Fasudil inhibits lung carcinoma-conditioned endothelial cell viability and migration

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fasudil on lung carcinoma-conditioned endothelial cells (LCc‑ECs). To obtain LCc-ECs, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with conditioned cell culture media from human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. The effect of fasudil on the viability of LCc-ECs was assessed using the MTT assay, in vitro invasive ability was evaluated using the transwell chamber assay and cytoskeletal changes were detected using fluorescein-labelled phalloidin immunocytochemistry. RhoA mRNA and p-MLC protein expression were measured using RT-PCR and western blotting. Fasudil significantly and dose-dependently inhibited LCc-EC proliferation and in vitro invasive ability. Fasudil also led to stress fibre breakage and fracture in LCc-ECs, indicating that fasudil impacts polymerisation of the cytoskeletal actin filament network. Expression of RhoA mRNA and protein expression of the ROCK substrate p-MLC were reduced by fasudil, suggesting that fasudil can inhibit RhoA/ROCK signalling and attenuate angiogenesis in LCc-ECs. This study indicates that fasudil is an anti-angiogenic agent with potential application for the treatment of cancer, especially lung adenocarcinoma.