[Inhibitory effect of tetrandrine on angiogenesis].
OBJECTIVE
Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. This study was to investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of tetrandrine on angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.


METHODS
MTT assay was used to observe the effect of tetrandrine on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human colorectal carcinoma LoVo cells. Transwell migration assay and tube formation assay were used to observe the impact of tetrandrine on cell migration and tube forming ability of HUVECs. LoVo cells were transplanted into nude mice. Microvessel density (MVD) was measured in nude mouse xenografts after intragastric administration of tetrandrine.


RESULTS
Tetrandrine (2-8 microg/mL) inhibited the proliferation of HUVECs (24.6%-76.9%) and LoVo cells (11.6%-14.0%) after 48 h treatment. When HUVECs were incubated with 2-8 microg/mL tetrandrine, the number of tubules was reduced and the lumen lost its integrity after 24 h; the number of migrating HUVECs was decreased after 12 h as compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, MVD was much less in LoVo cell xenografts treated with 80mg/kg tetrandrine than in those treated with normal saline (P = 0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
Tetrandrine effectively suppresses angiogenesis in vitro, which may be through inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and tube-formation, inducing apoptosis and suppressing DNA synthesis of HUVECs. Tetrandrine also has an antiangiogenic effect on LoVo cell xenografts in nude mice.
Cancer Center, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, P. R. China.
Xiao-Ping
XP
Qian
Bao-Rui
BR
Liu
Jing
J
Hu
Min
M
Li
Wen-Jing
WJ
Hu
Jing
J
Sun
Li-Xia
LX
Yu
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; C009438:tetrandrine