Antiangiogenetic effects of four varieties of grapes

The purpose of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of grapes on the human umbilical vein endothelial cells' (HUVEC) capillary tube formation and matix-metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression secreted into the medium. Four different grape varieties (Concord, Niagara, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir) were extracted using acetone and stored at -70°C; the total amount of phenolics and flavonoids for each of the four grape varieties were determined by spectrophotometry; the grape extracts were co-cultured with HUVEC on Matrigel and effects of inhibition on tube formation were observed by a microscope, inhibitory effects of grape extracts on MMP-2 expression were examined by zymogram. All four grape varieties inhibited the tube formation of HUVEC with a concentration-dependent manner on Matrigel, and almost no tube formation at 20mg/ml of grape extracts. Except Chardonnay, the other three grape varieties inhibited secretion of MMP-2 completely at 20mg/ml. There is a positive relationship between the total phenolics/flavonoids and antiangiogenetic activities. The grapes tested have the potential to inhibit angiogenesis mainly by their phenolics/flavonoids content, which partly contribute to their cancer chemopreventive efficacy.