Anti-angiogenic Potential of Tocotrienol in vitro

T. Miyazawa^1*, H. Inokuchi¹, H. Hirokane¹, T. Tsuzuki¹, K. Nakagawa¹, and M. Igarashi²

¹Laboratory of Food and Biodynamic Chemistry, Graduate School of Life Science and Agriculture, Tohoku University, Sendai 981-8555, Japan; fax: 81-22-717-8905; E-mail: miyazawa@biochem.tohoku.ac.jp

²Sugiyama Human Nutrition Research Center, Sugiyama Jogakuen University, Nagoya 464-8662, Japan

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received October 30, 2003

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Modulation of angiogenesis is now a recognized strategy for the prevention of various angiogenesis-mediated disorders. We investigated, using well-characterized in vitro systems, the anti-angiogenic property of vitamin E compounds, with particular emphasis on tocotrienol, a natural analog of tocopherol. Tocotrienol, but not tocopherol, inhibited the proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells in dose dependent manner at half-maximal concentrations in the low micromolar range. Tocotrienol also significantly inhibited the formation of networks of elongated endothelial cells within 3D collagen gels. From these results, we suggest that tocotrienol is a potential candidate for the development of useful therapeutic agents or preventive food factors for tumor angiogenesis.

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KEY WORDS: angiogenesis, tocotrienol, tocopherol

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