Indigo naturalis and its component tryptanthrin exert anti-angiogenic effect by arresting cell cycle and inhibiting Akt and FAK signaling in human vascular endothelial cells.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Indigo naturalis has been used to treat inflammatory diseases and dermatosis, including psoriasis, since thousands of years in China. It has been proven effective in our previous clinical studies on treating psoriasis, but the active component and the mechanism of how indigo naturalis working still needs to be clarified. Since the dysregulated angiogenesis is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the anti-angiogenic effect of indigo naturalis and tryptanthrin, a pure component of indigo naturalis, was investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The in vivo angiogenesis was studied by chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. The in vitro studies were performed using human vascular endothelial cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution was revealed by flow cytometry. The cellular messenger (m)RNA or protein expression level was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR or Western blot, respectively. Transwell filter migration assay and matrix gel-induced tube formation method were applied to examine the angiogenic potential.

RESULTS:

Indigo naturalis significantly inhibited the in vivo vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis, as well as tryptanthrin. In vitro studies confirmed that indigo naturalis and tryptanthrin reduced the number of viable vascular endothelial cells. Tryptanthrin resulted in a cell cycle arrest and dose-dependently decreased the expressions of cyclin A, cyclin B, cyclin dependent kinase(CDK) 1 and 2, but not cyclin D and cyclin E, at both the mRNA and protein levels. The migration and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells were significantly inhibited by tryptanthrin in a dose-dependent manner. Result also showed that tryptanthrin could reduce the phosphorylated levels of both protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK).

CONCLUSIONS:

All together, these results demonstrated the anti-angiogenic effect of tryptanthrin, the acting component of indigo naturalis and revealed the underlying mechanism by inhibiting the cell cycle progression, cell migration and tube formation, likely mediated through blocking the Akt and FAK pathways.

• Authors: Hsin-Ning Chang, Sheng-Teng Huang, Yuan-Chieh Yeh, Hsin-Shih Wang, Tzu-Hao Wang, Yi-Hong Wu, Jong-Hwei S Pang
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 174 Pg. 474-81 (Nov 04 2015) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 26341616 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Cell Cycle Proteins
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Quinazolines
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• tryptanthrine
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
• Oncogene Protein v-akt
• Qingdai compound

Topics

• Acanthaceae (chemistry)
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (pharmacology)
• Animals
• Cell Cycle (drug effects)
• Cell Cycle Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Chick Embryo
• Chorioallantoic Membrane (drug effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology)
• Endothelial Cells (drug effects)
• Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Humans
• Oncogene Protein v-akt (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Quinazolines (pharmacology)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (antagonists & inhibitors, pharmacology)