Inhibitory effects of quercetin on angiogenesis in larval zebrafish and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
Angiogenesis plays an essential role in many physiological and pathological processes. Quercetin, a plant pigment and traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is an important flavonoid that has anti-cancer activity. However, the function of quercetin in blood vessel development in vivo and in vitro is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the anti-angiogenic activity of quercetin in zebrafish embryos and in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our results showed that quercetin disrupted the formation of intersegmental vessels, the dorsal aorta and the posterior cardinal vein in transgenic zebrafish embryos. In HUVECs, quercetin inhibited cell viability, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. In inhibiting angiogenesis, quercetin was found to be involved in suppressing the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. This study has shown that quercetin has potent anti-angiogenic activity and may be a candidate anti-cancer agent for future research.
State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, PR China; Department of Soil and Water Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA. Electronic address: zhaodaxian@ncu.edu.cn.
Daxian
D
Zhao
College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641112, PR China.
Chuanjie
C
Qin
Department of Soil and Water Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA.
Xiaohui
X
Fan
Department of Soil and Water Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA.
Yuncong
Y
Li
Department of Soil and Water Science, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA.
Binhe
B
Gu
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001011:Aorta / Q000002:abnormalities; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities; D015027:Zebrafish
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011794:Quercetin; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
Angiogenesis; Anti-cancer; Flavonoids; Human umbilical vein endothelial cells; Quercetin; Zebrafish