IN-VITRO ANGIOGENIC ACTIVITY OF ALOE-VERA GEL ON CALF PULMONARY-ARTERY ENDOTHELIAL (CPAE) CELLS

Angiogenic activity of Aloe vera gel was investigated by in vitro assa y. We obtained the most active fraction from dichloromethane extract o f Aloe vera gel by partitioning between hexane and 90% aqueous methano l. The most active fraction (F3) increased the proliferation of calf p ulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells. In addition, F3 fraction ind uced CPAE cells to invade type I collagen gel and form capillary-like tube through in vitro angiogenesis assay, and increased the invasion o f CPAE cells into matrigel through in vitro invasion assay. Furthermor e, the effect on the mRNA expression of proteolytic enzymes which are key participants in the regulation of extracellular matrix degradation was investigated by northern blot analysis. F3 fraction enhanced mRNA expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), matrix met alloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and membrane-type MMP (MT-MMP) in CPAE cells whereas the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-I) m RNA was not changed.