Complementary actions of melatonin on angiogenic factors, the angiopoietin/Tie2 axis and VEGF, in co‑cultures of human endothelial and breast cancer cells

Oncol Rep. 2018 Jan;39(1):433-441. doi: 10.3892/or.2017.6070. Epub 2017 Nov 2.

Abstract

Melatonin exerts oncostatic activity in breast cancer through antiangiogenic actions. There, the aim of the present study was to ascertain whether melatonin modulates, in a coordinated action, angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1), ANG-2, their cognate Tie2 receptor and VEGF in co-cultures of human endothelial cells (HUVECs) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells. To accomplish this we used co-cultures of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) or non-malignant human mammary epithelial cells (MCF‑10A) with endothelial cells (HUVECs). The presence of breast cancer cells increased HUVEC proliferation and 1 mM melatonin prevented this effect. ANG-1, ANG-2 and VEGF levels in co-culture media and mRNA expression were upregulated and Tie2 mRNA expression was downregulated in the HUVECs and MCF-7. Melatonin (1 mM) downregulated ANG-1, ANG-2 and VEGF levels in the co-culture media and mRNA expression in both types of cells and upregulated Tie2 mRNA expression in HUVECs. ANG-1, ANG-2, Tie2 and VEGF mRNA expression were not modified during HUVEC/MCF-10A co-culture. Estradiol (10 nM) increased ANG-1, ANG-2 and VEGF mRNA expression in HUVECs and melatonin (1 mM) counteracted this effect. We conclude that melatonin simultaneously coordinates downregulation of angiopoietins with a reduction in VEGF, which could be an effective therapeutic strategy for blocking tumor angiogenesis.

MeSH terms

  • Angiopoietin-1 / genetics
  • Angiopoietin-1 / metabolism*
  • Angiopoietin-2 / genetics
  • Angiopoietin-2 / metabolism*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Down-Regulation
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Melatonin / pharmacology*
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*

Substances

  • ANGPT1 protein, human
  • ANGPT2 protein, human
  • Angiopoietin-1
  • Angiopoietin-2
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Estradiol
  • Receptor, TIE-2
  • Melatonin