title: Inhibitory effects of Yangzheng Xiaoji on angiogenesis and the role             of the focal adhesion kinase pathway.
abstract: Angiogenesis is an essential event during the excessive growth and metastatic             spread of solid tumours. Anti-angiogenic agents have become a new choice of therapy             for patients with cancer. In the present study, we investigated the potential             effect of Yangzheng Xiaoji, a traditional Chinese medicinal formula presently             used in the treatment of several solid tumours including liver cancer and gastric             cancer, on angiogenesis, in vitro. The human vascular endothelial cell line HECV             was used. A Matrigel-based sandwich tubule formation assay was employed to assess             in vitro angiogenesis, a colorimetric method for assessing in vitro cell growth.             Electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) was used to evaluate the adhesion             and migration of endothelial cells. The effects on activation of focal adhesion             kinase (FAK) were evaluated using western blotting and immunofluorescence methods.             Yangzhen Xiaoji extract DME25 significantly inhibited tube formation (p=0.046             vs control). This was seen together with a concentration-dependent inhibition             on cell-matrix adhesion and cellular migration. It was demonstrated that the focal             adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor PF557328 had a significant synergistic effect             on DME25-induced inhibition of cell adhesion, migration and tube formation. The             study showed that DME25 inhibited the phosphorylation of FAK in endothelial cells.             In conclusion, Yangzhen Xiaoji has a marked effect on angiogenesis, in vitro and             that this effect is at least partly mediated by the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)             pathway.
authors.affiliation: Metastasis and Angiogenesis Research Group, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. jiangw@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Wen G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frewer
authors.forename: Jiafu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Malcolm D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C579032:yangzheng xiaoji; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases