title: Polyphyllin D, a steroidal saponin from Paris polyphylla, inhibits endothelial cell functions in vitro and angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis, the process of blood vessel formation, is critical to tumour growth. The importance of angiogenesis in tumour development has lead to the development of anti-angiogenic strategies to inhibit tumour growth. In this study, polyphyllin D (PD), an active component in Chinese herb, Paris polyphylla, was evaluated for its potential anti-angiogenic effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inhibitory effects of PD on three important processes involved in angiogenesis, i.e. proliferation, migration and differentiation were examined using human microvascular endothelial cell line HMEC-1 by MTT assay, scratch assay and tube formation assay, respectively. Using zebrafish embryos as an animal model of angiogenesis, the anti-angiogenic effect of PD was further verified in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PD suppressed the growth of HMEC-1 cells at 0.1-0.4 μM without toxic effects. At 0.3 μM and 0.4 μM, PD significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration and capillary tube formation. About 70% of the zebrafish embryos showed defects in intersegmental vessel formation upon treatment with PD at concentrations of 0.156 μM and 0.313 μM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anti-angiogenic effects of PD have been explored in the study which implied a potential therapeutic development of PD in cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Judy Yuet-Wa
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Johnny Chi-Man
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Koon
authors.forename: Xiaozhou
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Detmar
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Siu-Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Kwok-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012503:Saponins; D013997:Time Factors; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012503:Saponins; C121203:polyphyllin D; D004144:Diosgenin