A Novel Natural Product-Derived Compound, Vestaine A1, Exerts both Pro-Angiogenic and Anti-Permeability Activity via a Different Pathway from VEGF.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key molecule in the regulation of both angiogenesis and vascular permeability. However, it is known that overproduction of VEGF induces abnormal blood vessel formation and these vessels cause several disease pathologies, such as diabetic retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to find novel vasoactive compounds which have different properties from VEGF.

METHODS/RESULTS: We screened a natural product library using a co-culture angiogenic assay of endothelial cells and fibroblasts. By focusing on morphological changes of endothelial cells, we isolated the novel compounds vestaine A1 and vestaine B1 from the cultured broth of an actinomycete strain, Streptomyces sp. SANK 63697. Vestaine A1 enhanced tube formation of endothelial cells in Matrigel and suppressed cell death induced by serum deprivation. Vestaine A1 activated both MEK1/2 and PI-3 kinase pathways independently of the VEGF pathway in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Finally, vestaine A1 potently suppressed VEGF-induced vascular permeability both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION: Vestaine A1 has the potential to exhibit both pro-angiogenic and anti-permeability properties, and would therefore be useful for therapeutic treatment for abnormal vascular permeability-related diseases.