scholarly journals Bufalin suppresses tumour microenvironment-mediated angiogenesis by inhibiting the STAT3 signalling pathway

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Fang ◽  
Yueping Zhan ◽  
Ruiqiu Zhu ◽  
Yuqian Wang ◽  
Chengqi Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Antiangiogenic therapy has increasingly become an important strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Recent studies have shown that the tumour microenvironment (TME) promotes tumour angiogenesis. Bufalin is an active antitumour compound whose efficacy has been indicated by previous studies. However, there are very few studies on the antiangiogenic effects of bufalin. Methods Herein, human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation, migration and adhesion tests were used to assess angiogenesis in vitro. Western blotting and quantitative PCR were used to detect relevant protein levels and mRNA expression levels. A subcutaneous xenograft tumour model and a hepatic metastasis model were established in mice to investigate the influence of bufalin on angiogenesis mediated by the TME in vivo. Results We found that angiogenesis mediated by cells in the TME was significantly inhibited in the presence of bufalin. The results demonstrated that the proangiogenic genes in HUVECs, such as VEGF, PDGFA, E-selectin and P-selectin, were downregulated by bufalin and that this downregulation was mediated by inhibition of the STAT3 pathway. Overexpression of STAT3 reversed the inhibitory effects of bufalin on angiogenesis. Furthermore, there was little reduction in angiogenesis when bufalin directly acted on the cells in the tumour microenvironment. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that bufalin suppresses tumour microenvironment-mediated angiogenesis by inhibiting the STAT3 signalling pathway in vascular endothelial cells, revealing that bufalin may be used as a new antiangiogenic adjuvant therapy medicine to treat colorectal cancer.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Xu ◽  
Kai Fang ◽  
Yueping Zhan ◽  
Yuqian Wang ◽  
Chengqi Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Anti-angiogenesis therapy has increasingly become an important strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Recent studies have shown that tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumour angiogenesis. Bufalin is an active compound whose anti-tumor efficacy has been proven by previous studies. However, there are very few studies on the anti-angiogenic effects of bufalin. Methods Herein, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) tube formation, migration and adhesion test were used to assess angiogenesis in vitro. Western blot and quantitative PCR were used to detect relevant protein levels and the expressions of mRNAs. Subcutaneous xenograft tumor model and hepatic metastasis model in mice were established to investigate the influence of bufalin on angiogenesis-mediated by TME in vivo. Results We found that the angiogenesis mediated by tumor microenvironment cells was significantly inhibited in the present of bufalin. The results demonstrated that the pro-angiogenic gene in HUVEC such as VEGF, PDGFA, E-selectin and P-selectin were downregulated by bufalin, and the downregulation was regulated by inhibiting the STAT3 pathway. Overexpression STAT3 could reverse the inhibitory effect of bufalin on angiogenesis. What is more, few reduction of angiogenesis when bufalin directly acted on tumor microenvironment cells. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that bufalin suppresses tumour microenvironment-mediated angiogenesis by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway of vascular endothelial cells, which reveals that bufalin may be used as a new anti-angiogenic adjuvant therapy medicine in the treatment of colorectal cancer.


Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Li ◽  
Ying Shen ◽  
Yudan Zheng ◽  
Shundong Ji ◽  
Mengru Wang ◽  
...  

We previously demonstrated the immunostimulatory efficacy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagellar hook protein FlgE on epithelial cells, presumably via ectopic ATP synthases or subunits ATP5B on cell membranes. Here, by using recombinant wild-type FlgE, mutant FlgE (FlgEM; bearing mutations on two postulated critical epitopes B and F), and a FlgE analog in pull-down assay, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and ELISA, actual bindings of FlgE proteins or epitope B/F peptides with ATP5B were all confirmed. Upon treatment with FlgE proteins, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and SV40-immortalized murine vascular endothelial cells manifested decreased proliferation, migration, tube formation, and surface ATP production and increased apoptosis. FlgE proteins increased the permeability of HUVEC monolayers to soluble large molecules like dextran as well as to neutrophils. Immunofluorescence showed that FlgE induced clustering and conjugation of F-actin in HUVECs. In Balb/c-nude mice bearing transplanted solid tumors, FlgE proteins induced a microvascular hyperpermeability in pinna, lungs, tumor mass, and abdominal cavity. All effects observed in FlgE proteins were partially or completely impaired in FlgEM proteins or blocked by pretreatment with anti-ATP5B antibodies. Upon coculture of bacteria with HUVECs, FlgE was detectable in the membrane and cytosol of HUVECs. It was concluded that FlgE posed a pathogenic ligand of ectopic ATP5B that, upon FlgE–ATP5B coupling on endothelial cells, modulated properties and increased permeability of endothelial layers both in vitro and in vivo. The FlgE-ectopic ATP5B duo might contribute to the pathogenesis of disorders associated with bacterial infection or ectopic ATP5B-positive cells.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoping Niu ◽  
Li Sun ◽  
Yunfeng Pei ◽  
Duping Wang

