Delphinidin is a novel inhibitor of lymphangiogenesis but promotes mammary tumor growth and metastasis formation in syngeneic experimental rats.

Abstract

We have recently demonstrated that the anthocyanidin delphinidin (DEL), one of the most abundant dietary flavonoids, inhibits activation of ErbB and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor family members. These receptors play crucial roles in the context of tumor progression and the outgrowth of blood and lymphatic vessels. Here, we have developed an improved chemical synthesis for DEL in order to study the effects of the aglycon and its degradation product gallic acid (GA) on endothelial and tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that DEL blocked the proliferation in vitro of primary human blood and lymphatic endothelial cells as well as human HT29 colon and rat MT-450 mammary carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, its degradation product GA had little effect. At higher concentrations, DEL induced apoptosis of endothelial and tumor cells. Furthermore, DEL potently blocked the outgrowth of lymphatic capillaries in ex vivo lymphangiogenesis assays. In the MT-450 rat syngeneic breast tumor model, it also significantly reduced angiogenesis and tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis when administered in vivo. These data reveal DEL to be a novel antilymphangiogenesis reagent. Surprisingly, however, the application of DEL unexpectedly promoted tumor growth and metastasis in the MT-450 tumor model, suggesting that the antiproliferative effect of DEL on cultured cells does not necessarily reflect the response of tumors to this anthocyanidin in vivo. Furthermore, while DEL may have utility as a cancer chemopreventative agent, its ability to promote tumor growth once a neoplasm develops also needs to be taken into consideration.

• Authors: Wilko Thiele, Melanie Rothley, Nicole Teller, Nicole Jung, Bekir Bulat, Diana Plaumann, Sylvia Vanderheiden, Anja Schmaus, Natascha Cremers, Bettina Göppert, Arno Dimmler, Verena Eschbach, Luca Quagliata, Sonja Thaler, Doris Marko, Stefan Bräse, Jonathan P Sleeman
• Journal: Carcinogenesis (Carcinogenesis) Vol. 34 Issue 12 Pg. 2804-13 (Dec 2013) ISSN: 1460-2180 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23975834 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anthocyanins
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
• delphinidin

Topics

• Animals
• Anthocyanins (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects, genetics)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Chemoprevention (methods)
• Endothelial Cells (drug effects, pathology)
• HT29 Cells
• Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (drug effects, pathology)
• Humans
• Lymphangiogenesis (drug effects)
• Lymphatic Metastasis (genetics, pathology, prevention & control)
• Mammary Neoplasms, Animal (pathology)
• Neovascularization, Pathologic (drug therapy, genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Phosphorylation (drug effects)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (genetics, metabolism)