title: Astaxanthin induces angiogenesis through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we sought to elucidate whether astaxanthin contributes to induce angiogenesis and its mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  To this end, we examined the role of astaxanthin on human brain microvascular endothelial cell line (HBMEC) and rat aortic smooth muscle cell (RASMC) proliferation, invasion and tube formation in vitro. For study of mechanism, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitor IWR-1-endo was used. HMBECs and RASMCs proliferation were tested by cell counting. Scratch adhesion test was used to assess the ability of invasion. A matrigel tube formation assay was performed to test capillary tube formation ability. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in HMBECs and RASMCs were tested by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data suggested that astaxanthin induces angiogenesis by increasing proliferation, invasion and tube formation in vitro. Wnt and β-catenin expression were increased by astaxanthin and counteracted by IWR-1-endo in HMBECs and RASMCs. Tube formation was increased by astaxanthin and counteracted by IWR-1-endo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be suggested that astaxanthin induces angiogenesis in vitro via a programmed Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, PR. China.
authors.forename: Yangyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, PR. China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, PR. China. Electronic address: jwl518@163.com.
authors.forename: Wanglin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, PR. China. Electronic address: zsp1963yt@163.com.
authors.forename: Shuping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine
keywords: Angiogenesis; Astaxanthin; HBMEC; RASMC; Wnt; β-catenin