Abstract
Marine sponges are a prolific source of bioactive compounds. In this work, the putative antiangiogenic potential of a series of synthetic precursors of Solomonamide A, a cyclic peptide isolated from a marine sponge, was evaluated. By means of an in vitro screening, based on the inhibitory activity of endothelial tube formation, the compound Solo F-OH was selected for a deeper characterization of its antiangiogenic potential. Our results indicate that Solo F-OH is able to inhibit some key steps of the angiogenic process, including the proliferation, migration, and invasion of endothelial cells, as well as diminish their capability to degrade the extracellular matrix proteins. The antiangiogenic potential of Solo F-OH was confirmed by means of two different in vivo models: the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and the zebrafish yolk membrane (ZFYM) assays. The reduction in ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in endothelial cells treated with Solo F-OH denotes that this compound could target the upstream components that are common to both pathways. Taken together, our results show a new and interesting biological activity of Solo F-OH as an inhibitor of the persistent and deregulated angiogenesis that characterizes cancer and other pathologies.