Study on function of VEGF pathway in promoting angiogenesis with Xuefu Zhuyu Tang

Abstract

To investigate the function of VEGF pathway in promoting angiogenesis with Xuefu Zhuyu Tang (XFZYT). Serum pharmacology technique was adopted to treat endothelial cells ECV304 with XFZYD containing serum and blank serum with concentrations of 1.25%, 2.5% and 5%. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, boyden chamber migration assay and in vitro vessel formation assay were used to test endothelial cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis capacities. ELISA, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to detect secretion and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2). XFZYT-CS with a concentration of 1.25% only affected angiogenesis capacity in vitro. XFZYT-CS with a concentration of 2. 5% promoted cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis capacities and significantly increased VEGF level and VEGF/VEGFR2 expressions. XFZYT-CS with a concentration of 5% only up-regulated intracellular VEGF expression and thereby improving endothelial cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. XFZYT can induce endothelial cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis by up-regulating VEGF-VEGFR2 pathway, which partially proves its angiogenesis effects.