Frontiers in Pharmacology (Oct 2021)

Saikosaponin A, a Triterpene Saponin, Suppresses Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth by Blocking VEGFR2-Mediated Signaling Pathway

  • Pan Zhang,
  • Pan Zhang,
  • Xing Lai,
  • Mao-Hua Zhu,
  • Mei Long,
  • Xue-Liang Liu,
  • Zi-Xiang Wang,
  • Yifan Zhang,
  • Run-Jie Guo,
  • Jing Dong,
  • Qin Lu,
  • Peng Sun,
  • Chao Fang,
  • Mei Zhao,
  • Mei Zhao

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.713200
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Saikosaponin A (SSA), a main triterpenoid saponin component from Radix Bupleurum, has been revealed to have a variety of pharmacological activities. However, whether SSA can inhibit angiogenesis, a key step in solid tumor progression, remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that SSA could powerfully suppress the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. SSA also significantly inhibited angiogenesis in the models of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane and Matrigel plugs. Moreover, SSA was found to inhibit tumor growth in both orthotopic 4T1 breast cancer and subcutaneous HCT-15 colorectal tumor by the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. Western blot assay indicated the antiangiogenic mechanism of SSA in the suppression of the protein phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and the downstream protein kinase including PLCγ1, FAK, Src, and Akt. In summary, SSA can suppress angiogenesis and tumor growth by blocking the VEGFR2-mediated signaling pathway.

Keywords