Molecular mechanisms of (R,R)ZX-5 on NO synthesis and its anti-angiogenic effect

Int J Mol Sci. 2012;13(3):2717-2726. doi: 10.3390/ijms13032717. Epub 2012 Feb 29.

Abstract

(R,R)ZX-5 is a NO regulatory compound, which could significantly increase choroidal blood flow in New Zealand rabbit. The aim of this paper is to investigate the molecular mechanism of (R,R)ZX-5 promoting NO production. Besides this, we also investigated the antiangiogenic activity of (R,R)ZX-5. Analysis of Western blot showed that (R,R)ZX-5 up-regulated the expression of Akt, p-Akt (Thr473), eNOS and p-eNOS (Ser1177), down-regulated the expression of Cyclin D1 in human retinal endothelial cells and escalated the intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration. Additionally, (R,R)ZX-5 inhibited the growth of blood vessels in the chick chorioallantoic membrane model. It is concluded that (R,R)ZX-5 promotes choroidal blood flow through PI3K/Akt-eNOS and Akt-Ca(2+)-eNOS pathways. Additionally, (R,R)ZX-5 can inhibit angiogenesis.

Keywords: (R,R)ZX-5; age-related macular degeneration; angiogenesis; choroidal neovascularization; signal pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Aniline Compounds / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Chick Embryo
  • Chorioallantoic Membrane / drug effects
  • Chorioallantoic Membrane / metabolism
  • Choroid / blood supply
  • Choroid / drug effects
  • Cyclin D1 / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Space / drug effects
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Rabbits
  • Thiourea / analogs & derivatives*
  • Thiourea / pharmacology*
  • Xanthenes / metabolism

Substances

  • 1-phenyl-3-(3-methoxy-2-propoxy-5-(4-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1,3-dithiolane-2-yl)phenyl)thiourea
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Aniline Compounds
  • Xanthenes
  • Cyclin D1
  • Fluo-3
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Thiourea
  • Calcium