Background: Angiogenesis is a crucial process that regulated by multiple intracellular signaling pathways including MEK/ERK and JNK/SAPK. Thus, many inhibitors have developed to these pathways as anti-cancer therapeutic strategies. Oleanolic acid (OA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoic acid compound that present in various herbal medicines. It has been used as antitumor agent for various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC), which attenuates angiogenesis. Objective: To study the molecular mechanism of OA suppressing angiogenesis. Method: The proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was determined by MTT and the invasion and migration of them were measured by wound-healing Assay, transwell migration assay and tube formation assay. The xenograft mouse model was used to study the effect of OA blocking angiogenesis in vivo. The Western blot was used to checked the phosphorylation of VEGFR2. Results: OA attenuates HUVECs invasion, migration, tube formation and vascular sprouting. Moreover, OA suppresses HUVECs sprout and tube formation. Importantly, OA also blocks angiogenesis in HUVECs and colorectal cancer cells (HCT-116) both in vitro and in vivo. OA-dependent suppression of tumor angiogenesis mediated by blocking the phosphorylation of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) that results in inhibition of MEK/ERK/JNK pathway. Conclusion: Our results suggest that inhibition of tumor angiogenesis via the suppression VEGFR2 phosphorylation may be one of the underlying mechanisms by which OA exerts its anti-cancer effect.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 875-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyuan Song ◽  
Dongyan Pan ◽  
Weifeng Sun ◽  
Cao Gu ◽  
Yuelu Zhang ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Annexin II receptor (AXIIR) is able to mediate Annexin II signal and induce apoptosis, but its role in angiogenesis remains unclear. This study tries to investigate the role of AXIIR in angiogenesis and the plausible molecular mechanism. Methods/Results: RNA interference technology was used to silence AXIIR, and the subsequent effects in vitro and in vivo were evaluated thereafter. Our data indicated that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) expressed AXIIR and knockdown of AXIIR significantly inhibited HUVECs proliferation, adhesion, migration, and tube formation in vitro and suppressed angiogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, AXIIR siRNA induced cell arrest in the S/G2 phase while had no effect on cell apoptosis. We found that these subsequent effects might be via suppressing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2and matrix metalloproteinase 9. Conclusion: AXIIR participates in angiogenesis, and may be a potential therapeutic target for angiogenesis related diseases.


2012 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting-Hsing Chao ◽  
Shih-Ya Tseng ◽  
Yi-Heng Li ◽  
Ping-Yen Liu ◽  
Chung-Lung Cho ◽  
...  

Cilostazol is an anti-platelet agent with vasodilatory activity that acts by increasing intracellular concentrations of cAMP. Recent reports have suggested that cilostazol may promote angiogenesis. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of cilostazol in promoting angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in a hindlimb ischaemia model and have also examined its potential mechanism of action in vitro and in vivo. We found that cilostazol treatment significantly increased colony formation by human early EPCs (endothelial progenitor cells) through a mechanism involving the activation of cAMP/PKA (protein kinase A), PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt/eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) and ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)/p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling pathways. Cilostazol also enhanced proliferation, chemotaxis, NO production and vascular tube formation in HUVECs (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) through activation of multiple signalling pathways downstream of PI3K/Akt/eNOS. Cilostazol up-regulated VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-A165 expression and secretion of VEGF-A in HUVECs through activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway. In a mouse hindlimb ischaemia model, recovery of blood flow ratio (ipsilateral/contralateral) 14 days after surgery was significantly improved in cilostazol-treated mice (10 mg/kg of body weight) compared with vehicle-treated controls (0.63±0.07 and 0.43±0.05 respectively, P<0.05). Circulating CD34+ cells were also increased in cilostazol-treated mice (3614±670 compared with 2151±608 cells/ml, P<0.05). Expression of VEGF and phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt/eNOS and ERK/p38 MAPK in ischaemic muscles were significantly enhanced by cilostazol. Our data suggest that cilostazol produces a vasculo-angiogenic effect by up-regulating a broad signalling network that includes the ERK/p38 MAPK, VEGF-A165, PI3K/Akt/eNOS and cAMP/PKA pathways.


