Marine compound catunaregin inhibits angiogenesis through the modulation of phosphorylation of akt and eNOS in vivo and in vitro

Mar Drugs. 2014 May 12;12(5):2790-801. doi: 10.3390/md12052790.

Abstract

Angiogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature. Excessive or uncontrolled angiogenesis is a major contributor to many pathological conditions whereas inhibition of aberrant angiogenesis is beneficial to patients with pathological angiogenesis. Catunaregin is a core of novel marine compound isolated from mangrove associate. The potential anti-angiogenesis of catunaregin was investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and zebrafish. HUVECs were treated with different concentrations of catunaregin in the presence or absence of VEGF. The angiogenic phenotypes including cell invasion cell migration and tube formation were evaluated following catunaregin treatment in HUVECs. The possible involvement of AKT, eNOS and ERK1/2 in catunaregin-induced anti-angiogenesis was explored using Western blotting. The anti-angiogenesis of catunaregin was further tested in the zebrafish embryo neovascularization and caudal fin regeneration assays. We found that catunaregin dose-dependently inhibited angiogenesis in both HUVECs and zebrafish embryo neovascularization and zebrafish caudal fin regeneration assays. In addition, catunaregin significantly decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS, but not the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The present work demonstrates that catunaregin exerts the anti-angiogenic activity at least in part through the regulation of the Akt and eNOS signaling pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Animal Fins / drug effects
  • Animal Fins / growth & development
  • Animals
  • Catechols / chemistry
  • Catechols / pharmacology*
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lignans / chemistry
  • Lignans / pharmacology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / drug effects*
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt / drug effects*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Regeneration / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / pharmacology
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Catechols
  • Lignans
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • catunaregin
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt