Figure 1

Inhibition of Ang-2 mRNA transcripts and Ang-2 protein secretion in cultured mammary cancer cells by the MSeA treatment. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with selected concentrations of MSeA at the designated time intervals. Cellular mRNA and total protein from MSeA treated cells were isolated for subsequent quantitative analysis. A. Compared with the PBS controls, levels of Ang-2 mRNA in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells were significantly reduced 12 hrs following the MSeA (5 μM) treatment, determined by quantitative RT-PCR (p < 0.05). MSeA treatment of the cells for 24 hrs did not further inhibit Ang-2 mRNA expression. B. Secretion of Ang-2 protein into the medium by the MDA-MB-231 cells were significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) 24 hrs following the MSeA treatment at concentrations 5 μM or higher, as determined by Radioimmunoassay (RCA). Compared with the PBS control, a brief but significant increase in Ang-2 protein secretion was observed for the MDA-MB-231 cells at 6 hrs following the 5 μM and 10 μM MSeA treatments, and the reason is currently unknown to us.