Biomedicines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 252
Author(s):  
Jang Mi Han ◽  
Ye Seul Choi ◽  
Dipesh Dhakal ◽  
Jae Kyung Sohng ◽  
Hye Jin Jung

Targeting angiogenesis is an attractive strategy for the treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases, including cancer. We previously identified 23-demethyl 8,13-deoxynargenicin (compound 9) as a novel nargenicin A1 analog with potential anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated the antiangiogenic activity and mode of action of compound 9. This compound was found to effectively inhibit in vitro angiogenic characteristics, including the proliferation, invasion, capillary tube formation, and adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, compound 9 suppressed the neovascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane of growing chick embryos in vivo. Notably, the antiangiogenic properties of compound 9 were related to the downregulation of VEGF/VEGFR2-mediated downstream signaling pathways, as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression in HUVECs. In addition, compound 9 was found to decrease the in vitro AGS gastric cancer cell-induced angiogenesis of HUVECs by blocking hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VEGF expression in AGS cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate for the first time that compound 9 is a promising antiangiogenic agent targeting both VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling in ECs and HIF-1α/VEGF pathway in tumor cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Fawang Zhu ◽  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Yun Mou ◽  
Zhiqiang Hu ◽  
...  

Background. Cilengitide is a selective αvβ3 and αvβ5 integrin inhibitor. We sought to investigate the effect of cilengitide on the neovascularization of abdominal aortic plaques in rabbits and explore its underlying antiangiogenic mechanism on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Materials and Methods. For the in vivo experiment, the abdominal aortic plaque model of rabbits was established and injected with different doses of cilengitide or saline for 14 consecutive days. Conventional ultrasound (CUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) were applied to measure the vascular structure and blood flow parameters. CD31 immunofluorescence staining was performed for examining neovascularization. Relative expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and integrin of the plaque were determined. For in vitro experiments, HUVECs were tested for proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and tube formation in the presence of different doses of cilengitide. Relative expressions of VEGF, integrin, and Ras/ERK/AKT signaling pathways were determined for the exploration of underlying mechanism. Results. CEUS showed modestly increased size and eccentricity index (EI) of plaques in the control group. Different degrees of reduced size and EI of plaques were observed in two cilengitide treatment groups. The expressions of VEGF and integrin in the plaque were inhibited after 14 days of cilengitide treatment. The neovascularization and apoptosis of the abdominal aorta were also significantly alleviated by cilengitide treatment. For in vitro experiments, cilengitide treatment was found to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HUVECs. However, cilengitide did not induce the apoptosis of HUVECs. A higher dose of cilengitide inhibited the mRNA expression of VEGF-A, β3, and β5, but not αV. Lastly, cilengitide treatment significantly inhibited the Ras/ERK/AKT pathway in the HUVECs. Conclusions. This study showed that cilengitide effectively inhibited the growth of plaque size by inhibiting the angiogenesis of the abdominal aortic plaques and blocking the VEGF-mediated angiogenic effect on HUVECs.


2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-Young Park ◽  
Chen Yan ◽  
Bradford C Berk

