Anti-cancer activity of an osthole derivative, NBM-T-BMX-OS01: targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling and angiogenesis

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 27;8(11):e81592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081592. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Angiogenesis occurs during tissue growth, development and wound healing. It is also required for tumor progression and represents a rational target for therapeutic intervention. NBM-T-BMX-OS01 (BMX), derived from the semisynthesis of osthole, an active ingredient isolated from Chinese herb Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss., was recently shown to enhance learning and memory in rats. In this study, we characterized the anti-angiogenic activities of NBM-T-BMX-OS01 (BMX) in an effort to develop novel inhibitors to suppress angiogenesis and tumor growth. BMX inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation, migration and endothelial tube formation in human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). BMX also attenuated VEGF-induced microvessel sprouting from aortic rings ex vivo and reduced HCT116 colorectal cancer cells-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Moreover, BMX inhibited the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, FAK, Akt and ERK in HUVECs exposed to VEGF. BMX was also shown to inhibit HCT116 cell proliferation and to suppress the growth of subcutaneous xenografts of HCT116 cells in vivo. Taken together, this study provides evidence that BMX modulates vascular endothelial cell remodeling and leads to the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. These results also support the role of BMX as a potential drug candidate and warrant the clinical development in the treatment of cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Capillaries / drug effects
  • Capillaries / metabolism
  • Capillaries / physiology
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Coumarins / chemistry*
  • Coumarins / pharmacology*
  • Coumarins / therapeutic use
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / pharmacology
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Coumarins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • osthol

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grant from the National Science Council of Taiwan [NSC98-2320-B-038-007]; grant [99TMU-WFH-02-4] from the Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; and grant [LSH-2012-04] from the Landseed Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.