Inhibition of VEGF expression in cancer cells and endothelial cell differentiation by synthetic stilbene derivatives.

We here report the synthesis of several stilbene derivatives. They show a measurable inhibitory effect on angiogenesis, some of them to a higher degree than resveratrol. Test methods included cell proliferation and tube formation assays using bovine aorta endothelial cells. In addition, it has been confirmed through the reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction experiment that these stilbene derivatives downregulate the expression of the gene related to the production of the angiogenesis factor VEGF in cancer cells.