Tryptanthrin inhibits tumor angiogenesis via Notch/Dll4 signaling pathway in zebrafish

BackgroundAnti-angiogenic pathways are important for inhibiting tumor growth and migration. Tryptanthrin has anticancer properties in vivo but its anti-angiogenesis activities and associated mechanisms remain unclear.MethodsThe effects of tryptanthrin were investigated in vivo using fluorescent labeling of blood vessels in zebrafish. Fluorescence quantitation was conducted to analyze the level of delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) gene expression. Transcriptome sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms of anti-tumor angiogenesis.ResultsSignificant anti-tumor effects were observed in all 48-hpf (hours post-fertilization) zebrafish treated with tryptanthrin (P