Oxygenation of hypoxic region in solid tumor by administration of human serum albumin incorporating synthetic hemes.

Abstract

Recombinant human serum albumin incorporating synthetic heme (rHSA-FeP) was tested for its ability to increase O(2) tension in the hypoxia of the solid tumor rat model. By the direct administration of the rHSA-FeP solution (10 mL/kg) via the aorta descendens to the ascites hepatoma LY80 tumor on the right femur, the O(2) tension of the hypoxic region immediately increased to 3.45 +/- 1.43 Torr, which corresponds to a 2.4-fold increase compared to that of the baseline value. These high O(2) levels continued for 300 s after the infusion. The rHSA-FeP solution can be utilized not only as a red blood cell substitute but also as an O(2)-carrying medicine for the effective reoxygenation of the hypoxia solid tumor.