Introduction— Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an arrestin-like scaffold protein. We have shown previously that it is necessary for the transactivation of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) as well as promoting the migration and survival of endothelial cells (ECs). However, its roles in VEGF-induced angiogenesis and in vivo studies of TXNIP function have not been elucidated. Hypothesis— TXNIP regulates VEGF-mediated angiogenesis through modulation of angiogenic signaling pathways in ECs. Methods and Results— To determine the functions of TXNIP in ECs, we generated endothelial-specific TXNIP knockout (EC-TXNIP KO) mice (TXNIPflox/flox: Tie2-Cre/+). These mice displayed impaired capillary growth of the retinal vasculature compared to control mice. Furthermore, aortic rings from EC-TXNIP KO mice exhibited fewer and shorter vascular sprouts than those in control mice. To investigate the role of TXNIP in the regulation of VEGF-induced angiogenesis, we determined the subcellular localization of TXNIP in human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC). Immunofluorescence and cell fractionation studies revealed that upon VEGF stimulation (10ng/ml). TXNIP translocated from cytoplasm to the plasma membrane. There was a 9 fold increase of membrane associated TXNIP with a peak at 15 minutes compared to non-VEGF treatment cells. We hypothesized that membrane associated TXNIP may modulate VEGFR2 internalization and thereby affect VEGF-induced signaling and angiogenesis. To investigate this, we performed in vitro cell surface biotinylation assays in HUVEC. VEGFR2 internalization was decreased by 65% in TXNIP siRNA knockdown cells compared to control siRNA treated cells following VEGF stimulation. Consistent with this result, VEGF-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR2, PLCγ and ERK1/2 was decreased by knockdown of TXNIP. Significantly, TXNIP knockdown inhibited VEGF-induced proliferation and tube formation in vitro. Conclusion— Our results suggest that TXNIP can modulate VEGF-induced angiogenesis and signaling by regulation of VEGFR2 internalization.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Miyagawa ◽  
Zhi-Yu Chen ◽  
Che-Yi Chang ◽  
Ko-Hua Chen ◽  
Yang-Kao Wang ◽  
...  

Neovascularization (NV) of the cornea disrupts vision which leads to blindness. Investigation of antiangiogenic, slow-release and biocompatible approaches for treating corneal NV is of great importance. We designed an eye drop formulation containing gelatin/epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted therapy in corneal NV. Gelatin-EGCG self-assembled NPs with hyaluronic acid (HA) coating on its surface (named GEH) and hyaluronic acid conjugated with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) (GEH-RGD) were synthesized. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to evaluate the antiangiogenic effect of GEH-RGD NPs in vitro. Moreover, a mouse model of chemical corneal cauterization was employed to evaluate the antiangiogenic effects of GEH-RGD NPs in vivo. GEH-RGD NP treatment significantly reduced endothelial cell tube formation and inhibited metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity in HUVECs in vitro. Topical application of GEH-RGD NPs (once daily for a week) significantly attenuated the formation of pathological vessels in the mouse cornea after chemical cauterization. Reduction in both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and MMP-9 protein in the GEH-RGD NP-treated cauterized corneas was observed. These results confirm the molecular mechanism of the antiangiogenic effect of GEH-RGD NPs in suppressing pathological corneal NV.


Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 3268-3276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia Hsin Yeh ◽  
Hui-Chin Peng ◽  
Tur-Fu Huang

Abstract Endothelial integrins play an essential role in angiogenesis and cell survival. Accutin, a new member of disintegrin family derived from venom of Agkistrodon acutus, potently inhibited human platelet aggregation caused by various agonists (eg, thrombin, collagen, and, adenosine diphosphate [ADP]) through the blockade of fibrinogen binding to platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (ie, integrin IIbβ3). In this report, we describe that accutin specifically inhibited the binding of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 7E3, which recognizes integrin vβ3, to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), but not those of other anti-integrin MoAbs such as 2β1, 3β1, and 5β1. Moreover, accutin, but not the control peptide GRGES, dose-dependently inhibited the 7E3 interaction with HUVECs. Both 7E3 and GRGDS, but not GRGES or Integrelin, significantly blocked fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated accutin binding to HUVEC. In functional studies, accutin exhibited inhibitory effects on HUVEC adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen, fibronectin and vitronectin, and the capillary-like tube formation on Matrigel in a dose- and RGD-dependent manner. In addition, it exhibited an effective antiangiogenic effect in vivo when assayed by using the 10-day-old embryo chick CAM model. Furthermore, it potently induced HUVEC apoptotic DNA fragmentation as examined by electrophoretic and flow cytometric assays. In conclusion, accutin inhibits angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro by blocking integrin vβ3 of endothelial cells and by inducing apoptosis. The antiangiogenic activity of disintegrins might be explored as the target of developing the potential antimetastatic agents. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.


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