title: Pseudolarix acid B inhibits angiogenesis by antagonizing the vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated anti-apoptotic effect.
abstract: Angiogenesis is controlled by a number of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, pseudolarix acid B, isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Pseudolarix kaempferi and originally identified as an early pregnancy-terminating agent, was evaluated for its potential as an angiogenesis inhibitor, using in vitro and in vivo models. After exposure to pseudolarix acid B 0.625-5 microM for 72 h, the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was significantly inhibited. Pseudolarix acid B 0.313-2.5 microM for 24 h potently blocked the VEGF-induced tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Matrigel plug assays disclosed that pseudolarix acid B reduced angiogenesis induced by VEGF in vivo. In addition, pseudolarix acid B antagonized VEGF-mediated anti-apoptotic effects on serum-deprived human umbilical vein endothelial cells and increased apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by VEGF in Matrigel plug assays. Moreover, pseudolarix acid B significantly inhibited VEGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of kinase insert domain-containing receptor/fetal liver kinase-1 (KDR/flk-1), in correlation with a marked decrease in the phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). These findings collectively suggest that pseudolarix acid B possesses anti-angiogenic activity. One of the main anti-angiogenesis mechanisms of pseudolarix acid B may involve antagonism of the VEGF-mediated anti-apoptosis effect via inhibition of KDR/flk-1, ERK1/2, and Akt phosphorylation in endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anti-tumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu-Chong-Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Fu
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Xiong-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mei-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007797:Laminin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D004224:Diterpenes; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C059485:matrigel; C058391:pseudolaric acid B; D003094:Collagen; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases