Bp5250 inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis and HIF-1α expression on endothelial cells

Angiogenesis plays a critical role in many physiological and pathological phenomena. A number of anti-angiogenesis drugs have been used in the clinical treatment of diseases such as malignant tumors and macular degeneration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the major pro-angiogenesis factor, is known to stimulate various steps of endothelial angiogenic activity, such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation into vessel-like tubes. In this study, we tested the effects of bp5250 on the angiogenesis of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). Bp5250 suppressed VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation by triggering apoptosis, and reduced endothelial cell migration toward VEGF. Bp5250 also decreased VEGF-stimulated tube formation and rat aortic ring sprouting on Matrigel in a concentration-dependent manner. In the VEGF-activated signaling pathways, bp5250 decreased the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, PI3K-AKT, Src, and FAK and also reduced the activation of the cytoskeleton-associated Rho family, all in a concentration-dependent manner. Bp5250 also attenuated the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VEGF-stimulated mRNA expression of HUVECs under the hypoxic condition. In vivo, angiogenesis was restrained by a daily intraperitoneal administration of bp5250 in a dose-dependent manner (1–3 mg/kg/d) in the Matrigel plug implantation assay. These results indicate that bp5250 is a potential candidate for developing anti-angiogenic agents.