Affiliations: [a] The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| [b] Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, PLA, Guangzhou, China
| [c] Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| [d] The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| [e] Center of Wound Treatment, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, PLA, Guangzhou, China
| [f] The Key Laboratory of Trauma Treatment and Tissue Repair of Tropical Area, PLA, Guangzhou, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Biao Cheng, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, PLA, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510010, China. Tel.: +86 20 88653337; Fax: +86 20 36222169; E-mail: chengbiaocheng@163.com.
Abstract: It has been reported that the beta-adrenergic receptor blocker (propranolol) and the a-adrenergic receptor (AR) blocker (phentolamine) both can inhibit human endothelial cell (EC) angiogenesis in vitro. However, it is unknown whether this inhibition also acts on pericytes. The present study aimed to determine how pericytes react to treatment with an a-/β- AR blocker. In the study, cell proliferation assays and scratch assay were performed to assess the effect of phentolamine or propranolol on cell proliferation and migration. Western blot and ELISA were employed to determine changes in VEGF-A and Ang-1 expression levels. The results indicated that the nonselective a-/β- AR blocker inhibited the proliferation, migration, and secretion of pericytes. The use of the nonselective a-/β- AR blocker might have an impact on vascularization and vascular maturation. Our research suggests the rational use of nonselective a-/β- AR blockers to treat angiogenesis-dependent diseases.
