but not normal tissues. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with an oligomeric form of the DR5 ligand Apo2L/TRAIL induced apoptosis in tumor ECs, collapsing blood vessels and reducing tumor growth: Vascular disruption and antitumor activity required DR5 expression on tumor ECs but not malignant cells. These results establish a therapeutic paradigm for proapoptotic receptor agonists as selective tumor vascular disruption agents, providing an alternative, perhaps complementary, strategy to their use as activators of apoptosis in malignant cells.

► Death receptor 5 (DR5) is selectively expressed by tumor-associated endothelial cells
► Activation of DR5 disrupts the tumor vasculature and mediates antitumor effects
► Disruption of tumor vasculature is independent of DR5 function in malignant cells