Pro-angiogenic activity of astragaloside IV in HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo

  • Authors:
    • Yi Zhang
    • Guang Hu
    • Shang Li
    • Zhen Hua Li
    • Che Oi Lam
    • Si-Jia Hong
    • Yiu‑Wa  Kwan
    • Shun Wan Chan
    • George Pak-Heng Leung
    • Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 15, 2011     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2011.716
  • Pages: 805-811
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Abstract

Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is a natural product isolated from the Chinese medical herb, Radix Astragali, which has been reported to be a potential candidate for treating diseases associated with abnormal angiogenesis; however, the effect of AS-IV on angiogenesis and its underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the angiogenic effect of AS-IV in vitro using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and in vivo using zebrafish. AS-IV was found to stimulate the proliferation and migration of HUVECs in an XTT assay and a wound healing migration assay, respectively. Moreover, AS-IV stimulated the invasive ability of HUVECs and significantly increased the mean tube length of HUVECs in Matrigel. AS-IV induced an angiogenic response in HUVECs and enhanced mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and a VEGF receptor known as kinase‑domain region/fetal liver kinase-1/VEGF receptor 2 (KDR/Flk-1/VEGFR2), as well as activation of Akt as demonstrated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The AS-IV-induced proliferation of HUVECs was capable of being suppressed by a KDR inhibitor (SU5416) and an Akt inhibitor (SH-6). AS-IV also rescued blood vessel loss in Tg (fli-1:EGFP) zebrafish. Altogether, our results suggest that AS-IV exerts potential pro-angiogenic effects in vitro and in vivo, and that its pro-angiogenic activity probably involves both VEGF- and Akt-dependent signaling pathways.

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March 2012
Volume 5 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhang Y, Hu G, Li S, Li Z, Lam C, Hong S, Kwan YW, Chan S, Leung GP, Lee SM, Lee SM, et al: Pro-angiogenic activity of astragaloside IV in HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo. Mol Med Rep 5: 805-811, 2012.
APA
Zhang, Y., Hu, G., Li, S., Li, Z., Lam, C., Hong, S. ... Lee, S.M. (2012). Pro-angiogenic activity of astragaloside IV in HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo. Molecular Medicine Reports, 5, 805-811. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2011.716
MLA
Zhang, Y., Hu, G., Li, S., Li, Z., Lam, C., Hong, S., Kwan, Y., Chan, S., Leung, G. P., Lee, S. M."Pro-angiogenic activity of astragaloside IV in HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo". Molecular Medicine Reports 5.3 (2012): 805-811.
Chicago
Zhang, Y., Hu, G., Li, S., Li, Z., Lam, C., Hong, S., Kwan, Y., Chan, S., Leung, G. P., Lee, S. M."Pro-angiogenic activity of astragaloside IV in HUVECs in vitro and zebrafish in vivo". Molecular Medicine Reports 5, no. 3 (2012): 805-811. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2011.716