title: Antidepressant hyperforin up-regulates VEGF in CNS tumour cells.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key player in neo-angiogenesis; it sustains the progression of solid neoplasias, brain tumours included. It has recently been demonstrated that the use of antidepressants correlates with increasing VEGF levels in the central nervous system (CNS). In order to elucidate whether the most used natural antidepressant [St. John's wort (SJW) extract] modulates VEGF expression, possible relationship between≤μM hyperforin (Hyp, the bioactive component in SJW) and VEGF in CNS tumours has been now examined in medulloblastoma and glioblastoma cells. Real-time PCR and ELISA revealed that under Hyp VEGF expression increased more than three fold in DAOY medulloblastoma cells; while, U87 glioblastoma cells - constitutively expressing high VEGF levels - showed no significant differences. Moreover, Hyp induced endothelial pro-angiogenic behaviour in a multi-parametric Matrigel colonisation assay, and down-modulation of pro-MMP-2 and pro-MMP-9 activities as measured by gelatin zymography. Should these results be confirmed in vivo for this and other types of CNS tumour, the antidepressant use of SJW extracts must be carefully re-considered, in particular for brain tumour patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy. evelyne.tassone@unipd.it
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tassone
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maran
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Masola
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bradaschia
authors.forename: Spiridione
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garbisa
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onisto
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013729:Terpenes; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D010696:Phloroglucinol; D018093:Gelatinases; C120487:pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9; C069860:progelatinase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C001654:hyperforin