Figure 6.

Effect of other plant derived proteolytic enzymes on cell growth and tube formation of HUVEC. HUVEC were seeded into fibronectin coated 96-well microtiterplates and cultured in EGM. After 24 hours medium was changed to EBM containing 10 ng/mL VEGF or 10 ng/mL VEGF and bromelain respectively ficin at concentrations as indicated. After 24 hours, cell growth was assayed as described above. Data are shown as mean ± standard error of measurement. Treatment with bromelain as well as ficin resulted in a significant inhibition of proliferation at concentrations between 10 μg/mL and 25 μg/mL (Panel A). Panel B shows the effect of bromelain and ficin on tube formation, assayed as described above. Briefly, after 4 hours preincubation bromelain respectively ficin was added at concentrations as indicated. Data were measured as network length and shown as mean percent control ± standard error of measurement. Treatment with 1μg/mL bromelain inhibited tube formation significantly to control levels. At concentrations of 10 μg/mL bromelain or ficin tube formation was almost completely abrogated.