Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Rat Mesentery Angiogenesis Assay
Published on: June 18, 2011
[Anti-angiogenetic effect of arenobufagin in vitro and in vivo]
Jun-shan Liu1, Dong-mei Zhang, Min-feng Chen
1Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Abstract:
This study is to investigate the anti-angiogenetic effect of arenobufagin in vitro and in vivo. The anti-proliferation effect of arenobufagin on CNE-2, Hep2, SH-SY5Y, LOVO, PC-3 and DU145 cells as well as human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was determined by MTT assay. Cell morphological changes of LOVO and HUVECs after arenobufagin treatment were observed by microscopy. Arenobufagin inhibited the proliferation of CNE-2, Hep2, SH-SY5Y, LOVO, PC-3, DU145 and HUVECs in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was obviously observed that the subcytotoxic concentration of arenobufagin in human carcinoma cells induced a marked decrease in the viability of HUVECs. Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was used to detect the anti-angiogenetic effect of arenobufagin in vivo. Arenobufagin significantly suppressed the angiogenesis of CAM. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that G2/M phase was arrested and the sub-G1 peak appeared with the increase of arenobufagin concentration. PI/Annexin V double staining assay further demonstrated that arenobufagin could induce apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mitochondrial potential collapse detected by flow cytometric analysis was increased after arenobufagin treatment. It also observed that PARP was cleaved to p85 active form by Western blotting. Taken together, arenobufagin has significant anti-angiogenetic effect in vitro and in vivo, and the action mechanisms behind its anti-angiogenesis may be associated with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of vein endothelial cells.
Insights
Arenobufagin exhibits significant anti-angiogenetic effects, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanisms involve inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Context:
- Angiogenesis is crucial for tumor growth and metastasis.
- Developing novel anti-angiogenetic agents is a key therapeutic strategy.
- Arenobufagin is a compound with potential anti-cancer properties.
Purpose:
- To investigate the anti-angiogenetic effects of arenobufagin.
- To elucidate the in vitro and in vivo mechanisms of arenobufagin's anti-angiogenetic action.
- To evaluate arenobufagin's impact on cancer cell proliferation and vascular endothelial cell viability.
Summary:
- Arenobufagin demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation across multiple cancer cell lines (CNE-2, Hep2, SH-SY5Y, LOVO, PC-3, DU145) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
- In vivo studies using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model confirmed arenobufagin's significant suppression of angiogenesis.
- Mechanistically, arenobufagin induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, mitochondrial potential collapse, and PARP cleavage in HUVECs, suggesting its anti-angiogenetic effects are linked to these cellular processes.
Impact:
- This study identifies arenobufagin as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer treatment due to its potent anti-angiogenetic properties.
- The findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying arenobufagin's anti-cancer activity, specifically its effects on angiogenesis.
- Further research into arenobufagin could lead to the development of new anti-angiogenesis-based cancer therapies.
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