Experimental Study of the Effect of Boswellic Acid on Angiogenesis in Nude Mice with Acute Leukemia

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of boswellic acid on angiogenesis in nude mice with acute leukemia.【Methods】All 25 nude mice accepted a single dose of 3Gy γ-irradiation.HL60 cells,a human acute leukemic cell line,were implanted intraperitoneally by injection(2×107/ml,0.2ml,respectively) for 24 hours after irradiation.Twenty five nude mice were randomly divided into 5 groups(5 for each group) and feed for 30 days.Mice in negative control group received alcohol 0.5ml once a day while the one in positive control group received all-trans retinoic acid 0.3mg by intragastric administration.Three experimental groups were treated with boswellic acids of 50,100,200 mg/kg·d,respectively by intragastric administration.Microvessel density(MVD) of bone marrow in mice was observed with immunohistochemical method and the plasma concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in mice was measured with ELISA.【Results】MVD of bone marrow in experimental group of boswellic acid with 100,200 mg/kg·d was 18.00 3.54/HP and 12.80 2.59/HP,respectively.Serum concentration of VEGF in experimental group of boswellic acid with 100 and 200mg/kg·d was 18.60 0.89 and 12.28 0.85ng/ml,respectively.The MVD and the concentration of VEGF in the boswellic acid treatment group with 100 and 200mg/kg·d were significantly lower than those in negative control group in statistics.There was no significant difference in MVD and VEGF between boswellic acid treatment group with 50mg/kg·d and negative control group.【Conclusion】 Boswellic acid can reduce the concentration of VEGF in plasma of nude mice.Meanwhile,the MVD of bone marrow is decreased.There is a close relation between MVD and VEGF.The anti-angiogenic function induced by the boswellic acids may be from the inhibition of VEGF.