Effect of Lanthanum on Pro-Angiogenic Growth Factors in Chick Embryos

Lanthanum (La) compounds are widely used in optics, electronics and therapeutics. The present study was undertaken to establish the experimental animal model the chick embryos for La toxicity and its effect on pro-angiogenic growth factors (TGF?2 and GDNF) as members of transforming growth factor superfamily. In fertilized eggs, La was injected through the air chamber once time and the eggs were incubated prior to control for 10 days. At 7th and 10th day for control and at the 10th day for La-exposed, embryos were dissected out to follow the morphological abnormalities and the differentiation of ciliary body, spinal cord, lung, liver and kidney. Results indicated that La exerts a dose-dependent toxicity, retarding the differentiation of ciliary body, decrease the extracellular matrix and down regulate the expression of the growth factors under investigation. The study concluded that beside the therapeutic role of La in hyperphosphatemia, the studied growth factors by their angiogenic activity may contribute to the advent of a new generation of metal agents that directly down regulate their expression with consequent inhibition of tumor metastasis through La therapeutic uses.