Javad Baharara - Research Center for Animal Development Applied Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Elaheh Amini - Faculty of Biological sciences, Developmental Biology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
Marzieh Mousavi - Cell & Developmental Biology Research center for Applied Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

Background: Anti-angiogenic therapy is a crucial step in cancer treatment. The discovery of new anti-angiogenic compounds from marine organisms has become an attractive concept in anti-cancer therapy. Because little data correlated to the pro- and anti-angiogenic efficacies of Ophiuroidea, which include brittle star, the current study was designed to explore the anti-angiogenic potential of brittle star methanol extract in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The anti-proliferative effect of brittle star extract on A۲۷۸۰cp cells was examined by MTT assays, and transcriptional expression of VEGF and b-FGF was evaluated by RT-PCR. In an in vivo model, ۴۰ fertilized Ross eggs were divided into control and three experimental groups. The experimental groups were incubated with brittle star extract at concentrations of ۲۵, ۵۰ and ۱۰۰ µg/ml, and photographed by photo-stereomicroscopy. Ultimately, numbers and lengths of vessels were measured by Image J software. Data were analyzed with SPSS software (p<۰.۰۵). Results: Results illustrated that the brittle star extract exerted a dose- and time-dependent anti-proliferative effect on A۲۷۸۰cp cancer cells. In addition, VEGF and b-FGF expression decreased with brittle star methanol extract treatment. Macroscopic evaluations revealed significant changes in the second and third experimental group compared to controls (p<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: These finding revealed the anti-angiogenic effects of brittle star methanol extract in vitro and in vivo confer novel insight into the application of natural marine products in angiogenesis-related pathologies.

Angiogenesis, Anti-proliferative, Brittle star, Marine organisms, Ovarian cancer